Local economic strategies for ageing labour markets Workshop - 31st March 2015 - OECD (Paris)

1. Targeted Initiative for Older Workers
(TIOW): Best Practices in Local
Employment & Skills Strategies
Laurie Goldmann
OECD LEED Expert Roundtable on Local Economic
Strategies for Ageing Labour Markets
Paris, France
March 31, 2015

2. 2
Canada at a Glance
The Country
o Approx. 35,675,834 citizens
o Over 20% born outside Canada
o 2 official languages: English and
French
Labour market
o Unemployment rate is 6.8% in
2015
o Variation in unemployment rate
across the country (3.7% - 11.8%)
Employment programs must
respond to varied circumstances
o Federal, provincial/territorial and
municipal governments all play a
role

3. 3
Labour Market Participation of Older Workers
will be increasingly Important
 Retirements will put significant pressure on
economy and may exacerbate skills shortages in
many sectors
 Older Canadians are particularly valuable given the
knowledge and experience they bring to the
workforce
 Older workers represent a critical source of future
labour supply and will be important to Canada’s
economic growth and future prosperity in the years
ahead

4. 4
1982 1984 1987 1997 1999 2006
1972
• Period of relatively high unemployment
• Baby boomers = ample labour force
• Early retirement programs had social objective
• Looming demographic ‘bomb’  older workers
increasingly important to labour market
• On average, displaced older workers staying
unemployed longer than younger counterparts
• Increasing adjustment pressures on traditional
sectors
Passive income support Active employment measure
The GoC has a Long History of Supporting Older Workers
Labour Adjustment
Benefit Program
Industry & Labour
Adjustment
Program
Program for Older
Worker Adjustment
(POWA)
Older Workers
Pilot Projects
Initiative (OWPPI)
Targeted Initiative
for Older Workers
(TIOW)
• Budget 2014 extended TIOW for an additional 3 years until March 31, 2017 with an overall investment
of $75M ($25M per year in 2014-15, 2015-16, and 2016-17).

5. 5
Current TIOW Builds on Past Programming
Drawing on Lessons Learned
 TIOW is a Federal-Provincial/Territorial (F-P/T) cost-shared initiative designed to assist
unemployed older workers reintegrate into the workforce and/or improve their employability.
• Unemployed workers normally aged 55 to 64 in eligible communities
• Those age 50-54 or over 64 may also participate, but not at the exclusion of
the main targeted age group
Eligible
Participants
• Small, vulnerable communities (cities/towns of less than 250,000 people
experiencing: 1) high unemployment; 2) affected by significant downsizing or
closure(s); 3) experiencing unfulfilled employer demand; and/or 4) skills
mismatches
Eligible
Communities
• Employment assistance activities (e.g. résumé, interview techniques) plus
• At least two other employability improvement activities (e.g. participant
assessment, peer mentoring, basic skills upgrading, work experience)
• Must include a component that is group-based whereby activities take place
in a classroom setting (minimum 25 hours/week)
Project
Activities
• The Government of Canada funds up to 70%, while each P/T funds a
minimum of 30% of total program costs
• When P/T legislation allows, participants are offered income support (e.g.
allowances, wages, wage subsidy to employer)
Funding

6. 6
Program Has Been Well Received
by Communities and Employers
 Evidence shows that program supports local community adjustment
Projects are integral to local economic development strategies
– Older worker training often tailored to emerging sector needs
– Most projects were successful in matching participants with local
employers
– Flexibility of program a key element of success
 Most employers indicate that they would participate in TIOW again
– Majority of employers retained participants for whom they provided work
experience – at least for a period of time following the project
– Wage subsidy was identified as a key incentive for employers to
participate
– Employers appreciated ability to fill gaps with experienced workers
 Recognized as international best practice
– Featured in G20 and OECD best practice publications/materials.

7. 7
Program Has Served Thousands of Older
Workers Across Canada
715 Clients
Served
790 Clients
Served
1184 Clients
Served
1149 Clients
Served
11,069 Clients
Served12,287 Clients
Served
746 Clients
Served
824 Clients
Served
1745 Clients
Served
4333 Clients
Served
117 Clients
Served
303 Clients
Served
18 Clients
Served
TIOW Stats at a Glance
As of March 17, 2015:
• Total Participants: 35,280
• Number of Projects: 801
(434 New + 367 Extensions)

8. 8
TIOW in Action – Best Practices in Local
Employment and Skills Strategies

9. 9
TIOW Best Practices Compendium
 Since TIOW was announced, P/Ts have adopted a variety of innovative and
successful models for TIOW-based programming within their communities. The
program ensures that there are multiple ways to share best practices:
• F-P/T Best Practices workshops are held yearly to discuss lessons learned,
share successes, and provide suggestions for improvement
• Best Practices Compendium(s) are prepared with input from all P/Ts to
showcase innovative and unique projects/processes. It is a compilation of
best practices that can be shared widely so that the model can be replicated
within other jurisdictions
• Within the Compendium, examples of best practices have been categorized
into the following broad themes
o Theme 1: Innovative Project Design and Administration
o Theme 2: Working with Employers
o Theme 3: Building on Local Strengths

