CEDEC: Recommendations on Labour Market Transfer Agreements

The increasing bilingualism of Quebec’s English-speaking workforce is a fundamental asset to build upon as the ability to speak more than one language has positive economic payoffs.

Data show that the rate of bilingualism among English-speakers rose from 37% in 1971 to 67% in 2001. It continues to rise, especially among young English speakers (15-24 years), where the rate is currently more than 80%.

Over the past fifteen years the proportion of English speakers in Quebec has grown considerably, by about 50% in some regions of the province. At the same time as this growth has been occurring, there have been economic and workforce pressures, which have made finding a job difficult: these include the economic down turn of 2008, employer demands for bilingual applicants, and growing opportunities for English speakers outside Quebec.

In fact, an increasing number of young, well-educated English-speaking Quebecers are leaving the province to pursue employment elsewhere – a trend that is worrisome since many of these individuals possess skills that are needed in the Quebec labour market.

THE STRATEGY: CONNECTING EMPLOYERS TO THE RIGHT TALENT

1. PROMOTE THE BENEFITS OF BILINGUAL EMPLOYEES
   1. ​Demonstrate important impact on Canadian economy
2. SUPPORT EMPLOYERS
   1. Develop a robust analytics capacity, including workforce analysis, forecasting, and modelling
   2. Coordination of workforce integration between job seekers, employers and service providers
3. SUPPORT SERVICE PROVIDERS
   1. Develop a continuum of workforce development services and products that can provide the framework for an integrated network approach to workforce development
4. GENERATE BETTER LABOUR MARKET INFORMATION
   1. Gather data, analyze evidence and focus on consolidating and growing a robust evidence base on Quebec’s English-speaking workforce

Download CEDEC’s submission to the Forum of Labour Market Ministers

Key Recommendations

1. Develop workshops, tools, and training to allow vulnerable groups to become aware of their potential and develop it.
2. Establish awareness workshops to sensitize employers to the benefits of hiring vulnerable groups.
3. Promote labour market opportunities in Quebec to English speakers in a targeted manner.
4. Match English speakers with concrete labour market opportunities.
5. Promote opportunities for entrepreneurship and self-employment.
6. Support the creation of small and medium enterprises through entrepreneurship training initiatives.
7. Strengthen the alignment between forecasted labour market demand in Quebec and forecasted supply from Quebec’s English-speaking labour force (provincially, regionally, locally, by industry and by occupation).
8. Develop a strategic labour force development approach that centralizes analytics, strategy development.
9. Coordinate and decentralize labour market information dissemination and service provision.
10. Develop an electronic Labour Market Forecaster for Bilingual Employment in Quebec and Employment Connector Tables.
11. Foster a more supportive culture for English speakers by lowering language proficiency regulations and sensitizing employers to English-speaking candidates.

About CEDEC

CEDEC (Community Economic Development and Employability Corporation) is a leading partner and driving force for community economic development and employability.

Successful and competitive businesses require talented and skilled workers. To ensure competitiveness in a global economy, CEDEC works with partners to address workforce opportunities and identify the investments in training and skills development to meet the needs of the labour market.

Entrepreneurship presents an important opportunity for citizens to enter the labour market by creating their own jobs. CEDEC invests in promoting entrepreneurial opportunities and skills development related to starting a business and mentoring services to ensure the sustainability of existing enterprises.

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