Hon. Perrin Beatty, President and CEO, Canadian Manufacturers & Exporters, Winnipeg, Manitoba
October 20, 2003
Recognizing learning is a question that is increasingly front and centre on the agenda of the business community in general, and of manufacturers in particular.
While labour and business will differ on a number of issues, both share a serious concern over skills issues in general, and, increasingly, issues of qualifications recognition
When the CLBC asked business and labour leaders how they would meet their expected skill shortages, only one respondent in ten indicated that hiring foreign-trained workers was ‘very important.’ So immigration is fuelling labour force growth, but is not yet seen as a solution at the workplace level.
Skilled immigrants are often in jobs that don’t use their skill sets. This is damaging for the individuals involved, but the employer and the economy are also victims.