10. 10
Theme 1: Innovative Project Design and Administration
Concept:
 Projects and/or practices included under this category incorporated
innovative or unique design component(s) into TIOW programming in
order to address a specific challenge or consideration.
 Projects that incorporated innovative or unique design components,
included:
o Usage of Social Media platforms (PEI);
o Rigorous client selection process (BC);
o Collaboration among training providers (ON);
o Variable project duration according to
client needs (NB);
o Partnerships with Aboriginal Groups (SK).

11. 11
Example of Best Practice – Saskatchewan
La Ronge, Saskatchewan
Unemployment 8.2%
Population 2,700
Project Information
Project Name “Put Your Wisdom to Work”
Sponsor Saskatchewan Seniors
Mechanism
Duration 12 Weeks
Participants 15 Older Workers
Project Activities Computer skills, Job shadowing,
Resume/Cover letter writing,
Work placement
Best Practice Targeting first nations
participants and leveraging
partnerships. E.g. Band provided
transportation assistance and
computers to participants

12. 12
Theme 2: Working with Employers
Concept:
 Projects and/or practices included under this
category involved facilitating linkages with local
employers and reinforcing the benefits and
advantages of hiring older workers as part of a
comprehensive, adaptable, responsible human
resource (HR) strategy.
 Projects that connected with local employers, included:
o Ensuring potential employers and TIOW
participants were appropriately matched (MB);
o Improving awareness among local employers
of the valuable role older workers (NS & AB);
o Project sponsors tapping into roots of
community to engage employers (YK);
o Tailoring training to meet unique employer
needs (QC).

13. 13
Example of Best Practice - Quebec
Antoine-Labelle Regional Municipality
Laurentians Region, Quebec
Unemployment 12.9%
Population 35,000
Project Information
Project Name Projet O’Bouleau
Sponsor Zone Emploi
Duration 17 weeks
Participants 40 Older Workers
Project
Activities
Woodworking, Work Placement,
Computer Skills, Job Search,
Coaching
Best Practice Enabled older workers from the
forestry sector to exploit their
skills as they gained new skills
needed to get jobs in the
emerging wood-products
industry.

14. 14
Theme 3: Building on Local Strengths
Concept:
 Projects and/or practices included under
this category have built on local strengths to
develop new employment opportunities in
the area - or to seize existing, yet not fully
exploited job opportunities.
 Projects that built on local strengths,
included:
o Transforming or re-orienting a
traditional cultural role into an
employable one (NU);
o Re-establishing local industries (NWT);
o Leveraging the distinct cultural history
of an area into a successful venture
(NL).

15. 15
Example of Best Practice – Northwest
Territories
Ulukhaktok, Northwest Territories
Unemployment 20%
Population 460
Project Information
Project Name “Ulukhaktok Handicraft
Program”
Sponsor Inuvialuit Corporate Group
Duration 12 Weeks
Participants 5 Older Workers
Project
Activities
Handicrafts, Computer skills,
Photography, Marketing,
Promotion/sales
Best Practice Tapping into self-employment
for older workers, while
revitalizing a formerly
prominent local arts and crafts
industry.

16. 16
Example of Best Practice - Newfoundland
Trepassey, Newfoundland
Unemployment 49%
Population 600
Project Information
Project Name “Creating Sustainable Communities
through Culture and Heritage”
Sponsor The Southern Avalon Development
Association
Duration 22 Weeks
Participants 5 Older Workers
Project
Activities
Hospitality, Theatre arts, Customer
Service, Job search techniques,
Computer skills
Best Practice Tapping into Trepassey’s local
heritage in order to strengthen its
role in regional tourism by creating a
dinner theatre.

17. 17
Concluding Thoughts
 Jurisdictions face unique opportunities
and challenges in assisting unemployed
older workers;
 TIOW programming has been leveraged
in innovative and concrete ways to help
unemployed older workers prepare for
and return to the labour market;
 Cooperation and collaboration between GoC and all P/Ts has
been key to the success of TIOW in reaching thousands of
unemployed older workers across Canada, from the vibrant
centres of southern Ontario to the remote communities of the
high Arctic.
 For TIOW, sharing of best practices/lessons learned is an
ongoing hallmark of this F-P/T partnership, and a model for
other labour market programs.

18. 18
Contact Information
Laurie Goldmann
Director,
Employment Programs and Partnerships Directorate,
Skills and Employment Branch,
Employment and Social Development Canada
Email: laurie.goldmann@hrsdc-rhdcc.gc.ca
Phone: 819-654-3313
Thank you.