Directorates
·	Director General's Office
·	Data Development
·	Strategic Evaluations
·	Partnership and Continuous Evaluations
Publications
·	Evaluation Reports
·	Evaluation Briefs
·	Labour Market Development Agreement Series
·	Lessons Learned Series
·	Evaluation Tool Kit Series
·	Evaluation Forum Newsletter
·	From Theory To Practice

The principles of strategic initiatives and the objectives of the three streams: work/study, labour market information, and career services

To provide linkage of programs and services to local and provincial social and economic needs.

The Work/Study Program

• Labour market partners were advisors in program design.
• Projects were identified through a bottom-up approach.
• Projects must show linkage with employment opportunities and labour market need.
• Communities throughout Saskatchewan are expected to benefit.
• Expected to be particularly useful in the north.
• 47 projects approved including seven pre-operational projects.

The Labour Market Information Program

• The members of the LMI Working Group represented a diverse cross-section of agencies and government departments, which use LMI at various levels and/or have clients that use LMI. The LMI Working Group had structured discussions to consult with other organizations, determine priority LMI needs, and provide input and propose project ideas to meet identified LMI gaps.
• A consultant was contracted to conduct a needs assessment on the following four potential LMI projects: wage and salary information; events affecting the labour market; Saskatchewan working conditions databases; and Saskatchewan Job Futures. The needs assessment involved interviewing key informants who would use the LMI generated by these projects.
• Research conducted through the pre-operational phase of the Career Services Strategic Initiative program also identified some of the LMI requirements of job seekers, counsellors, and employers. This research was shared with the LMI Working Group members and the LMI Project Co-ordinator.
• The evaluators conducted six focus groups with job seekers, employers, counsellors, Career Service representatives, Working Group members, and policy makers. The focus groups confirmed the importance of , and the need for, up-to-date, detailed labour market information being collected. The focus group also identified current uses of LMI, perceived gaps in LMI, and preferred formats for and access to LMI.

The Career Services Program

• Needs assessments have been conducted by all three Career Services' projects and workplans have been developed to meet the identified client needs.
• The CS Rural Project conducted a telephone survey of 303 rural residents and conducted five focus groups representing target groups in rural communities. The project also surveyed almost 60 practitioners in the field of career counselling in the regional colleges, and developed a career service inventory for services offered in each of the regional college areas.
• The CS Northern Project conducted 943 surveys of northern residents and developed a profile of client workforce needs. A conceptual delivery model was then developed by a team of career service experts. The model was analyzed and critiqued by KCDC Board staff and northern career counsellors, and adopted as the basis for the project.
• The Regina Career Linx Project, which primarily serves the general public of Regina, conducted almost 1200 telephone surveys of residents and businesses in Regina, and held two focus group sessions representing target groups. The project also examined existing career service delivery for the three sponsoring partners, performed literature and technology reviews, and examined the local labour market to develop the implementation plan.

To provide enhanced labour market opportunities for employment equity group members, including aboriginal people, persons with disabilities, women, visible minorities, social assistance recipients, and youth.

The Work/Study Program

• Involvement of target groups in Working Group.
• Information provided to target groups.
• W/S stream for increased access to training for target groups. Several projects approved in this area.
• Goals to achieve target group participation representative of working age population.
• Target group participation considered in project approval.

The Labour Market Information Initiative

• LMI Working Group includes target group representation through SLFDB and Métis Nation and First Nations representatives.
• Projects for Métis Nation people and First Nations people.
• Better access for target groups (e.g., persons with physical disabilities).
• Comprehensive tracking of LMI by target groups, which leads to better policies and directed training.
• Counsellors will have access to better information for disadvantaged clients.

