ECONOMY, ENVIRONMENT AND CLIMATE CHANGE
Commitment 1.1.13 – We will support small communities by enhancing job-creation programs, building community capacity and supporting new economic opportunities, by:
Enhancing the Small Communities Employment Support Program.
The Department of Education, Culture and Employment (ECE) is leading the GNWT’s work to implement the Skills 4 Success 10-Year Strategic Framework (S4S) and 4-Year Action Plan 2016-2020 to help develop the skills, knowledge and talents of the people of the NWT. The S4S is an evidence-based initiative about making system wide improvements to adult and post-secondary education and skills training programs to close education and employment gaps in the NWT.
The GNWT is engaged in initiatives to increase the participation of residents in small communities in the workforce by focusing on training, skills development and employment. Initiatives include administering funding for the Small Community Employment Support (SCES) program, and implementing the Skills 4 Success 10-Year Strategic Framework and 4-Year Action Plan 2016-2020. The Minister of ECE tabled the Skills 4 Success (S4S) 10-Year Strategic Framework on October 7, 2015 and a four-year S4S Action Plan in the fall 2016 session of the Legislative Assembly (milestone 1).
The S4S is an evidence-based initiative about making system wide improvements to adult and post-secondary education and skills training programs to close education and employment gaps in the NWT. Skilled workers are critical to Canada’s, and the NWT’s, productivity, innovation and economic competitiveness. The Minister of Education, Culture and Employment (ECE) tabled the Northwest Territories Labour Market Forecast and Needs Assessment on June 14, 2016.
As part of the GNWT Mandate and the Skills 4 Success 4-Year Action Plan 2016-2020, a Strategy is being developed to increase training and employment opportunities in small communities. To inform the development of the Strategy, ECE has completed engagements with partners and stakeholders including Aboriginal Governments, communities (leadership and staff), employers, residents, GNWT departments, and Aurora College. Engagement consisted of community visits, focus group discussions, key informant interviews and an online survey. The Small Community Employment Strategy is expected to be completed in the spring of 2018 (milestone 3).
On April 1, 2017, interim changes were implemented to the existing Small Community Employment Support (SCES) program to increase benefit levels and add flexibility for community employers and organizations. These changes were made pending the completion of a strategy to increase employment in small communities.
Moving forward, the SCES program is targeted to the NWT’s smallest communities and the Strategy will provide direction for future enhancements that will be made to the program. These future enhancements will aim to maximize the training and employment opportunities of residents in small communities (milestone 1).
Although SCES programming provides direct supports to small communities, there are other programs that support labour force development across the NWT are funded through federal labour market transfer agreements.
ECE is engaged in multilateral and bilateral discussions with the federal government to amend and renew federal-territorial agreements that provide federal funding for labour market transfer agreements. Renewed agreements are expected to be concluded by spring 2018 (milestone 2). Federal-territorial labour market transfer agreements provide over $7 million in annual funding to the GNWT to support its delivery of important labour market programs, services and supports.
ECE is also engaged with Regional Training Partnership Committees, and continues to meet with Committees to identify training needs regionally and to align their priorities with labour market demand.
Related Mandate Commitments:
Commitment 1.1.5 - We will get more 18-24 year olds into the labour market by removing barriers to employment, using a better mix of improved educational attainment and skill development, while matching skills with employer needs through improved career development supports.
Commitment 1.1.7- In collaboration with the federal government, We will increase the number of immigrants working in NWT and increase investment by immigrants, by implementing an immigration strategy that prioritizes streamlining application processes, increasing awareness of immigration programs, and consolidating our administrative supports.
Commitment 2.3.1 - We will take steps to close the skills gap, by conducting a Foundational Review of Aurora College followed by a renewed strategic plan and updates to the Aurora College Act where indicated by the Foundational Review, using the Skills4Success strategic framework, by working with Aurora College on a renewed strategic plan, refocusing support for post-secondary institutions in NWT, improving outcomes from our Community Learning Centres, strengthening the apprenticeship program, and improving our career development services.