Close Canada's skills gap by investing in literacy and essential skills

Frontier College hosts national forum examining the skills gap for youth and adults entering and already in Canada's skilled workforce.

WINNIPEG, May 4, 2015 /CNW/ - Today Frontier College, Canada's original literacy non-profit organization, will unite four of Canada's non-profit and business leaders to discuss how to invest in literacy and essential skills to meet the demands of the skilled workforce.

At a time when many industries and sectors are forecasting skilled labour shortages, the issue of raising skill levels and removing barriers is front-of-mind for Canadian employers, workers and leaders. About one in two – or 49% of adult Canadians – don't possess the required level of literacy to meet the demands of the 21^st century knowledge-based economy (Programme for the International Assessment of Adult Competencies, 2013).

Panelists will examine the role literacy plays in keeping our workforce productive and capable of competing in a knowledge-based economy. They will share varying perspectives on how youth and adults, along with unions, trades and business, can benefit from increased literacy. They will examine how essential skills training increases employment readiness and on-the-job training success. This forum will also be the place to share best practices for ways to integrate literacy and essential skills in apprenticeship and other workforce development programs, trainings and policies. For those unable to attend in person, the national forum will air a free, live webcast from Winnipeg. Simultaneous conferences will be held in Edmonton, Saskatoon, Toronto and Halifax.

"Literacy is the essential foundational skill for learning, which enables people to contribute to our society and economy. Frontier College has been helping Canadians develop workforce skills for 116 years. We are hosting the forum to educate and demonstrate how increased literacy and essential skills can build stronger communities," says Sherry Campbell, President and CEO, Frontier College.

"Our research has shown that individuals with stronger essential skills have higher employment rates, lower unemployment rates, reduced duration of unemployment, higher income, and have greater capacity and motivation to do continuing education. We cannot have work-ready employees without the necessary foundational skills," says Craig Alexander, Senior Vice President and Chief Economist, TD Bank Group.

"A dialogue around literacy is not only important, but extremely relevant to our increasingly complex world," says Jan Belanger, Vice-President, Community Relations, Great-West Life, London Life and Canada Life. "No longer just reading and writing, literacy is a spectrum of essential skills that affect the health, employability and financial well-being of individuals, families and our communities. This national forum is one way we are drawing attention to this issue in Canada. Through the leadership of organizations like Frontier College, we can build a focus on improved literacy that will help more Canadians realize their potential."

Date:	Monday, May 4 from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.
Location:	Delta Winnipeg, 350 St. Mary Avenue
Who:	Craig Alexander, Senior Vice President and Chief Economist, TD Bank Group
	Sherry Campbell, President and CEO, Frontier College
	Jean Paul Gladu, President and CEO, Canadian Council for Aboriginal Business
	Jennefer Griffith, Executive Director, Food Processing Human Resources Council
	Moderated by Dave Angus, President and CEO, The Winnipeg Chamber of Commerce

The forum and conferences are supported by Great-West Life, London Life and Canada Life, which have supported Frontier College's literacy programs since 1999.

View the webcast here: https://event.on24.com/eventRegistration/EventLobbyServlet?target=registration.jsp&eventid=966919&sessionid=1&key=0B85D12958DD04FCE66D12A8225E04D6&sourcepage=register

About Frontier College

Frontier College has been a leader in providing literacy programs since 1899. Literacy is an essential skill in today's world. We believe it's a fundamental right. Through a network of thousands of volunteers, Frontier College is helping Canadians to realize their potential and seize opportunities. For more information about Frontier College visit www.frontiercollege.ca

About Great-West Life, London Life and Canada Life

Great-West Life, London Life and Canada Life offer a broad portfolio of financial and benefit plan solutions, and serve the financial security needs of more than 12 million people across Canada. Responsible and ethical management is an intrinsic value of the companies and is essential to long-term profitability and value creation. As an Imagine Caring Company supporting the principles of corporate citizenship and benchmarks for community investment established by Imagine Canada, the companies donate a minimum of one per cent of average pre-tax profits to non-profit, charitable and community organizations each year.

Learn more about the organization's corporate social responsibility.

SOURCE Frontier College

Meredith Roberts, Frontier College, 416-923-3591 ext. 324, 416-624-6778 cell, [email protected]; Marlene Klassen, APR, Assistant Vice-President, Communication Services, Great-West Life, London Life and Canada Life, [phone], [email protected]