Jason Kenney, Minister of Employment and Social Development, and Economy Minister Bill Boyd, signed a memorandum of understanding on the Canada Job Grant.
Announced in Economic Action Plan 2013, the Canada Job Grant is an innovative way of delivering training that will lead to a guaranteed job. It involves employers in training decisions so that Canadians will be equipped with the skills and training they need to fill available jobs. It is designed to be flexible enough to meet the needs of businesses of all sizes, in all industries and regions.
The Canada Job Grant is part of the Government of Canada's commitment to address the paradox of too many Canadians without jobs in an economy of too many jobs without Canadians.
Quick Facts:
The number of available workers for every job vacancy (unemployment-to-job vacancy ratio) in Saskatchewan was 2.4 in December 2013, well below the national average of 6.3.
The hiring plans of Saskatchewan employers remain positive, according to the Canadian Federation of Independent Business, with 29 per cent expecting to hire full-time, 62 per cent expecting to maintain staffing levels, and only nine per cent expecting to cut back in January 2014.
In the next five years, Saskatchewan expects to need 35,000 new workers and almost 60,000 replacement workers, according to the 2013 Saskatchewan Employment Forecast. The construction sector is forecast to need 5,500 workers; transportation and warehousing 6,100 workers; mining, oil and gas 4,800 workers; manufacturing 4,000 workers; and 16,700 workers in other services for industries such as professional, scientific and technical services and management of companies.
"Our government's top priorities are creating jobs, economic growth and long-term prosperity," Kenney said. "The Canada Job Grant will ensure that employers put more skin in the game and that skills training leads to a guaranteed job. This is good news for the people of Saskatchewan, who will have better access to training that leads to real, guaranteed jobs and who will get a better bang for their buck on funding for skills training. It is also good news for Saskatchewan's economy, because the Canada Job Grant will increase employer investment in skills training and help employers train Canadians for jobs that need to be filled so their businesses can grow and succeed."
"One of the most important challenges Saskatchewan faces in maintaining its economic momentum is not just ensuring that it has enough workers, but ensuring that it has enough qualified workers," Boyd said. "The Saskatchewan Plan for Growth positions the province to capture new economic opportunities and meet the challenges of growth. One of its key features is an ambitious agenda to educate, train and develop a highly qualified workforce. The Canada Job Grant will help support skills training in
