Canadian Council on Learning | Conseil Canadien sur l'Apprentissage

New CCL report: Canada must “unlock potential” in adult learning

Barriers to, gaps in knowledge about adult learning undermining economic growth, productivity

June 19, 2007 Ottawa—A new report by the Canadian Council on Learning is tackling the thorny and complex problem of adult learning in Canada.

Unlocking Canada’s Potential, CCL’s 2007 Report on the State of Workplace and Adult Learning, describes a country where training, which can be a powerful lever for workplace productivity, is not a priority for many adults and most Canadian businesses. The report reveals that:

• Most learning by adults takes place in the workplace; however, two-thirds of Canadians do not take part in any formal learning activities
• While most Canadians recognize the benefits of learning, Canada lacks a sustained effort to establish a culture of learning across Canadian society
• Significant barriers exist that prevent Canadian workers from participating in learning and training. Those barriers include a lack of resources devoted to training by businesses, labour and government, as well as individual attitudes

“There are clear and well-substantiated links between lifelong learning, productivity and innovation. If Canada truly wants to unlock its potential, we must help workers engage in lifelong learning,” said Paul Cappon, the president and CEO of the Canadian Council of Learning.

Several reports by various organizations have expressed concern about Canada’s long-term economic strength. “One of the most powerful levers for productivity is training and skills,” said Cappon. “Research is unequivocal that investments in training result in positive returns in productivity.”

While Canada’s formal education system is effective in many respects, lifelong learning is a weakness, with a large proportion of the adult population lacking key skills. Canadian society has not demonstrated the will or dedicated the resources to address those skill gaps. A 2006 ranking of global competitiveness by the World Economic Forum saw Canada slip from 13th to 16th place worldwide, and noted that Canada’s productivity trails that of other industrialized countries.

Unlocking Canada’s Potential reports that while employer demand is increasing for employees with post-secondary education , transferable and adaptable skills and technological skills, the barriers to training (including time and financial limitations, lack of recognition of prior learning, low levels of interest and lack of clarity about expected outcomes) are not being addressed.

“Without a concerted effort to address the barriers to lifelong learning for Canada’s workers, Canada will not improve its global economic performance and risks continuing to fall behind other countries. Furthermore, Canadian employees will not be able to reach their full potential,” said Cappon.

The report compiles evidence that adults who learn and upgrade their skills enjoy many benefits, from improved job prospects to making better decisions to increasing the likelihood that their children will succeed in learning.

However, the report also notes that while much attention is focussed on the one-third of employees who receive training, there is little understanding of those who do not participate in learning and training activities, particularly those who have expressed that they are unlikely to do so in the future.

“We must look at the entire spectrum of learning and training in Canada and take action to both broaden and deepen the scope and potential of lifelong learning for Canadians,” said Cappon.

The 30-page report ends with recommendations by CCL that would begin to improve Canada’s performance in terms of workplace training:

• Create a pan-Canadian vision of what constitutes adult learning and training
• Encourage collaboration among partners
• Foster a culture of learning within the workplace, especially in small and medium enterprises
• Target low-skilled employees to motivate them to participate in training
• Develop a data strategy to address gaps in knowledge about workplace training

“This is not an issue only for employees, for business, for labour, or for governments. It is an issue for all parties to address, for the good of Canadians and the good of our economy,” said Cappon.

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The Canadian Council on Learning is an independent, not-for-profit corporation funded through an agreement with Human Resources and Social Development Canada. Its mandate is to promote and support evidence-based decisions about learning throughout all stages of life, from early childhood through to the senior years.

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