Saskatchewan increasing funding for essential skills training

Partnership with employers to train unemployed, low skilled workers

The government of Saskatchewan is increasing its investment in essential skills training.

The Advanced Education, Employment and Immigration (AEEI) department is investing in two specific essential skill programs that support, enable and benefit learners, said the government.

In 2011 and 2012, AEEI is providing $2.5 million to publicly funded post-secondary institutions to deliver 24 Adult Basic Education – Essential Skills for the Workplace pilot projects.

AEEI is also providing $1.1 million to Workplace Essential Skills Saskatchewan (WESS) in 2011-12. WESS supports partnerships between employers, industry, community-based organizations and training institutions to deliver workplace essential skills training to unemployed and/or low skilled employees, said the government.

“Our government recognizes the importance of essential skills training and is investing in programs to benefit Saskatchewan workers and employers,” said the province’s Advanced Education, Employment and Immigration Minister Rob Norris. “We believe that funding literacy and essential skills programming is an investment in economic growth and quality of life for Saskatchewan people.”

Human Resources and Skills Development Canada (HRSDC) has identified nine essential skills that people use to carry out a wide variety of everyday life and work tasks. Those skills include reading text, document use, numeracy, writing, oral communication, working with others, thinking skills, computer use and continuous learning.

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