OTHER CURRENT PROJECTS

Education/Sector Council Partnership Project - Toronto District School Board and The Alliance of Sector Councils
The CSCSC has joined with the Canadian Automotive Repair and Service Council (CARS) to work with the Toronto District School Board and Lakeshore Collegiate in Etobicoke, Ont., in an education/sector council partnership, one of many currently in development. The TDSB hopes to collaborate with school boards from across Canada in this project, in order to collectively create a model that can be adapted for application anywhere in the country.   The overall Education/Sector Council Partnerships Project (ESCPP), of which the CSCSC's budding partnership is a component, is a pilot, with funding for three years and nine critical targets:

• To develop sustainable industry/education partnerships;
• To embed nine HRSDC-identified essential skills in related school programs;
• To create expanded opportunities for experiential learning by students and teachers;
• To initiate courses and programs that are sector- and skills-focused;
• To build students' career awareness;
• To enhance parental awareness of new realities;
• To make use of classroom resources with sector applications, websites and labour market information;
• To develop a protocol for the recognition of skills and the granting of industry-recognized certificates and credentials; and,
• To assist with effective transitions to work or post-secondary learning.

Recognizing that it was not meeting the needs of many of its students, the TDSB set out on this project to engage the approximately 50 per cent of students who flounder under its current teaching model. In addition to struggling with their education, these students have limited awareness of career opportunities and, often, little help from parents who are equally lacking in knowledge of options open to their children. (The TDSB discovered in a focus group with parents that, on average, they know of only five per cent of the career opportunities in today's workplace.)
Focusing on essential skills - reading text, document use, numeracy, writing, oral communication, working with others, thinking skills, computer use and continuous learning - and career awareness, the goal of the project is to develop innovative ways to engage students in high-school learning. By linking with sector councils, the TDSB aims to provide real-world information and experiences to youth as they make critical decisions about their future paths.   Teachers at Lakeshore are eager to explore opportunities for job-shadowing, mentoring, experiential learning, worksite visits, career fairs and more.

MicroSkills Supply Chain Awareness Program for Employment
MicroSkills is undertaking a two-year awareness and employment program aimed at increasing the participation of internationally trained individuals (ITIs) in the supply chain sector. Working closely with the Canadian Supply Chain Sector Council (CSCSC) and other industry and educational partners, MicroSkills will assess the transferability of the skills and experiences of ITIs to meet the growing demand of this sector.   Partners

• MicroSkills: leads the project, providing client recruitment and assessment, case management, workplace essential-skills delivery, job development, follow up, and client tracking and reporting
• CSCSC: advisor; provides a sector overview and links to key sector players
• World Education Services: provides credential assessments
• Humber Institute of Technology & Advanced Learning: provides customized training for the sector
• Supply Chain Systems: provides mentorship and sector expertise
• Sector employers: provide workplace experience, job opportunities and project advisory

ITIs will have access to sector-specific training and employment commensurate with their education and experience. This will be measured by their increased participation in the labour force and ability to fill skills shortages identified by this sector and to further contribute to the enhancement of Ontario's economy through job retention and mobility. ITIs with backgrounds in information technology, engineering, purchasing and sales will be recruited, as these skills are readily transferable to the supply chain sector.

This project will transition 225 ITIs into tactical- and managerial-level positions. The program model consists of two streams: a fast-tracking Stream I for individuals who are assessed for immediate transferability, and Stream II, providing customized technical-skills development for individuals without related work experience. Beyond the specialized areas, all participants will be provided with an overview of the sector to reduce misconceptions. They will also receive sector-specific communication and workplace essential-skills training, and be linked with a job developer to assist in accessing workplace experience, employment and workplace supports.   Project success will be measured by tracking the employment outcomes of participants against our target of 90% finding tactical and managerial positions with supply chain-sector employers. Another project outcome is its addressing a current skills shortage within a growth sector, as identified by the supply chain sector. An important outcome is the project's contribution to reducing the negative assumptions about the supply chain sector as offering only entry-level jobs with a warehouse focus.