WORKBC WEB CENTRE OPENS FOR EMPLOYERS, JOB SEEKERS

VICTORIA – A new, comprehensive on-line service will benefit British Columbians seeking career and skills development information, employers looking to improve labour productivity, and skills training service providers interested in emerging best practices, announced Minister of Advanced Education and Labour Market Development Moira Stilwell.

“The new WorkBC web centre brings together a wide range of resources, giving job seekers, employers and trainers easy access to the information and tools they need,” said Stilwell. “It supports our government’s goal to ensure we have the skilled workers we need for a successful future.”

The WorkBC.ca site provides an expanded source of information to meet the needs of each of the core users of labour market information. The five sections – career pathways, job seekers, employers, service providers and labour market statistics – guide users to relevant tools, facts and statistics, presenting case studies and success stories to outline how particular information or services can help.

The site will assist the core user groups in the following ways:

• Students can review career options, see what training, education and qualifications are required, and also look at future demand within their chosen path.
• Employers will find information on hiring and retaining workers, including resources on training, skills development, sources of labour and tips on performance management.
• Job seekers can review employment finding strategies, see what credentials are required for various occupations, and find links to skills upgrading programs and services.
• Career planning professionals can access up-to-date labour market information tracking current and forecast demand for specific job skills, tap into sector-specific resources, such as engineering, resource and agricultural occupation profiles and tools, and access evaluation tools used to help identify specific training needs for their clients.

“Through our Labour Market Agreement with British Columbia, we are supporting Canadians, ensuring that they are job-ready and helping them get on the pathway to a successful career,” said the Honourable Diane Finley, Minister of Human Resources and Skills Development. “Tools like WorkBC are examples of innovative initiatives that will help us meet future labour market needs.”

Developed in co-operation with key user groups, the new web service has relevant information like regional labour force numbers, wages and salaries or occupation forecasts grouped according to each groups’ unique labour market information needs. As users move through the site, they can also use social media tools embedded on each page to easily bookmark and share content.
The new website was developed in part with support through the Canada-B.C. Labour Market Agreement, and helps government meet labour market objectives, ensuring B.C. has the people and skills needed to meet our present and future labour market needs. Other features and services will be added over the coming months as the site continues to evolve.

Under the Labour Market Agreement, the Government of Canada is providing the Province approximately $66 million annually until 2013-14. Through a variety of programs, these funds will increase training for employed individuals who are low-skilled and require essential skills, or who require recognized credentials to reach their full potential in the current marketplace. They will also help increase access to training for unemployed individuals who are not currently Employment Insurance (EI) clients, including but not limited to those who are underrepresented in the labour market.

For more information, please go to www.workbc.ca.