Good afternoon.
My colleague already said that digital technologies are providing Canadians with new possibilities and are having strong repercussions on many sectors, including the cultural sector. Clearly, digital skills are becoming increasingly important in the labour market.
We are faced with two challenges.
One issue is ensuring that Canadians have the right mix of skills to participate in the ICT sector and other sectors that depend on emerging digital technologies.
The other issue is that we know that more than 40% of Canadian workers have low levels of essential skills, such as literacy, numeracy, and problem solving. These are not just older workers: many lacking essential skills are under 35 years of age. Without these basic skills, it is difficult to upgrade to digital skills, and a workforce lacking digital skills is less adaptable to new technologies.
During the consultations the Government of Canada held on the digital economy, several major themes related to skills development emerged. These themes are the following: support of digital skills development through training, teaching and mentorships; increased recognition of foreign academic qualifications; improved information on the labour market; and support for research and innovation in digital training.
We also know that the Government of Canada cannot act alone in this regard. That means working with provinces and territories, given their responsibility for education. It also means working with industry to ensure those already in the workplace are digitally literate so that they can adapt to the changing economy.
Let me briefly describe some of the steps we are already taking to support digital skills development.
The Office of Literacy and Essential Skills, OLES, is collaborating with partners from across Canada in order to improve literacy and essential skills, including the digital skills of adults.
The department provides support to provinces and territories through labour market agreements and through labour market development agreements. These agreements can be used in part to fund digital skills training.
Finally, the sector council program supports two sector councils that address human resources issues in the digital economy. These are the Information and Communications Technology Council, ICTC, and the Cultural Human Resources Council. These organizations are involved in a number of digital skills projects. Overall, the department is looking forward to constant engagement in the digital economy strategy and the opportunity it presents for increased digital skills for Canadians.