Why do Capital Region employers need to know about workplace learning programs?
A. Employers struggling to cope with one of the lowest unemployment rates in the country are looking for ways to improve their recruitment and retention strategies, however: • Though workplace learning programs are a proven strategy for addressing these labour market issues, Capital Region employers don’t have enough information about how to improve their employees’ basic skills, according to a recent Community Council study.1 • Currently, employers say they are addressing basic skills gaps using stop-gap measures such as one-on-one coaching or mentoring, assigning a job adequate for the literacy level of the person, and delegating tasks to other employees. • The small business climate in Victoria — 75 per cent of businesses have five or fewer employees — makes the task of improving the workforce’s basic skills particularly challenging as employers may find it hard to dedicate the necessary time and money to improve their worker’s basic skills through workplace learning programs.
