Government investing in training and employment in Nova Scotia
To assist young people in Nova Scotia acquire the knowledge, skills and experience necessary to enter the labour market, the Canadian government is supporting the Centre for Entrepreneurship, Education and Development (CEED).
Assistance of over 190,000 dollars is planned to finance two projects in the Skills Link program which helps young people in difficulty (single parent families, workers with disabilities, residents of rural and remote areas). In Antigonish candidates are initiated to workplace etiquette and enabled to undertake internships. In Halifax there are workshops on various themes (customer service, entrepreneurship, etc.), participation in performing community initiatives and mentoring for preparation of business plans which will be offered to young people.
Renewed optimism among North American companies
The 2012 results of companies located in Canada and the United States exceeded expectations, according to the Compensation Best Practices survey conducted by PayScale. While 38% of companies surveyed were thinking about recruiting, 50% ended up hiring staff. And for 2013, 53% are considering additional hiring. From the point of view of compensation, increases are planned by 85% of employers and 57% of them are thinking of granting them to at least half of their employees.
Although optimism is the order of the day, retaining talent remains nonetheless a major concern, which continues to increase in companies. 28% of them were concerned about it in 2009, 49% in 2012 and 59% in 2013. Recruitment of qualified profiles is also a source of concern for 67% of employers. The most affected industries are mining exploration, oil and gas and construction.
Educating companies about employing people with disabilities
The Canadian government is providing support by entering into partnerships with organizations that implement activities to raise awareness about employing workers with disabilities. L. Tara Hooper and Associates Inc., a training and consulting company located in Brantford, Ontario, is receiving funding of 24,000 dollars from the Opportunities Fund for Persons with Disabilities. To raise awareness with local companies about employing persons with disabilities, the difficulties they must overcome and the importance of their contribution within the Canadian workforce, the organization is arranging an Access to Employment day in Brantford on March 20. Local employers will attend a seminar which will enable them to appreciate the condition of people with disabilities, understand the advantages of hiring them and become aware of best practices on the subject. It is a local initiative to take as an example to open opportunities for collaboration between companies and workers with disabilities.