APPENDIX B. a.

FIRST THINGS FIRST: EQUITY FOR WOMEN
THROUGH PAID SKILLS DEVELOPMENT LEAVE

Jane Adams
Canadian Congress for Learning Opportunities for Women

This report has a threefold thrust. First, to examine the barriers that prevent women's access to skills development. Second, to investigate and propose various methods and policies by which a system of paid skill development leave will function equitably in our society. Finally, to recommend a framework within which a just and creative national educational policy can be built, one that will foster true economic equality for women in Canadian society.

Eleven barriers to skill development for women are identified: expenses of training, lack of living allowance during training, age limits, discrimination by educational institutions, lack of provisions for part-time workers, family responsibilities, interruption due to child bearing or child care, lack of flexibility in program delivery, lack of opportunity for career advancement, lack of program information and lack of educational and career counselling.

The report then examines the positive measures that must be taken to overcome these barriers and makes 20 recommendations. Chief among these are:

• that a target of 50 per cent female participation be established for the full range of courses in technological training, training for growth industry jobs and industrial training;
  
  
• that affirmative action programs be established as the mechanism by which equality of access for working women and homemakers is ensured;
  
  
• that priority be given to women with the greatest educational need;
  
  
• that costs be paid 100 per cent from a fund established by industry and government, and that prepayment by employee not be required;
  
  
• that a National Education and Training Agency be established with a 50 per cent representation by women in all levels of the directorate;
  
  
• that skill development leave provisions include part-time employees;
  
  
• that opportunity for successful completion of a training program be guaranteed if interrupted by the illness of a child or by pregnancy.

The report stresses that unless strong support mechanisms are an integral part of the whole program it may aid least those for whom it is intended, since the well-educated are comfortable with further education while - the less-educated are easily intimidated. Unless this situation is given active attention, the result will be increasing inequality.