- a. HOW MANY WOMEN ARE FINISHING THE
COURSES?
According to CEIC sources in Manitoba, women trainees have
a 92% completion rate in the skill courses, which is slightly higher than the
completion rate of male trainees. In Ontario in 1982/83 the completion rate for
women trainees in all courses was 70%; for men trainees 65.7%. Alberta reported
a completion rate for women trainees in all courses of 74.3% for 1982/83.
Saskatchewan reported a completion rate of 81% for women trainees in
non-traditional occupations for 1982/83. Prince Edward Island reported that the
completion rate for women trainees in non-traditional occupations was slightly
over 90%.
Finishing the courses was not seen as a major problem for
women trainees. Many respondents felt it was too soon to have any significant
data on the subject of women being trained under the New National Training Act.
The problem is seen, rather, as one of getting the women to take the courses -
the training spaces are now available for women in non-traditional occupations
and women appear to "go the duration" once they begin their courses, but the
numbers of women taking advantage of these opportunities for training continues
to fall far short of 30%.
- WHAT IS YOUR POSITION ON PAID SKILLS DEVELOPMENT
LEAVE?
The government has just produced a two-volume report called
Learning a Living in Canada. This report studies the concept of paid
skills development leave but does not represent federal government policy,
which shall be determined after the report has been studied by a seven member
panel.
The Newfoundland Department of Education was the only provincial
body to answer this question: the Newfoundland Department of Education supports
the principle of Paid Skills Development Leave and has provision in the
Instructors & Teachers Collective Agreements for the granting of Paid
Educational Leave.
- DOES CEIC PROVIDE FUNDING AND INCOME SUPPORT FOR
PART-TIME EDUCATION?
According to the Director General of Training,
part-time courses are eligible for funding in both Institutional &
Industrial Training. However, income support is not available for part-time
trainees.
The exception to this rule is the training program for
immigrant domestics.
Although CEIC policy does not provide income
support for part-time trainees, there do appear to be instances of part-time
trainees receiving financial assistance - usually through a provincial
education or labor department program.
According to the Newfoundland
Department of Education the provincial Student Aid program is integrated with
the Canada Student Loan program, and under changes made during the past summer
funding and income support is now available for part-time education.
In
the response from the Saskatchewan Department of Education it was pointed out
that although in theory CEIC funding is available for part-time courses,
essentially all of the funds are utilized by the demands for full-time courses,
and income support is only available if the training is more than 25 hours per
week.
- DOES CEIC PROVIDE TUITION, BOOKS, TRANSPORT, CHILD CARE
AND CLOTHES FOR FULL AND PART-TIME LEARNERS?
On June 27,1983, then
Employment & Immigration Minister Lloyd Axworthy announced special measures
under the National Training Program "to help women train for the jobs of the
future". These special measures included increases in the regular training
allowances and the dependant care allowances.*
* See
Appendix E: Press Release - Minister, Employment & Immigration June
27,1983
|