Over a million dollars in funding from the provincial government is going to help people of all ages gain meaningful employment by developing skills.
Choices for Youth, the St. John’s Board of Trade and Academy Canada all received funding for projects approved by the Newfoundland and Labrador Workforce Innovation Centre.
At CNA on Prince Phillip Drive where Min Bernard Davis is making a funding announcement.
$1 million is going towards three projects with Choices For Youth, the SJ Board of Trade and Academy Canada.
Davis says they will strengthen province’s workforce. @VOCMNEWS #nlpoli pic.twitter.com/dJNTeQM9kM
— Ben Murphy VOCM (@BenMurphyVOCM) July 31, 2019
The St. John’s Board of Trade will research barriers and opportunities to workforce participation for older workers in the province.
Director of Business Solutions with the Board of Trade, Rhonda Tulk-Lane says they will educate employers on the benefits of having older workers.
She says one of those barriers is an increase in the number of medical appointments. Others may wish only to work part-time, so they will teach employers how to craft shared-jobs, where two people each work 20 hours a week.
Enhancing Skills Development
Academy Canada wants to look at ways to enhance employability through the province’s workforce by using soft skills development.
The school received $227,211 from the provincial government through the Newfoundland and Labrador Workforce Innovation Centre.
Curriculum Coordinator at Academy Canada, Stephanie Granville says many people in this province are excellent workers, but may be deficient in soft skills. Those skills include things like communication, interpersonal interaction, decision-making and time management.
She says they are necessary to succeed in maintaining a job, and navigating career development.
Granville says their aim is to look at what soft skills may be lacking, and develop workshops tailored to enhance those skills.
Meanwhile, Choices for Youth also received just under $617,000 for applied research on supportive training, social enterprise and employment first practices.
Social Enterprise Director, Chelsey MacNeil says the money goes a long way. She says for two full years, they will be able to do substantial research on understanding the complexity faced in all regions across the province.
MacNeil says they will be able to help over 80 youth access a number of services in employment and social enterprise, finding meaningful work and being supported all along the way.
Research Targets Long-Term Success: NLWIC
The Newfoundland and Labrador Workforce Innovation Centre approved the three research projects, and believes the research is critical to the future.
There are currently 17 projects ongoing through the Workforce Innovation Centre.
Director Sharon McLennon says the $1-million is phenomenal in a number of ways. The spending alone should bring an economic impact, as well as getting people attached to the workforce with the hope of long-term employment.
Participants will also be part of research projects that will help steer the way they think about innovation, and how things operate, which McLennon says will mean long-term success.
Congratulations and welcome to the three newest research proponents to have received funding through the NLWIC. @choicesforyouth @stjohnsbot @AcademyCanada @AESL_GovNL @CNA_News pic.twitter.com/XSgMF9S08K
— NL Workforce Innovation Centre (@NLWIC) July 31, 2019
Minister Bernard Davis says he’s excited to see what comes back from the research.
He says they don’t want to see it sitting on a shelf. Instead, they hope to use it to set the bar on how they create policy to help people return to work, or get introduced to the workforce, and break down the many existing barriers.
