Targeted Initiative for Older Workers

(TIOW): Best Practices in Local

Employment & Skills Strategies

Laurie Goldmann

OECD LEED Expert Roundtable on Local Economic Strategies for Ageing Labour Markets

Paris, FranceMarch 31, 2015

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Canada at a Glance

The Country

o Approx. 35,675,834 citizenso Over 20% born outside Canadao 2 official languages: English and

French

Labour market

o Unemployment rate is 6.8% in 2015

o Variation in unemployment rate across the country (3.7% - 11.8%)

Employment programs must respond to varied circumstances

o Federal, provincial/territorial and municipal governments all play a role

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Labour Market Participation of Older Workers

will be increasingly Important

Retirements will put significant pressure on

economy and may exacerbate skills shortages in

many sectors

Older Canadians are particularly valuable given the

knowledge and experience they bring to the

workforce

Older workers represent a critical source of future

labour supply and will be important to Canada’s

economic growth and future prosperity in the years

ahead

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1982 1984 1987 1997 1999 20061972

• Period of relatively high unemployment

• Baby boomers = ample labour force

• Early retirement programs had social objective

• Looming demographic ‘bomb’ older workers

increasingly important to labour market

• On average, displaced older workers staying

unemployed longer than younger counterparts

• Increasing adjustment pressures on traditional

sectors

Passive income support Active employment measure

The GoC has a Long History of Supporting Older Workers

Labour Adjustment Benefit Program

Industry & Labour Adjustment

Program

Program for Older Worker Adjustment

(POWA)

Older Workers Pilot Projects

Initiative (OWPPI)

Targeted Initiative for Older Workers

(TIOW)

• Budget 2014 extended TIOW for an additional 3 years until March 31, 2017 with an overall investment

of $75M ($25M per year in 2014-15, 2015-16, and 2016-17).

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Current TIOW Builds on Past Programming

Drawing on Lessons Learned TIOW is a Federal-Provincial/Territorial (F-P/T) cost-shared initiative designed to assist

unemployed older workers reintegrate into the workforce and/or improve their employability.

• Unemployed workers normally aged 55 to 64 in eligible communities

• Those age 50-54 or over 64 may also participate, but not at the exclusion of the main targeted age group

Eligible Participants

• Small, vulnerable communities (cities/towns of less than 250,000 people experiencing: 1) high unemployment; 2) affected by significant downsizing or closure(s); 3) experiencing unfulfilled employer demand; and/or 4) skills mismatches

Eligible Communities

• Employment assistance activities (e.g. résumé, interview techniques) plus

• At least two other employability improvement activities (e.g. participant assessment, peer mentoring, basic skills upgrading, work experience)

• Must include a component that is group-based whereby activities take place in a classroom setting (minimum 25 hours/week)

Project Activities

• The Government of Canada funds up to 70%, while each P/T funds a minimum of 30% of total program costs

• When P/T legislation allows, participants are offered income support (e.g. allowances, wages, wage subsidy to employer)

Funding

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Program Has Been Well Received

by Communities and Employers

Evidence shows that program supports local community adjustment Projects are integral to local economic development strategies

– Older worker training often tailored to emerging sector needs

– Most projects were successful in matching participants with local employers

– Flexibility of program a key element of success

Most employers indicate that they would participate in TIOW again

– Majority of employers retained participants for whom they provided work experience – at least for a period of time following the project

– Wage subsidy was identified as a key incentive for employers to participate

– Employers appreciated ability to fill gaps with experienced workers

Recognized as international best practice

– Featured in G20 and OECD best practice publications/materials.

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Program Has Served Thousands of Older

Workers Across Canada

715 Clients

Served

790 Clients

Served

1184 Clients

Served1149 Clients

Served

11,069 Clients

Served12,287 Clients

Served

746 Clients

Served

824 Clients

Served

1745 Clients

Served

4333 Clients

Served

117 Clients

Served

303 Clients

Served18 Clients

Served

TIOW Stats at a Glance

As of March 17, 2015:

• Total Participants: 35,280

• Number of Projects: 801

(434 New + 367 Extensions)

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TIOW in Action – Best Practices in Local

Employment and Skills Strategies

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TIOW Best Practices Compendium

Since TIOW was announced, P/Ts have adopted a variety of innovative and

successful models for TIOW-based programming within their communities. The

program ensures that there are multiple ways to share best practices:

• F-P/T Best Practices workshops are held yearly to discuss lessons learned,

share successes, and provide suggestions for improvement

• Best Practices Compendium(s) are prepared with input from all P/Ts to

showcase innovative and unique projects/processes. It is a compilation of

best practices that can be shared widely so that the model can be replicated

within other jurisdictions

• Within the Compendium, examples of best practices have been categorized

into the following broad themes

o Theme 1: Innovative Project Design and Administration

o Theme 2: Working with Employers

o Theme 3: Building on Local Strengths

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Theme 1: Innovative Project Design and Administration

Concept:

Projects and/or practices included under this category incorporated

innovative or unique design component(s) into TIOW programming in

order to address a specific challenge or consideration.

