Making Connections: Labour Market Integration, Immigration and Essential Skills
Earlier this fall, CONNECT was lucky enough to host the third in a series of consultations being held across the nation, through funding from the Office of Literacy and Essential Skills, Human Resources and Skills Development Canada (HRSDC-OLES).
Focusing on immigration integration, essential skills, and where those two realms meet, the forum brought together employers, service providers, trainers, literacy organizations, federal and provincial government representatives, other key stakeholders and experts from the field for a day and a half of discussion and learning.
The forum’s objectives:
- Become better informed about the connection between immigration and essential skills in the context of labour market integration
- Share information and best practices on immigrant initiatives and literacy and essential skills.
- Identify strategies, opportunities and issues relating to immigration and essential skills in the context of labour market integration
- Facilitating, networking and making connections between stakeholders, and provide an opportunity to hear stakeholder perspectives
Over the course of the day and a half, a number of excellent panel discussions and presentations were held; presentation downloads are below the fold. The final report will be made available early in the new year.
Day 1:
Connections: LES and Immigration in Canada
Synopsis: Literacy and Essential Skills in Canada
Speaker:
Silvano Tocchi, HRSDC-OLES
Literacy & Essential Skills – Issues for Newcomers to Canada
Synopsis: Immigration Initiatives in Canada
Speaker:
Yves Saint-Germaine, CIC
Settlement Services, Literacy and Essential Skills
Engaging and Building Talent for the Future: Setting the Context
Speaker:
Naomi Alboim, Queen’s University
Planning for the Future: Immigration and Labour Market Trends
Skills Shortages – The Big Picture
Speaker:
Rick Miner, Miner + Miner Ltd.
People Without Jobs, Jobs Without People: Canada’s Labour Market Future
Understanding Immigrant Labour Market Integration: A Regional Perspective
Moderator: Peter McFadden, Waterloo Region Immigration Employment Network (WRIEN)
Speakers:
Michelle Crossfield, Government of Yukon
Understanding the Complexities of Immigrant Labour Market Integration: A Yukon Perspective
Gerry Mills, Immigrant Settlement and Integration Services (ISIS)
Making Connections: Labour Market Integration, Immigration and Essential Skills – An Atlantic Perspective
Racquel Sevilla, Toronto Region Immigrant Employment Council (TRIEC)
Understanding the Complexities of Immigrant Labour Market Integration: A Regional Perspective
Implementing Essential Skills in the Workplace: an Employer and Immigrant Perspective
Moderator: Stan Talesnick, Seneca College
Speakers:
Suzanne Gallant, SunLife
Sarah Grant, St Michael’s Hospital
IEP Initiatives at St. Michael’s Hospital
Salman Kureishy, Ryerson University
Implementing Essential Skills in the Workplace: An Immigrant Perspective
Accessing and using the OLES Tools
Speaker:
Shareef Korah, HRSDC-OLES
Literacy and Essential Skills Tools – Awareness, Assessment, Learning and Training
Day 2:
What Do the Issues look like in the Workplace?
Speaker:
Donna Smith, Career Edge Organization
Closing the Cultural Gap Between Employers & Job-seekers
Promising Initiatives through Innovative Partnerships
Moderator: Fred Morley, Greater Halifax Partnership
Speakers:
Kevin Maynard, Supply Chain Sector Council
Diana MacKay, Conference Board of Canada
Labour Market Integration, Skills and Immigration: Promising Initiatives through Innovative Partnerships
Claire Soucy, Association of Canadian Community Colleges
Canadian Colleges and Essential Skills in the Workplace: Working with the Community Cégep de l’Outaouais
Tim Kerbashian, Association of Canadian Community Colleges
Jean Beauchamp, LaborTek
