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Feb.13,2005 -Feb.20,2005 |
Investing in Professionalism
Federal Minister of Human Resources Joe Volpe pledges $11 million for training
By Niccolò Marras
Originally Published: 2004-02-22
Federal Minister of Human Resources Joe Volpe keeps signing million-dollar cheques in favour of professional training and skills development.
Last week in Toronto, at the WoodGreen Community Centre on Danforth Ave., he signed one for $10,946,979 in front of journalists, political representatives and social workers.
"This money," said Volpe, "will fund 34 projects targeted to help youth and unemployed people in the Greater Toronto Area. We shall assist through our programs of Employment Assistance Services, Local Labour Market Partnerships, Job Creation Partnerships and Youth Employment Strategy."
Overall, in the past two weeks minister Volpe earmarked over $20 million for the GTA, half of which for the youth.
"Moreover, $35 million have been announced for other initiatives in Ontario. The current tally is at $55 million."
Ottawa's and Volpe's commitments do not stop here, and the minister announced further funding to be unveiled in the next few days. "We're investing on the human capital, on growth," he underscored during the press conference. "We are not pending on infrastructures only. If we don't develop our human resources, if we don't generate professionalism, employment will not expand and economy will not take off."
Volpe and his collaborators believe that these ideas require synergies, alliances with other entities interested in labour and immigration issues. That's why the Government chose to fund projects prepared by several organizations working on human resources.
Ottawa cannot cope with all this alone, and would run the risk of choosing the wrong intervention, therefore alliances with associations such as COSTI or the Woodgreen Community are fundamental for working well and fast.
An example comes from Brian Smith, president of the WoodGreen Community Centre. "We need to boost skills development, to build affordable housing, to get our youth into the labour market," he said. "For instance, we trained 400 new nurses, and our methods brought the employment success rate up from 35 to 75 percent. Similar examples can be made in other fields, e.g. engineering, etc."
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