On January 13th 2011, OLC, in partnership with the Excellence in Manufacturing Consortium (EMC), brought companies from across Southern Ontario together to discuss the benefits of implementing workplace literacy and essential skills training.
Ranging from large food and beverage producers to small manufacturing plants, these employers shared stories about their experiences in workplace training, noting that training helped enable their employees to adapt to new technologies that are required to stay competitive. Other employers spoke of the impact that literacy training has had in ensuring that workplace health and safety protocols and policies were understood, particularly amongst employees where English is their second language.
John MacLaughlin, Manager of Program, Business and Partnership Development at the OLC, discussed the importance of providing businesses with solutions to their training needs.
“OLC believes that working with partners to improve literacy and essential skills is the best way to help Ontarians get jobs and build better futures,” said Mr. MacLaughlin. “In today’s economic environment, it is more important than ever that we look at ways to make Ontario’ s businesses more productive while also ensuring that employees have the enabling skills to adapt to the new demands of the knowledge economy.”
The OLC looks forward to working with its partners to promote a greater range of adult literacy opportunities that will help both employers and employees in Ontario adjust to the demands of the knowledge economy. The desire, particularly amongst small to medium enterprise for tailor-made workplace literacy and essential skills programming, has been overwhelming.
For further information regarding WLES programming, please contact John MacLaughlin of the OLC at 416-963-5787 x 24, or via email at John@on.literacy.ca
