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1.0 Introduction


1.1 Background to Strategic Initiatives

In November 1994, Canada and Saskatchewan signed a Labour Force Development Agreement designed to provide a framework for joint planning, management, service, program delivery, and evaluation of labour force development services in the province. The Agreement grew out of an interest by both orders of government in taking a joint approach to trying new ways of improving the effectiveness of efforts to develop a skilled labour force and increase access to training and jobs in Saskatchewan. Consultation had identified issues that focus on the need for:

  • better co-ordination of planning and service delivery across the two orders of government;
  • more community involvement in the development of programs and services;
  • more involvement of employers and various industry sectors in identifying training priorities and providing training opportunities; and
  • better access to training and jobs among persons with disabilities, aboriginal people, women, members of visible minorities, people on social assistance, and youth.

Within the LFDA, strategic initiatives were identified as a high priority for joint development. In January 1996, Canada and Saskatchewan signed a Strategic Initiatives Contribution Agreement outlining co-operative arrangements for the design, funding, implementation, and evaluation of three pilot initiatives within the guidelines of the federal government's Strategic Initiatives Program: Labour Market Information, Career Services, and Work/Study. The specific program initiatives outlined in the Agreement are intended to provide a continuum of integrated programs and services to support the transition to work and to build effective Cupertino among communities, industry, education and training institutions, and governments to meet provincial labour force development needs. The SI program is part of the Government of Canada's social security reform project, designed to eliminate disincentives to work and to encourage labour force participation.1

The W/S program has been designed to advance the following SI principles:

  • improved service to clients;
  • improved efficiency and effectiveness, including the elimination of duplication and waste;
  • increased federal/provincial co-ordination and collaboration in training, employment, and community and labour force adjustment programming;
  • linkage of programs and services to local and provincial social and economic needs;
  • enhanced training opportunities for employment equity group members, including aboriginal peoples, persons with disabilities, women, visible minorities, social assistance recipients, and youth;
  • enhanced advisory roles for labour market partners and communities with an interest in labour force development; and
  • ongoing commitment of federal and provincial funding to support jointly approved initiatives contained within the Agreement and timely sharing of funding information to support joint planning.

1.2 Work/Study Program

The W/S program was based on the need to reduce the labour market supply-and-demand gap and to facilitate attachment to the labour force. The W/S program targets employer-driven training, apprenticeship training, community-based training, and other institution-based training to develop skills needed to enter the workforce and contribute to sustainable employment. The W/S program encourages labour market stakeholders to take more responsibility and ownership for providing training and skills development through partnerships.

The W/S program is testing innovative, creative, and flexible work preparation, training, and skills development. The program was designed to support pilot projects that will provide learning opportunities on how to meet labour market needs through a unique combination of work-based training and study-based training.2 W/S projects are piloting training projects that are expected to be more cost effective in meeting the challenges of declining resources. Pilot projects will be evaluated for possible implementation of best practices on a broader scale.

1.3 Work/Study Pilot Projects

Four streams were identified as priority areas for W/S projects. The objectives for each of these streams are as follows:

  1. Sector Stream Project Objectives

    2. To test new ways of identifying and meeting skills development needs in small business and industry sectors that increase industry partnerships in the application of competency-based training. A variety of delivery methods, including training in the workplace, for both new and existing workers will be tested.

  2. Multi-Media/Adult Basic Education Project Objectives

    3. To test the application of multimedia and other innovative training approaches to increase the access of equity group members, First Nations people, social assistance recipients, Métis Nation people, and youth at risk to quality, sustainable jobs. Approaches that link adult basic education, skills development, and employment will be tested.

  3. Entrepreneurship Project Objectives

    4. To test new ways of increasing opportunities for Saskatchewan residents to consider self-employment as a viable alternative to traditional employment.

  4. Community-Based Project Objectives

    5. To test new community partnerships and approaches to the management and delivery of skills development, work preparation, and labour market services that lead to employment.

As of September 15, 1997, 47 projects had been approved under the W/S Initiative, with total contracted values of $4,190,208, out of a budget of $5,916,771. Approved projects include seven pre-operational projects. Appendix One provides a description of the projects, sponsors and partners, contracted value, timeframes, and number of trainees.

1.4 Target Markets

The W/S program is striving for a balance in meeting the training needs of employers and employees throughout Saskatchewan.3 Eligible applicants include the following:

  • private companies;
  • industry associations;
  • labour organisations;
  • educational and training organisations;
  • First Nations and Métis Nation organisations;
  • provincial departments and agencies;
  • municipal governments;
  • economic development organisations;
  • community-based organisations;
  • Crown corporations;
  • health districts; and
  • individuals.

Pilot project sponsors and partners identified eligible participants for individual W/S projects. The partners usually targeted unemployed people, particularly those who have had difficulty accessing the necessary training to re-enter the labour market and those who have difficulty establishing a permanent connection to the workforce.

W/S is targeting projects for rural and urban areas and southern and northern areas so that communities throughout Saskatchewan will benefit.

Footnotes

1 A Framework for the Evaluation of the Joint Planning Arrangements, Co-Location Projects and Strategic Initiatives Under the Canada-Saskatchewan Agreement on Labour Force Development and the Canada-Saskatchewan Contribution Agreement Concerning Labour Market Initiatives under the Strategic Initiatives Program. March 1996. [To Top]
2 Work-based training' and 'study-based training' were the terms utilized by the W/S staff to increase clarity when operationalizing the program. [To Top]
3 Work-based training' and 'study-based training' were the terms utilized by the W/S staff to increase clarity when operationalizing the program.` [To Top]

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Last Modified: 1999-06-15 Important Notices