TRAINING STANDARDS
(THE WOMEN'S REFERENCE GROUP, September 28. 1992)

Introduction:
Women across the country have met to discuss their visions of a training system
that would meet their needs. Central to these workshops was stepping back and
describing our visions of a training system that is accessible to women and
responsive to women's needs. We have identified concrete principles that can
inform policy development and decision making and ideas on how to
operationalize these principles.
These principles are Access, Equity, Right to Basic Education, Recognition of Skills,
Quality, Accountability, and Integrating Training and Economic Development. Of
particular significance here is that the first five of these principles have been
included in the strategic plan of the Canadian Labour Force Development Board
(CLFDB). Therefore, we assume an agreement in principle for the policy
framework to be recommended by the Board.

We see these principles as the starting point for establishing comprehensive
training standards. Clear standards can support our involvement and input at all
levels (local, provincial and national) of the training system.

ACCESS:
Access to training has been consistently raised by women across the country as
the central issue. Women (from diverse regions, immigrants, refugees, linguistic
and visible minority women, women with all forms of disabilities and aboriginal
women) face particular barriers to accessing training and education. It is
essential that all groups have equitable access to training and education, that
the needs of traditionally under-served groups be adequately addressed, and
that specific resources be allocated to serve the needs of the employed,
unemployed, underemployed and social assistance recipients.
Specific components of an accessible training system, identified by women across
the country, are:
1. Access to information
2. Support services
3. Child care
4. Training allowances
5. Expanded eligibility criteria
6. Bridging programmes

EQUITY:
In the "Women's Agenda" workshops participants pointed to equity as an
important principle of a transformed training system. We see equity as ensuring
that people receive fair treatment, equal rights, and equal benefits regardless of
race, gender, country of origin, class, religion, sexual orientation, geographic
location, income, age and ability. Equity must be a guiding principle in policy
development, decision making and within training programmes themselves.
Therefore, mechanisms for achieving equity must include policies and legislation
which ensure that the people who have historically been excluded from the
decision making process are represented. In addition, within programmes,
systemic-barriers must be removed, equity targets established, and a mechanism
for monitoring agreed upon.

RIGHT TO BASIC EDUCATION:
In our workshops, women spoke strongly for public training and education being
recognized as a basic right. Training resources must be directed to general
education and skill training programmes which lead to accreditation.
In
particular, literacy, language training for people lacking facility in English or
French, academic upgrading for people with less than high school completion
and bridging programmes for women in all areas including trades and
technologies must be priorities. These programmes must be provided as part of
a continuum of training to ensure that learners are equipped with portable skills
that are broadly recognized by post-secondary education institutions as well as
employers.

RECOGNITION OF SKILLS: Portabillty/Transferabillty:
Women's desired direction for change is a model that would permit women with
a need and an interest in upgrading, training, or developing skills to do so at
various points throughout their working lives. Transferability between various
training, with credit given for every step, and career pathing are central to this.
Learners should not be required to duplicate training in order to receive
recognition for skills and knowledge which has been acquired in other regions,
provinces, or countries. Mechanisms are, therefore, needed to ensure that skills
acquired and accreditation received are portable and transferable from one
level and type of learning and from one location to another.
Linkage and laddering criteria in all publicly funded programmes and institutions
is required as well. Mechanisms are needed such as Prior Learning Assessment to
ensure that skills acquired and accreditation are portable and transferable.

QUALITY:
Women support a view of training that places the learner at the centre of any
discussion, involving the active participation of learners in decision making with
respect to programme development and implementation, and that sees quality
in broader terms than only attaching an individual to the labour market.

Components of a quality training system include:
1. An integrated system
2. Diversity of models
3. Learner centred
4. Curriculum development
5. Counselling
6. Funding of programmes

ACCOUNTABILITY:
Women also talked about accountability as central to a quality and equitable
training system that is accessible to all. There is a need for accountability in
decision making and representation, where all boards and committees must be
held accountable for their activities. There must be accountability in project
evaluation and client participation in evaluation and monitoring should be a
requirement. There must also be accountability in funding mechanisms where the
allocation of resources should be made contingent on demonstrated compliance
with the principles identified above.

