PROJECT COMPLETED

The goal of this research project is to provide evidence for small rural manufacturing businesses decisions regarding investments in Literacy and Essential Skills (LES) of their employees.

Objectives of the project:

• Increase knowledge and available information regarding the quality of human capital in the small business manufacturing sector by developing a profile of the sector based on direct measures of the literacy and essential skills of their workers and by comparing it internationally and nationally, so that the potential for competitiveness and innovation can be assessed
• Increase business and employer knowledge of the effects of improving the LES of workers on identified indicators of business performance
• Increase empirical knowledge on “what works” to improve LES of adult workers in their place of work and
• Increase the capacity of 269 Community Business Development Corporations (CBDCs) across Canada by providing access to a tool that will indicate the need and time for future investments in LES of an enterprise’s workforce with the aim of maximizing business performance

This project is funded by the Office of Literacy and Essential Skills at Human Resources and Skills Development Canada (now Employment and Social Development Canada – ESDC) as part of the government’s policy priority to improve the work force and increase jobs in Canada.