The Province is helping employees gain the essential skills they need to succeed while increasing productivity for employers through a $1.5-million investment in essential skills training.

As part of 'Canada Starts Here: The B.C. Jobs Plan', over 450 British Columbians will benefit from essential skills training through nine SkillsPlus training projects throughout the province.

Learn more about the BC Jobs Plan (bcjobsplan.ca)

SkillsPlus is a unique program that brings essential skills training to the workplace, building them into everyday employee training and work practices. Essential skills are identified as reading text, document use, numeracy, writing, oral communication, working with others, continuous learning, thinking skills and computer use. Benefits of SkillsPlus have included improved customer service skills, increased confidence in ability to master new skills and improvements in computer literacy and understanding of written instructions.

Learn more about SkillsPlus program

Investment in these training projects is in addition to the approximately $4 million that has been allocated to SkillsPlus since the program's inception in April 2009. Since this time, approximately 900 employees throughout the province have received essential skills training through SkillsPlus, spanning the following sectors: tourism and hospitality; retail, wholesale and grocery; health services; construction; social housing; security; manufacturing; forestry; and mining.

Eligible organizations include small-to-medium sized employers with 500 or fewer employees. SkillsPlus is funded through the Canada - British Columbia Labour Market Agreement

Learn More:

To learn more about the Canada - British Columbia Labour Market Agreement, visit: http://www.aved.gov.bc.ca/labourmarketagreement/

A backgrounder follows.

Contact:

Joanne Whittier
Communications Manager
Ministry of Advanced Education
250 952-6400

BACKGROUNDER

Jan. 11, 2012 Ministry of Advanced Education

SkillsPlus in the workplace

SkillsPlus is designed to integrate essential skills training into the normal work environment, increasing the capabilities, productivity and success of British Columbians within their current jobs and creating new opportunities for them within the labour market.

Through partnerships between businesses, training institutions and service providers in each community, projects are able to develop and deliver essential skills training that meets the needs of local employers.

Vancouver Island / Coast

• $103,621 - Delivered by Camosun College, this project will target about 32 employees in the painting and construction trades.

Lower Mainland / Southwest

• $158,476 - Delivered by Vancouver Community College, the Integrated Essential Skills for Non-Profit Social Enterprise Workplaces program will work with non-profit agencies, such as the Salvation Army Harbour Light Addictions and Rehabilitation Centre, to assist approximately 50 low-skilled employees working in the hospitality and accommodations sectors.
• $300,000 - Delivered by the Alliance of Canadian Manufacturers & Exporters Canada, the project will support a minimum of 125 employees working in the manufacturing sector, and will include integrating essential skills into workplace training, health and safety awareness and English as a second language training.
• $81,318 - A partnership between the BC Construction Industry Skills Improvement Council and the Construction, Specialized Workers' Union Local 1611, the International Union of Painters and Associated Trades District Council #38 and the International Operation Engineers Union Local 115 to deliver essential skills training to 25 union workers.
• $151,993 - Delivered by SUCCESS in partnership with the Training Group at Douglas College, the program will assist approximately 45 low-skilled employees in the retail, wholesale and grocery sector.
• $186,738 - Delivered by Douglas College and working in partnership with BC Housing and non-profit groups that provide subsidized housing and/or operate group homes, the project will target 54 employees, providing skills training to building managers and maintenance employees.

Cariboo

• $68,709 - Delivered by the Prince George Nechako Aboriginal Employment Training Association, this project will provide essential skills training for individuals identified through the Central Interior Logging Association, focusing on approximately 20 employees assigned to light duties.
• $244,176 - Delivered by Thompson Rivers University, the project will target 70 employed, low-skilled individuals in the forestry, manufacturing and mining sectors.

Northeast

• $186,738 - Delivered by Douglas College in partnership with the Resource Training Organization and five employers in the mining, oil and gas sector, the project will deliver essential skills training to approximately 54 employees working in the areas of metal fabrication, pipefitting, steam fitting and welding.

Contact:

Joanne Whittier
Communications Manager
Ministry of Advanced Education
250 952-6400