Community Services Forum

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• Community Services Forum
• Confederation College
• North Superior Training Board
• November, 2007

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North Superior Training Board

• MISSION STATEMENT
• Connecting community partners to improve the
  quality of life in our communities through
  workforce development

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What are Local Training Boards?

• Volunteer Boards of Directors consisting of
  representatives from labour market sectors such
  as business, labour, education and equity groups.
• There are 21 non-profit Local Training Boards
  across the Province of Ontario.
• Through funding from MTCU, the Boards are able to
  carry out Labour Market Research and Develop
  Potential Solutions to Labour Market Issues
  Identified by Community Stakeholders.

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North Superior Training Board Area
Shown in Gold the North Superior Training Board
Area consists of Thunder Bay District, West of
White River, East of Upsala, South of Kasabonika,
including Webequie, Neskantaga, and Eabametoong.
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Trends, Opportunities Priorities (TOP)

• An annual process led by Local Boards to
• Research the conditions of the local labour
  market
• Facilitate community consultations
• Establish priorities for labour market
• Engage partners in initiating action plans and
• strategies to address labour market challenges

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Partnerships That WorkNorth Superior Training
Board
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2007-08 PartnershipsNorth Superior Training Board
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Opportunities

• Labour Market Trends Opportunities
• for Confederation Colleges School for Health
• and Community Services

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Opportunities

• Mission Employability III
• Our Findings
• Educators are looking for more communication of
  options, programs and career opportunities for
  high school students
• Better use of technology/delivery modes to help
  students/those in the industry access programs
• Negative image of careers in health sector not
  viewed as attractive, too demanding more
  promotion and presence in elementary and
  secondary schools needed
• Bridging programs are needed to ensure pathways
  chosen are suitable and practical need a
  pre-health program
• Remote and rural access to distance ed
  programs/upgrading is critical

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Opportunities

• Forestry Crisis Job Losses
• Identify resources and develop programs to assist
  displaced workers with re-employment barriers
• Prior Learning Assessment and Recognition
  explore opportunities to build on prior learning
  and the creation of pathways to occupations
  offering sustainable employment opportunities.
• Access to training in rural and remote areas.

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Opportunities

• Community and Labour AdjustmentOpportunities
• Address the needs of the laid-off displaced
  worker
• Design rapid re-employment strategies, curriculum
  and programs to help move workers from declining
  industries into others e.g. mining industry

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Opportunities

• Low Immigration Levels
• a growing skills gap is creating occupational
  shortages and immigration levels needs to be
  re-examined
• Need to recognize international skills of
  newcomers develop learning modules for cultural
  competencies
• Reduce barriers to professional advancement for
  highly skilled immigrants into Canadian
  businesses

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Opportunities

• Skill Requirement Occupational Shortages
• Forecast future occupational and training needs.
• Opportunities for collaboration and partnerships
  to develop, train, and retain a qualified
  workforce.
• A role in defining educational outcomes that meet
  the employment needs of our area.
• Promote careers in the skilled trades.
• Address Literacy levels lowest in province

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Opportunities

• Aboriginals High Unemployment
• Identify and develop pathways to sustainable
  learning opportunities more e-learning
• Change/adapt curriculum to provide more
  culturally relevant programming
• Grow the talent pool of Aboriginal youth

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Opportunities

• Women Under-Representation in the Work Force
• Rural women face challenges to access training
  opportunities due to travel requirements and
  costs
• Need awareness of opportunities that exist in the
  Skilled Trades/non-traditional occupations
• Need to increase and sustain economic development
  for women through exposure to diversified
  employment, training and financial assistance
  programs

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Opportunities

• Knowledge EconomyOpportunities
• Vital to the growth and development of our
  economy
• Incentives to attract and retain knowledge
  workers into our area
• Collaborate with partners in the creation of a
  Northwestern Ontario Policy Research Institute

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• Thank You
• North Superior Training Board
• 215 Red River Road, Suite 201
• Thunder Bay, ON P7B 1A5
• [phone]
• www.nstb.on.ca