The Career Services Program

• Each of the three CS projects have targeted different groups as their primary client group(s). The CS Rural Project has targeted job seekers, counsellors, businesses, educational institutes, and other clients in communities outside of Saskatoon, Prince Albert, Moose Jaw, and Regina as their primary clients. The inclusion of input from all target markets during the developmental phase of the project ensures that the end results closely match the needs of the users.
• The CS Northern Project has identified residents and businesses in northern communities the primary target market of this project. The Keewatin Career Development Corporation, a partnership of First Nations and Métis Nation organizations, K-12 school divisions, and Northlands College, was established to manage the project, providing the project with a wide base of support in northern communities.
• The Regina Career Linx project has identified job seekers and employers within Regina as their primary customer groups, and has further differentiated customers by the amount of support and guidance that each will require. The project has received input from a community advisory group that represents various interest groups within the city to ensure that the project meets the needs of its customers.

To provide improved service to clients.

The Work/Study Program

• Work/Study is providing a more seamless and stronger link between training
• and employment.
• Improved access to training.
• Higher quality training and synergy resulting from partnerships.
• Meeting specific training needs of employers and employees.
• New support services for trainees.
• Alternative and innovative training allowances for trainees.
• Education institutes are more responsive.
• Training through alternative trainers.
• Transferability of training skills and accomplishments.

The Labour Market Information Initiative

• More comprehensive LMI.
• More up-to-date LMI.
• Improved access to LMI.
• More informed decision-making.
• Matching of employers and employees.
• Increased accountability.

The Career Services Program

• CS projects will provide more accessible and comprehensive career and labour market information to clients.
• The CS Rural Project links the regional colleges to provide better co-ordination of services and opportunities to network, which is increases the shared resource base that each college can access to improve service delivery in the area. Promotion of multi-media career service and labour market information tools in rural communities will increase the accessibility of products to rural residents. An on-line counsellor will be available to assist users, but the software is designed to ensure that novice users can find the information they require.
• The CS Northern Project uses electronic means to link outreach and guidance counsellor personnel in northern communities. These trained resource people disseminate career services information to northern residents in their communities. CS providers will be able to access LMI or CS information more quickly via computer and thus better serve northern residents and industry.
• The Regina Career Linx Program will establish a new electronic network to support career service products (Career Pathing, Employment Pathing, and Job Matching). The content of the Website will be locally based and relevant and will provide links to other related sites. Products will be like 'living tools', emphasizing human interaction.

To enhance advisory roles for labour market partners and communities.

To achieve an appropriate balance in federal, provincial, community, and labour force adjustment programming, and ease in the transition from federal to provincial provision of training services.

The Work/Study Program

• Partnerships formed at the community level with training institutes, industry, and
• CBO's have been beneficial. Strong networks will provide on-going benefits.
• Partners are adapting to change.
• New partnerships developed.
• Previous partnerships strengthened.
• Employers are becoming more active training partners.
• CBO's are managing workloads through partnering.
• Apprenticeship is benefiting through partnerships.
• Educational institutes are working with industry.
• Diverse organizations and a variety of perceptions are enhancing training programs.
• Access to a variety of resources including up-to-date equipment.
• Broad support will increase resources and the likelihood of continuing the training project.

The Labour Market Information Initiative

• Development of informal networks to share existing information.
• Relationships are more collaborative. Partners are working together to reduce duplication of data gathering.
• Increased understanding among partners of each other's LMI requirements.
• Relationships are less adversarial and more trusting.
• Long-term benefits expected: partners contribute unique strengths and human resources to meet common goals.
• Sustainability will depend on net positive benefits and commitments.

The Career Services Program

• New partnerships have been established through the Career Services Working Group.
• Co-operation and collaboration between the three CS projects is taking place in regard to website development and other areas of co-ordination.
• Partners brought together under the three projects are effectively sharing information and resources and are working together to resolve common areas of concern apart from the project.

To increase federal-provincial co-ordination in training, employment, community, and labour force adjustment programming, and ease in the transition from federal to provincial provision of training services.

The Work/Study Program

• Relationships have been strengthened through working towards shared interests.
• W/S is expected to ease the transition towards increased provincial responsibility for labour force development by creating programs and organizational structures.
• SI is providing a model that will inform a federal-provincial labour market agreement.
• SI will provide information that may influence policies for future training in Saskatchewan.

