News Release

FREDERICTON (GNB) – New Brunswick's Labour Force and Skills Development Strategy 2013-2016 was released today by Premier David Alward, Post-Secondary Education, Training and Labour Minister Danny Soucy and Education and Early Childhood Development Minister Jody Carr.

"This strategy builds on Rebuilding New Brunswick: Growing Together – An Economic Development Action Plan for New Brunswick, which outlines our commitment to ensuring the availability of a skilled and globally competitive labour force," said Alward. "Our approach will help ensure that New Brunswickers are given the skills and training support they need to meet the current and future needs of the province's labour force and remain here at home."

The strategy includes three main themes that consist of 44 priority action items. Those themes are:

●    support the K-12 and post-secondary education systems to prepare students adequately for labour force needs;
●    support learning and skills development; and
●    support the retention and attraction of highly skilled individuals.

Some of the action items outlined in the strategy are:

●    The provincial government will expand successful pilot projects in schools throughout the province, such as the Teen Apprenticeship Program in Saint John.

●    The provincial government will aggressively pursue the development of a regionally streamlined apprenticeship program through the Atlantic Workforce Partnership.

●    The provincial government, with leaders of the private sector, will conduct labour market research on each of the six strategic sectors, as well as the energy, mining and oil and natural gas sectors to assist in identifying which occupations are experiencing labour market imbalances today and forecast the positions required for the future.

●    The provincial government will implement enhanced employer wage incentives for priority group clients to assist in securing labour force attachments and opportunities.

●    The provincial government will work to develop and implement a “women in trades" program, which will target job-ready women interested in pursuing training and/or employment in the trades.

●    The provincial government will fund a First Nations co-ordinator who will facilitate linkages and augment access to literacy, essential skills and apprenticeship services on First Nations communities.

●    The provincial government will revitalize the Population Growth Strategy for fiscal 2013-14.

The strategy, as noted in the last speech from the throne, complements a series of economic strategies and initiatives, including the Strategies for Innovation, Growing Global Markets and the Oil and Gas Blueprint.

Alward said it is particularly important that the province is prepared with the skilled labour to meet the employment opportunities expected to arise from the recently announced west-to-east pipeline.

"New Brunswick's Labour Force and Skills Development Strategy 2013-2016 is a vital piece of our government's overall action plan, which is designed to accelerate economic growth and create good quality jobs in all regions of New Brunswick," said Alward. "Our plan reflects the priorities of stakeholders, capitalizes on existing programs and focuses future initiatives on meeting labour force needs, not only of today, but also for tomorrow."

LINK:

●    New Brunswick’s Labour Force and Skills Development Strategy 2013-2016