LMI: Crucial in a Time of Change

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LMI Crucial in a Time of Change

• A Presentation to the Third Annual National LMI
  Forum,
• Vancouver, BC,
• May 18, 2004,
• Derwyn Sangster, Director, Business, Canadian
  Labour and Business Centre

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• In 2003-4,CME Members told us that lack of
  qualified personnel was one of the top three
  constraints on performance improvement
• Perrin Beatty, President, Canadian
  Manufacturers and Exporters, April 2004
• We know we have workers who want training. And
  what do we have? A skills crisis.
• - Ken Georgetti, President , Canadian Labour
  Congress, September 2003

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Shortage of Skilled WorkersA serious problem
on the rise
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The Workplace Skills Challenge A Time of Change

• Major workforce shifts and trends
• Slower labour force growth
• Aging population trends to earlier retirement
• Competition for skills taking on an international
  dimension
• Recruitment/retention issues
• Emerging skill requirements (new technology, hard
  and soft skills)

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Labour Force Growth Drops Below One Percent
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The Near-Retirement Population is Increasing
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Top 5 Actions to Address Skill Requirements
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Apprenticeship Statistics, Canada
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Employer-Sponsored TrainingThem That Has, Gets
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Statistics Canada An Increasing Dependence on
Immigrants for Labour Force Growth
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Statistics Canada the Transition Penalty Has
Been Increasing
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Dependence on Immigrants Ontario, British
Columbia, Quebec
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Perceived Importance of Immigration in Addressing
Skill Needs Ontario, British Columbia, Quebec
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Views on Importance of the Aboriginal Workforce
Manitoba Saskatchewan
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In This Skills Challenges Context, Why Does LMI
Matter to CLBC?

• The answer is defined by
• Our Stakeholders
• Our Mission
• What we do, and what we care about

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• CLBCs Stakeholders
• Independent national organization
• Multipartite Board (business, labour, government
  and education)
• Co-chaired by Labour and Business
• CLBCs Mission
• To improve public policy and business and labour
  practices, especially at the workplace level
• To improve dialogue among all parties

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What CLBC Does, What CLBC Cares About

• Applied research, analysis, consultation
• Focus on labour market, skills, skill shortages
  and learning issues
• Interests at international, national, sectoral
  and workplace levels

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For Its Stakeholders and Mission, CLBC Must Have

• Capacity to interpret the labour market through
  independent, credible LMI/analysis
• Capacity to provide balanced commentary which
  understands the perspectives, LMI needs and
  contributions of our stakeholders
• Particular concern for the needs of the workplace
  parties strong understanding of workplace issues
• A pragmatic rather than academic approach, with
  emphasis on information sharing with stakeholders

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CLBCs Activities Mean We Must Have

• A capacity not only to use the LMI and analysis
  generated by others, but to generate our own, to
  meet the needs of our stakeholders
• A strong overview of the issues and LMI sources
  related to the labour market as a whole
• A capacity to deal with LMI and analysis at the
  firm, sector or various geographical levels

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Thus, a Strong CLBC Interest in Issues Such As

• Apprenticeship
• Worker retention and knowledge transfer
• Aboriginal issues
• Foreign credentials recognition
• Enhanced language training for immigrants
• Essential skills
• Sectoral human resources issues.

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CLBCs Future Plans/Hopes

• To continue to serve its stakeholders
• To maintain its program of research and
  consultations based on LMI/analysis
• To host the Canadian Council on Learnings Adult
  and Workplace Learning Node

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The Canadian Council on Learning A Potential
Major LMI Innovation

• Mandate
• Informing Canadians regularly on Canadas
  progress on learning
• Disseminating knowledge and information on
  learning among Canadians

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Proposed Coverage of CCL

• All aspects of lifelong learning, including
• Early childhood education
• K-12
• Post-secondary education
• Adult and workplace learning

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Adult and Workplace Learning Node

• CLBC sees Priority Areas of Activity in LMI
  terms
• Informing Canadians about the State of Adult and
  Workplace Learning
• Knowledge/Information Exchange (Enabling
  Canadians to inform one another of what they are
  doing in this area)

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Informing Canadians

• Annual Report to Canadians on Adult and Workplace
  Learning
• Research program driven by Annual Report

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Knowledge/Information Exchange

• Adult and Workplace Learning Portal
• Systematic research on innovative practices in
  adult learning
• Promoting strategic knowledge exchange in
  specific areas (PLAR, Essential Skills, Literacy,
  Foreign credentials recognition, etc.)

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In Summary

• Canada faces dramatic skills challenges
• CLBC, through its stakeholders, is heavily
  involved in these issues
• The need for clear and credible LMI/analysis has
  never been greater
• Viewed through an LMI lens, the CCL is a
  potentially important future tool.

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• Thank you!
• Derwyn Sangster
• Director, Business,
• Canadian Labour and Business Centre
• d.sangster_at_clbc.ca