Released on April 16, 1997
Post-Secondary Education and Skills Training Minister Bob Mitchelltoday released The Saskatchewan Training Strategy: Bridges to
Employment. The new made-in-Saskatchewan strategy will provide more
opportunities for learners as the federal government withdraws from
training. The province has committed $117 million for technical
education and training and $14 million for employment programs in this
year's provincial budget.
"The Saskatchewan Training Strategy builds bridges to employment for
our people," Mitchell said. "We have taken charge of the training
agenda, strengthening the linkages between our skills training
programs, jobs and the Saskatchewan labour market. It is supported by
the provincial budget and will enhance our training system."
Mitchell noted that Saskatchewan will increase training and employment
opportunities by 27 per cent to make up for the federal withdrawal and
by another 10 per cent by the year 2000. Federal funding cuts to
Saskatchewan will amount to $47 million by the year 2000.
"The Saskatchewan Training Strategy is a key piece of the government's
overall strategy for economic growth and social renewal," Mitchell
said. "It complements and links our Partnership for Growth economic
strategy and our initiatives for social assistance redesign in a
dynamic, integrated way."
Noting that the training strategy was developed in consultation with
many Saskatchewan people the minister emphasized the importance of
working partnerships, especially with local businesses and communities,
in implementing the strategy over the next three years.
"The key to successful implementation of the strategy will be regional
education, training and employment partnerships," Mitchell said.
"These multiparty partnerships, supported and facilitated by our
regional colleges and SIAST, will jointly identify employment and
training needs in each region and determine how to best meet them.
"We are creating a new provincial training system that builds on our
strengths - like the nine regional colleges, SIAST and our unique
Aboriginal public training institutions. We are building on successful
programs like JobStart/Future Skills and Apprenticeship - doing the
things that will make a good system better. Regional delivery will be
the key to our success," Mitchell said.
The goals outlined in the training strategy are: to develop a skilled
workforce relevant to Saskatchewan's labour market, to enhance access
and support opportunities for all learners and to create a coherent,
effective and sustainable delivery system.
Highlights of the implementation plan in support of these goals
include:
Linking provincial skills training programs and services directly
to employment;
Expanding successful programs like JobStart/Future Skills to train
unemployed people and retrain employed people to meet employer
needs for skilled workers;
Developing an integrated regional delivery system for training and
labour market services through the merger of the New Careers
Corporation and regional college system;
Strengthening SIAST's provincial role in support of the training
strategy;
Fostering new education, training and employment partnerships that
are responsive to industry and community employment needs;
Developing better labour market information and planning processes
at the regional, sectoral and provincial levels;
Improvements to Apprenticeship and Trade Certification Program and
to Basic Education;
Improved training and employment assistance for low income
learners, including a Youth Futures pilot project in Prince Albert
to help young people on social assistance to become self-
sufficient; and,
Promoting equity, fairness and diversity in the training and
labour market services system.
"Post-secondary education and training deserves more prominence on the
national agenda than ever before - not less - as we help people develop
the skills they need now and for the future," Mitchell said. "I will
be pursuing this vigorously with the federal government, especially to
improve the co-ordination and integration of federal and provincial
employment programs and labour market services."
Copies of The Saskatchewan Training Strategy: Bridges to Employment are
available on the Internet at www.sasked.gov.sk.ca/training or by
calling the Career Information Hotline at 1-800-597-8278.
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For more information, contact:
Lily Stonehouse
Assistant Deputy Minister
Post-Secondary Education
Regina
Phone: (306) 787-5676