The Honourable Bernard Davis, Minister of Advanced Education, Skills and Labour (AESL) has announced more than $2.27 million in funding for the Second Call for Proposals (2018) approved through the Newfoundland and Labrador Workforce Innovation Centre.
The funding, being provided as part of the Canada – Newfoundland and Labrador Labour Market Development Agreement, will support projects which were selected based on their alignment with government’s vision for job creation and economic development in The Way Forward and the objectives of the Newfoundland and Labrador Research and Innovation Program. Priority was also given to projects that support the ongoing efforts of the Cabinet Committee on Jobs, including priority sectors and target groups.
The provincial government will allocate funding to the following six projects:
- $687,269 for Stella’s Circle to explore the use and impact of mobile technology in a work-based employment program for adults who face employment barriers;
- $443,000 for Eastern Health to undertake a pilot project to test approaches to improving mental health and safety through technology-based support;
- $334,017 to the Newfoundland and Labrador Forest Industry Association to explore knowledge-based production and use of biological resources to provide products, processes, and services across all sectors of the provincial economy;
- $287,131 for the Laubach Literary Council to help rural Newfoundlanders and Labradorians acquire the skills to succeed in online learning;
- $280,851 to enhance the Women in Science, Engineering, Trades and Technology (WinSETT) Leadership Program in Newfoundland and Labrador; and,
- $238,932 for Memorial University of Newfoundland’s Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences to investigate the attitudes of employers in the province toward hiring newcomers, temporary foreign workers, and international students.
The Newfoundland and Labrador Workforce Innovation Centre (NLWIC) is administered by College of the North Atlantic and provides a co-ordinated, central point of access to engage government, business, and community partners in the research, testing and sharing of ideas and models of innovation in workforce development that will positively impact individual employability and attachment to the workforce.
These initiatives deliver on commitments in The Way Forward to strengthen the province’s economic foundation and deliver better services and better outcomes for residents. The Way Forward outlines all actions the Provincial Government is taking to achieve a strong, diversified province with a high standard of living, and can be viewed at thewayforward.gov.nl.ca.
Quotes
“These exciting projects consolidate the expertise of our partners and support our government’s efforts through The Way Forward to encourage private sector job creation and economic growth. Working together, we can find new and innovative ways to help Newfoundlanders and Labradorians build an even brighter future right here at home.”
Honourable Bernard Davis
Minister of Advanced Education, Skills and Labour
“Today’s announcement is another significant milestone for the Newfoundland and Labrador Workforce Innovation Centre team at College of the North Atlantic. The six new approved applied research projects will positively impact employers’ growth while addressing the labour market challenges faced by those employers in the private, public and community sectors throughout the province. These projects also provide new models of innovation in workforce development that will support under-represented groups – youth, Indigenous peoples, aging workers, immigrants, persons with disabilities, and women.”
Sharon McLennon
Director, Newfoundland and Labrador Workforce Innovation Centre, CNA
“This innovative project at Stella’s Circle will explore the use and impact of mobile technology in a work-based program for adults facing barriers to employment. This project will demonstrate the impact mobile technology has on increasing digital literacy and fostering labour market attachment, ideally leading to a more inclusive workplace.”
Lisa Browne
CEO, Stella’s Circle
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Learn more:
The Way Forward
Newfoundland and Labrador Workforce Innovation Centre
Canada – Newfoundland and Labrador Labour Market Development Agreement
Media contacts
Ryan Crocker
Advanced Education, Skills and Labour
709-729-1795, 709-725-9595
RyanCrocker@gov.nl.ca
Jeffrey Keeping
Workforce Innovation Centre
Jeffrey.keeping@nlwic.ca
Michelle Barry
College of the North Atlantic
709-643-7721
Michelle.barry@cna.nl.ca
Marlayne Hardy
Stella’s Circle
709-738-0564
m.hardy@StellasCircle.ca