What's in it for you?
Return on Your Investment
New equipment is a tangible item to invest in, but skills training is often an intangible cost that is sometimes difficult to justify in a competitive work environment. But what if you could get 60 cents back on every training dollar? That’s a return on investment you could get behind. Essential Skills training not only provides you with a good return on your investment, but it increases employee safety, satisfaction on the job, as well as retention rates.
Our goal as training providers is to work together with industry employers to ensure apprentices have excellent trade skills and essential learning skills as they set off on their career. We look to you to provide feedback in order to grow a more effective workforce and thriving industry.
Benefits of Essential Skills Training
Essential Skills training for the workplace provides your company with multiple benefits that you might not be aware of. These include increased productivity, enhanced workplace efficiencies, increased competitiveness, a more vibrant and engaged workforce, better workplace health and safety, better team performance, and a more highly skilled workforce. These benefits are all a good return on your investment. The following information sheet, prepared by HRDC, identifies how you can foster these advantages in the workplace and why it’s important for your company to increase the essential skills capacity in your employees.
Case Studies on Essential Skills Development as Proof
Practical case studies have been collected to demonstrate the benefits of investing in Essential Skills development. This article will explain why your company would want to build essential skills in the workplace.
An Essential Skills Business Case study was completed where it touched on administrative concerns, practical advice for implementing interventions, and future directions for employers to explore. It was shown that it is cost effective to implement Essential Skills training for companies. This booklet reviews the study, statistical information, and the exciting results shown.
Aboriginal Participation Increases
Aboriginal participation in the construction industry is an important sector within the trades industry. “Aboriginal workers have a higher propensity to choose construction as their career choice than non-Aboriginal population” (Construction Sector Council, 2005). Read this study to understand how your company can contribute to Aboriginal people’s skill and learning needed for employment.
Apprenticeship Pays!
Apprenticeship pays! Why should you take on apprentices? Why does their skill set training matter? What are the costs and benefits? What about return on investment? The following article will provide the answers to these questions.
ArcelorMittal Dofasco, a steel operation in North America, has been implementing essential skills such as literacy, numeracy, and computer awareness. Their productivity has increase by 50% since 1990 and their attrition has remained low. Read about what they’ve done to improve their company, and pick up ideas on how you too can try something similar.
The Canadian Apprenticeship Forum-Forum Canadien sur l’apprentissage (CAF-FCA) commissioned a new project with the intent to analyze secondary statistical data on outcomes of apprentices in comparison with individuals who did not complete an apprenticeship, graduates of other college programs and those who did not pursue any post-secondary training. In all cases, Apprenticeship Completers fare better. These two articles provide details.
Why Invest in Essential Skills Development?
Why invest in Essential Skills development and what do the essential skills provide you? For the answers to these questions please read Building Essential Skills in the Workplace.
The Canadian Apprenticeship Forum/Forum canadien sur l’apprentissage (CAF-FCA) has developed a series webinars to help employers identify potential gaps and implement Essential Skills activities and programs in the workplace. These webinars are free and listed here:
Webinar 1 – Overview of Essential Skills
Webinar 2 – Workplace Needs Assessment
Webinar 3 – Training Activities and Program Evaluation
Webinar 4 – Getting Started: Tools and Resources
Read about all of CAF-FCA’s Essential Skills tools and resources for employers.
