"Just what IS a Training and Adjustment Board?

What does a Local Training and Adjustment Board DO?"

The idea of having Local Training and Adjustment Boards (LTAB) make local decisions about local training needs started in 1993. The concept is not new.

Northerners have consistently stated that any decisions or programs impacting on northern communities should be made by people in the north. For issues related to training or adjustment, the Sudbury & Manitoulin Training and Adjustment Board (SMTAB) does just that.

SMTAB is comprised of volunteers from communities within the districts of Sudbury and Manitoulin. The Directors represent a number of constituencies;currently, Business (8), Labour (8), Educators/Trainers (3), Francophones (1), Persons With Disabilities (1), and Women (1).

Each of these constituencies forms a reference group of people who have knowledge about labour market issues.These labour market advisory or steering committees feed information to the Director and, the Director regularly refers back to the Reference Group for input on training and adjustment issues affecting that particular constituency.

Local training Boards DO NOT fund training programs. They DO NOT provide training.

They DO identify the training that is already occurring in both the public and private sectors. Then, they look at the needs that have been identified through public meetings, focus groups, surveys and other data sources. Information from people of the community is extremely important.

The information-gathering process is done on an ongoing basis in order to note trends or changes in the labour market. When the data is collected and analyzed (with continuous community input and validation), local boards then have to identify gaps in training. Together with the community labour market groups, issues are identified. priorities are set.

Another function of SMTAB is to identify trends and growth areas in the employment market. If the Board knows or discerns that a specific skill is going to be required in the future, it makes sense to start these training programs now, or within the next year. That way, young people have employment in their home area and the migration we too often experience, can be reduced.

All of this work does not sit on a shelf, never to see the light of day. Recommendations are formally presented as priorities to the Ministry of Training, Colleges and Universities (MTCU) and Human Resources Development Canada (HRDC). It is expected that funding decisions regarding training will reflect the priorities set by the community.

On the Adjustment side, the SMTAB also identifies sectors where downsizing or restructuring is occurring, or about to occur. The Adjustment Advisory Program under MTCU is specifically set up to assist employers, employees, and communities when such change is inevitable. Adjustment also involves upsizing. If there are projects where potential employment may be the result, the Adjustment Advisory representative can assist in all the stages to determine the feasibility of the plan. Good planning, with all of us working together, can mean economic success for our communities.

Community participation and input is absolutely essential for SMTAB to be a success. While each Director represents a viewpoint of the community, each also relies on getting information from people who live and work in their sector. Or, people can call the office on Elm and provide labour market information to help SMTAB do its job.