October 11, 2023 Toronto, Ontario Employment and Social Development Canada
Canada's job market continues to evolve, creating new opportunities for Canadians and areas for growth. Now more than ever, it is critical that we expand and strengthen our workforce and get Canadians the skills and resources they need to thrive. That is why the Government is investing in projects that will help Canadians improve their foundational and transferable skills.
Today, Minister of Employment, Workforce Development and Official Languages Randy Boissonnault announced over $16.5 million in funding to nine organizations in the Greater Toronto Area (GTA) that are helping to create more skills training opportunities and resources for Canadians. The funding is provided through the Skills for Success Program and is expected to directly support over a thousand Canadians and potentially many more through investments in research.
Minister Boissonnault made the announcement during a visit to WoodGreen Community Services, a non-profit charitable organization that will receive $1.17 million for its project, Enabling Employment and Broad Adoption of Skills for Success for Older Workers. This innovative project will provide racialized adults in the GTA with training in key skill areas such as digital literacy, collaboration, adaptability, creativity and innovation, communication and problem solving. The project, which will run for 12 months, will deliver hybrid programs to over 106 individuals, providing them with training and skills assessment services in writing, numeracy and reading.
Today's announcement supports the Government's ongoing actions to increase training opportunities for Canadians. It also responds to the immediate and long-term training needs of Canadians, particularly for under-represented groups in the labour market, including persons with disabilities, racialized Canadians, Indigenous people, official language minority communities and newcomers. Launched in May 2021, the Skills for Success Model focuses on nine main skills that Canadians need to participate, adapt and thrive in learning, work and life. They include foundational skills, like writing, reading and numeracy, and socio-emotional skills-the human skills required for effective social interaction, such as collaboration, communication, problem solving, adaptability, and creativity and innovation.