INTEGRATING TRAINING AND COMMUNITY ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT:
Recognition of the relationship between training and employment, the need for
a comprehensive social-economic strategy and a commitment to full
employment are key components of a training system that will work for women.
Our communities are facing the devastating effects of economic restructuring,
with mass layoffs and increasing unemployment. Women recognize that training
alone will not lead to real jobs or economically viable communities. Training
strategies must, therefore, include strategies for women's participation in
economic development. We see a need to integrate training into local
economic development plans, creating economic options for women. To do this
effectively we must develop new approaches to community economic
development and mechanisms for ensuring women's participation in them.

Page 12

TABLE 2
ACTUAL % OF PARTICIPATION IN CJS PROGRAMS
BY DESIGNATED GROUPS
VISIBLE MINORITIES

Regions
NFED/lf

"; ’ 89/90
67/88
88/89
. %
’%1
•
•
%: '
%
' ' 4
Target; Actual' target Actual Target ^Actual' ^Target Actual

Target

■
Actual

91/92

0.4

1.1

N/A

1.3

N/A

1.1

0.5

1.2

1.0

0.8

N.S.

4.0

3.8

N/A

3.9

N/A

3.9

6.0

4.8

5.0

5.3

P.E.I.

0.7

1.7

' N/A

2.0

N/A

2.3

2.0

2.1

2.0

3.5

N.B.
QUE.

1.6

1.5

N/A

1.6

N/A

2.2

3.0

3.9

2.9

N/A

2.8

N/A

3.8

5.0

1.3
3.4

1.5
3.5

1.5
2.1

ONT.

4.0

6.0

N/A

5.6

N/A

6.9

6.5

7.1

6.5

6.2

MÀN.
SASK.

3.8

6.0

N/A

5.1

N/A

6.3

5.0

6.8

5.0

4.7

1.2

7.0

N/A

6.6

N/A

5.8

7.0

6.0

5.0

4.6

3.5

10.6

4.8

N/A

11.7

12.0

12.2

12.0

10.2

N.W.T.
B.C.
YUKON

N/A

3.6

3.9

N/A

4.8

N/A

8.6

5.5

7.2

7.0

7.2

can.

3.4

4.8

N/A

4.8

N/A

6.0

6.1

5.9

5.6

4.5

TABLE 3

Page 12

TABLE 2
ACTUAL % OF PARTICIPATION IN CJS PROGRAMS
BY DESIGNATED GROUPS
VISIBLE MINORITIES
:

91/92

87/88

Target Actual
1.1
N/A

Target

Actual

Target

Actual

0.5

1.2

1.0

0.8

N/A

3.9

6.0

4.8

5.0

5.3

2.0

N/A

2.3

2.0

2.1

2.0

3.5

N/A

2.2

N/A

3.8

3.0
5.0

1.3
3.4

1.5
3.5

1.5

N/A

1.6
2.8

2.1

Regions:;
NFLD.

0.4

1.1

N/A

1.3

N.S.

4.0

3.8

N/A

3.9

0.7

1.7

N/A

1.6

N/A

Actual

Actual

N.B.
QUE.

3.9

1.5
2.9

ONT.

4.0

6.0

N/A

5.6

N/A

6.9

6.5

7.1

6.5

6.2

MAN.
SASK.

3.8

6.0

N/A

5.1

N/A

6.3

5.0

6.8

5.0

4.7

1.2

7.0

N/A

6.6

N/A

5.8

7.0

6.0

5.0

4.6

ALTA.
N.W.T.
B.C.
YUKON

3.5

10.6

N/A

4.8

N/A

11.7

12.0

12.2

12.0

10.2

3.6

3.9

N/A

4.8

N/A

8.6

5.5

7.2

7.0

7.2

3.4

4.8

N/A

4.8

N/A

6.0

6.1

5.9

5.6

4.5

CAN.