The Labour Market Information Initiative

• Foundation established for continuing to work together.
• Saskatchewan developing an infrastructure that will assist in fulfilling a new role of providing LMI under the Provincial Training Strategy.
• Seamless connection of national and provincial LMI systems.
• HRDC will implement a good national system based on good provincial systems.
• Less duplication expected in data collection.

The Career Services Program

• The CS projects have incorporated different federal and provincial government perspectives regarding what the projects are to accomplish. The province's emphasis is to use Strategic Initiatives to expand Career Services as part of the Provincial Training Strategy. The federal government's emphasis is to use Strategic Initiatives as a development tool to test pilot projects.
• The pilot projects are testing new structures for better co-ordination and less duplication of provincial and federal career services.
• The CS Rural Project has unified all orders of government and the regional college system in pursuit of three shared goals: accessibility, comprehensiveness, and co-ordination.
• The CS Northern Project is fostering closer ties between provincial and federal agencies in the north.
• The Regina Career Linx Project sponsors have developed effective working relationships to establish more co-ordinated and improved career service delivery in the community.

To develop innovative methods of meeting labour market requirements.

The W/S Program

• Innovation has been the primary W/S criteria. Flexibility is required to pilot new initiatives that will provide creative solutions to skills development and training requirements.
• 'Innovations' are new to Saskatchewan and provide a learning opportunity for government.
• Successful approaches may be applied more broadly.
• Partners recognize the importance of encouraging innovation.
• Innovative approaches to training include:

• delivery methods;
• new curriculum;
• work-based training rather than institution-based training;
• alternative trainers;
• new partnerships;
• support services for trainees;
• alternative training recognition and accreditation by industry;
• career laddering;
• innovative apprenticeship programs;
• innovative multimedia; and
• timing of training to meet employer needs.

The Labour Market Information Initiative

• More comprehensive LMI including some new LMI products:

• sector studies;
• strategic initiatives Forecasts;
• First Nations Client Tracking System;
• Métis Nation Employment Strategies; and
• partnerships are more inclusive and collaborative.

• Use of various technologies to communicate and share LMI:

• Internet;
• Extranet;
• CITRIX;
• WAN/LAN; and
• multiple application databases.

The Career Services Program

• Career Services innovations include:

• new partnerships;
• use of the Internet/WAN;
• linkages to LMI; and
• computer-assisted career development.

• The CS Rural Project's concept of a one-stop career service centre linked to other community colleges is innovative. This use of shared resources through on-line counsellors ensures that client needs are addressed more effectively, allowing counsellors to offer services over a wider geographical area.
• The CS Northern Project has brought computers and computer training to the delivery of career services in the north. Electronic communication improves networking and increases awareness of employment opportunities.
• One of the innovations of the Regina Career Linx Project is to bring job seekers and employers together in co-ordinating career service delivery. Another innovation is the development of multi-media based products, which can be used by self-directed job seekers and employers. Innovations are also planned in the area of developing user-friendly labour market information that is relevant and accessible to local labour market participants.

To improve the efficiency and effectiveness of service including the elimination of duplication and waste.

The W/S Program

• Partners are collaborating rather than operating independently.
• Partnerships are leveraging existing resources.
• Potential for reduction in duplication as province assumes increased
• responsibilities for training.
• Transition period with involvement of both orders of government has required more time and resources for program planning and implementation.

The Labour Market Information Initiative

• LMI projects are being identified and developed within limited budgets and time constraints.
• LMI Working Group members contributed significant time on top of regular duties.
• LMI Co-ordinator has been effective in fulfilling responsibilities and providing a liaison role with stakeholders.

Strategic Initiatives administrative delays have resulted in shortened timelines for project implementation. Determining the actual long-term impacts of the CS projects will not be possible within the project time frames.

LABOUR MARKET INFORMATION

CAREER SERVICES