Projects that incorporated innovative or unique design components,

included:

o Usage of Social Media platforms (PEI);

o Rigorous client selection process (BC);

o Collaboration among training providers (ON);

o Variable project duration according to

client needs (NB);

o Partnerships with Aboriginal Groups (SK).

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Example of Best Practice – Saskatchewan

La Ronge, Saskatchewan

Unemployment 8.2%

Population 2,700

Project Information

Project Name “Put Your Wisdom to Work”

Sponsor Saskatchewan Seniors

Mechanism

Duration 12 Weeks

Participants 15 Older Workers

Project Activities Computer skills, Job shadowing,

Resume/Cover letter writing,

Work placement

Best Practice Targeting first nations

participants and leveraging

partnerships. E.g. Band provided

transportation assistance and

computers to participants

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Theme 2: Working with Employers

Concept:

Projects and/or practices included under this

category involved facilitating linkages with local

employers and reinforcing the benefits and

advantages of hiring older workers as part of a

comprehensive, adaptable, responsible human

resource (HR) strategy.

Projects that connected with local employers, included:

o Ensuring potential employers and TIOW

participants were appropriately matched (MB);

o Improving awareness among local employers

of the valuable role older workers (NS & AB);

o Project sponsors tapping into roots of

community to engage employers (YK);

o Tailoring training to meet unique employer

needs (QC).

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Example of Best Practice - Quebec

Antoine-Labelle Regional Municipality

Laurentians Region, Quebec

Unemployment 12.9%

Population 35,000

Project Information

Project Name Projet O’Bouleau

Sponsor Zone Emploi

Duration 17 weeks

Participants 40 Older Workers

Project

Activities

Woodworking, Work Placement,

Computer Skills, Job Search,

Coaching

Best Practice Enabled older workers from the

forestry sector to exploit their

skills as they gained new skills

needed to get jobs in the

emerging wood-products

industry.

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Theme 3: Building on Local Strengths

Concept:

Projects and/or practices included under

this category have built on local strengths to

develop new employment opportunities in

the area - or to seize existing, yet not fully

exploited job opportunities.

Projects that built on local strengths,

included:

o Transforming or re-orienting a

traditional cultural role into an

employable one (NU);

o Re-establishing local industries (NWT);

o Leveraging the distinct cultural history

of an area into a successful venture

(NL).

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Example of Best Practice – Northwest

TerritoriesUlukhaktok, Northwest Territories

Unemployment 20%

Population 460

Project Information

Project Name “Ulukhaktok Handicraft

Program”

Sponsor Inuvialuit Corporate Group

Duration 12 Weeks

Participants 5 Older Workers

Project

Activities

Handicrafts, Computer skills,

Photography, Marketing,

Promotion/sales

Best Practice Tapping into self-employment

for older workers, while

revitalizing a formerly

prominent local arts and crafts

industry.

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Example of Best Practice - Newfoundland

Trepassey, Newfoundland

Unemployment 49%

Population 600

Project Information

Project Name “Creating Sustainable Communities

through Culture and Heritage”

Sponsor The Southern Avalon Development

Association

Duration 22 Weeks

Participants 5 Older Workers

Project

Activities

Hospitality, Theatre arts, Customer

Service, Job search techniques,

Computer skills

Best Practice Tapping into Trepassey’s local

heritage in order to strengthen its

role in regional tourism by creating a

dinner theatre.

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Concluding Thoughts

Jurisdictions face unique opportunities and challenges in assisting unemployed older workers;

TIOW programming has been leveraged in innovative and concrete ways to help unemployed older workers prepare for and return to the labour market;

Cooperation and collaboration between GoC and all P/Ts has been key to the success of TIOW in reaching thousands of unemployed older workers across Canada, from the vibrant centres of southern Ontario to the remote communities of the high Arctic.

For TIOW, sharing of best practices/lessons learned is an ongoing hallmark of this F-P/T partnership, and a model for other labour market programs.

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Contact Information

Laurie Goldmann

Director,

Employment Programs and Partnerships Directorate,

Skills and Employment Branch,

Employment and Social Development Canada

Email: laurie.goldmann@hrsdc-rhdcc.gc.ca

Phone: 819-654-3313

Thank you.