Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Good afternoon to all committee members and fellow witnesses.
I'm pleased to be here today to participate in your study on veterans' employment following their service and to share some of the ways that regulated career colleges are already answering the call and helping veterans find meaningful work in their post-service careers.
Before we begin, I'd like to take a moment to say thank you to all those currently serving in the Canadian Armed Forces for the sacrifices you make, for the challenges you overcome and for putting your country first. Thank you to our veterans for standing your watch and answering the call.
Every day, employers, business associations and trade groups are calling me and my association, looking for well-trained, skilled workers who can show leadership, integrity, teamwork, problem-solving and accountability. That sounds to me like the men and women who serve in Canada's military.
More can and should be done to help service members understand the broad range of opportunities available to them before they are discharged, and more can be done for their families. We stand ready to support that effort.
As major trainers of mature workers, each year NACC's 450 regulated career colleges train more than 150,000 learners who go on to ease the critical labour gaps across the country after graduation. Our direct training-to-employment pipeline provides learners and their families with opportunities for advancement while responding to our country's diverse labour force and economic needs. Regulated career colleges work closely with employers to ensure that we are training for the skills currently required, which is important to consider for mature students who want to contribute immediately.
From coast to coast, regulated career colleges are currently working with active service members, veterans and their families, and I'd like to take a moment to inform you of a few of those examples.
Willis College, right here in Ottawa, is working closely with Veterans Affairs and DND to train active and transitioning service members for a number of exciting careers, including as cyber-defence and security analysts, cyber operators and business administrators.
Last year, Willis College also announced the creation of a new $2-million Learning Together veteran and family scholarship to provide full tuition scholarships to family members of veterans also taking one of their programs. I know Mr. Samson attended that announcement, and I want to thank you for your participation and support, sir.
CBBC Career College in Nova Scotia has also established a military and veterans partnership team to create a veteran-friendly centre and learning environment that provides the flexibility for military veteran students to flourish.
We recognize at NACC that there are many transition services currently available for Canadian Armed Forces members. We see an opportunity for the National Association of Career Colleges and our provincial affiliates to be more integrated in the program. More can be done together to educate veterans on the benefits of our training options.
Regulated career colleges offer thousands of flexible training programs that allow our learners to step out of the military service directly into the classroom and go on to the job site. Back-to-school day at a career college is every day of the week. Courses start every week of the year. Students graduate every week of the year. If you were discharged on a Friday, you can start training for a new career on a Monday morning.
In a similar vein, since regulated career colleges are in communities across the country, not just in large urban areas, you don't have to be in Toronto, Ottawa, or Calgary. You can be in Trinity, Melville, or Rimouski.
We get people trained faster. We train them closer to their homes and families. We train them where the demand for workers exists and in the communities you represent.
I would strongly recommend that the government convene an ongoing veterans skills and training table that includes a wide range of partners, including regulated career colleges and employers, to keep everyone working and focused on this issue. Establishing a regular and ongoing working table is one way to ensure continued collaboration and keep us all focused on what matters most, which is getting more veterans into more jobs through the best training possible.
To be bold, we recommend that the government and NACC build a program for spouses and children of active military and veterans. When soldiers serve, their families serve as well. The nomadic life of a military family makes maintaining a career for family members difficult.
This committee can recommend in its report bringing employers, governments and regulated career colleges together to support military families in getting trained for roles and skills needed by employers. As a leader in industry-driven skills training, we welcome the opportunity to work with all levels of government to continue providing job training programs tailored to the unique experiences and needs of veterans.
Thank you, and I welcome the opportunity to discuss these solutions with you in more detail.