Northeast workers lack basic skills says labour report

 
The lack of reading, writing, communication and computer skills is being cited as top priority item in a northeastern Ontario labour market study.
The Labour Market Group's annual Trends, Opportunities and Priorities Report of the North Bay, Parry Sound and Muskoka area said the lack of these basic skills in workers and new hires has jumped to the top of their list in their 2009 document.
The report said the lack of essential skills such as reading, writing, document use, oral communication, thinking and emotional intelligence in workers is being more of an issue.
The group said it will develop a media campaign in the West Nipissing area of their coverage area to emphasize the importance of these workplace skills and provide information to workers on how to access training and adult education programs.
Skill trade shortages persist in the area, especially for specialty contractors, but there are also broader shortages in the health care sector.
A third priority is addressing the aging workforce driven in part of youth outmigration and in-migration of older semi-retired and retired people.
To read the report go online at www.thelabourmarketgroup.ca