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November 7, 2005
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
05-72
FREDERICTON, NEW BRUNSWICK - Belinda Stronach, Minister of Human Resources and Skills Development and Minister responsible for Democratic Renewal, today announced that the Government of Canada will provide over $12 million, through the Sector Council Program, to promote a skilled workforce in the cultural and tourism sectors.
"Canada's future competitiveness depends on productive, high-performance workplaces, supported by a highly skilled workforce," said Minister Stronach, during a visit to the Charlotte Street Arts Centre. "The cultural and tourism industries play a valuable role in our overall economy, employing upward of two million people and accounting for 16 percent of our entire labour force. It is vital to invest in the skills of these workers; the projects we are announcing today will help ensure that we have the skilled labour required to remain globally competitive in culture and tourism."
The Cultural Human Resources Council (CHRC) will receive over $4.5 million for six projects promoting skills development within the cultural sector. The Council endeavours to be at the centre of forward thinking in cultural human resources development. It brings together representatives of arts disciplines and cultural industries to address the training and career development needs of cultural workers-artists, creators, technical staff, managers and all others engaged professionally in the sector.
"Through these projects, the Government of Canada continues to respond to the needs of the cultural community by helping to bring together industry leaders, educators and practitioners to increase the skills of the cultural workforce. This has been especially relevant to the New Media and Film and Television industries," said Richard Hornsby, CHRC Chair.
The Canadian Tourism Human Resource Council (CTHRC) will receive over $7.9 million for three projects related to skills development. The Council works on behalf of the 164,000 businesses that make up Canada's vibrant tourism industry, promoting professionalism throughout the industry and addressing key labour market issues.
"On behalf of the CTHRC board of directors, I wish to thank the Government of Canada for its investment in the Council. The CTHRC, which strives to demonstrate excellence in industry, labour and education cooperation, is viewed by a growing number of countries as a model to be emulated," said Wendy Swedlove, CTHRC President. "With this funding, the CTHRC will continue to help the Canadian tourism industry to attract, train and retain an internationally competitive workforce."
Today's announcement is linked to Canada's Workplace Skills Strategy, aimed at helping Canadians to become the best-trained, most highly skilled workers in the world, as well as ensuring that employers' needs are met. The Government of Canada will join with businesses, unions, provinces and territories, sector councils and workers to ensure that all Canadians have the opportunity to develop skills enabling them to obtain meaningful and productive jobs.
Sector councils successfully meet emerging skills requirements, addressing skills and labour shortages, and building essential skills in the workplace as a foundation for continuous learning. These organizations bring together business, labour and educational stakeholders in key industries to identify and address common human resources and skills issues, and to find solutions that benefit the sector. They are instrumental in making sure that workers already employed and those seeking employment are well prepared for the challenges of the rapidly evolving labour market.
There are currently 31 sector councils representing traditional industries (e.g., mining and textiles) and emerging industries (e.g., biotechnology and environment). The sector council network now covers approximately 48 percent of the labour market.
Funding for this initiative was provided for in the February 2005 federal Budget and is therefore built into the existing fiscal framework.
The projects have been reviewed to ensure compliance with the Department's administration of its grant and contribution programs, and are subject to review under the Financial Administration Act.
For details, see the attached backgrounder.
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For more information (media only):
Media Relations Office
Human Resources and Skills Development Canada
(819) 994-5559
Normand Bergeron
Special Advisor, Communications
Office of Minister Belinda Stronach
(819) 994-2482
BACKGROUNDER
Sector Council
Description of Project
Funding
Cultural Human Resources Council (CHRC)
Competency Development: Cultural Managers, Film and TV Production Managers, and a Competency Compendium - Through this project, the CHRC will develop new human resources research and tools for the cultural sector to improve the development of management skills and to provide better access to effective career-long learning.
$278,861
Competency and Training Gaps Analysis - This project will undertake competency and training gap analyses, as well as organize round-table discussions for cultural managers in the music industry, book publishing, libraries and the live performing arts.
$1,057,032
Education Links - Through this project, a human resources strategy, survey and comprehensive database of training offerings will be developed for the film and television industry.
$359,175
Youth Career Focus - This project will result in 130 work placements for youth in the cultural industry.
$1,240,000
Core Infrastructure - This project will help the CHRC to strengthen the Canadian cultural workforce by providing leadership on, and innovative solutions to, human resources issues.
$1,500,000
Careers in Culture Web Version - Through this project, the print format of the Careers in Culture series will be updated into an interactive, on-line version to attract young people to careers in culture. The print format was in produced in 1999.
$120,612
Canadian Tourism Human Resource Council (CTHRC)
E-Delivery?This third phase of the larger Electronic Delivery project will strive to achieve effective, high-quality delivery of on-line learning for targeted programs and occupations, building on the successes of paper-based programs. The phase will ensure that the content and on-line system meet new international compliance standards. It will also work to increase the take-up of on-line programs, moving the industry to a more automated approach to learning.
$6,383,553
Tourism Labour Market Research?This project will increase the monthly data and census information available for the tourism industry, and will improve access to current, credible information on employment in the industry and on the supply of workers.
$1,392,430
Workshop and Exam Projects?This project will help enhance skills in the tourism workforce and further credential recognition and mobility within Canada.
$149,558
TOTAL :
$12,481,221
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