Ontario is experiencing a constricted labour market which means that there are more jobs available than people to fill them. As a result, employers are hiring individuals who have less than the desired level of skill and so are interested in potentially working with adult literacy agencies to address skills gaps. Also, the nature of skills needed to perform effectively in the workplace have changed and continue to evolve. Continuous learning is becoming an expectation of, and an asset for, employees and job seekers alike. As a result, adult literacy agencies are increasingly being drawn into the world of providing workplace literacy. This reality represents a change for many adult literacy agencies that, historically, have welcomed all individuals who came to them to seek service. Workplace literacy though often means that adult literacy agencies seek out partnerships with employers who see upgrading needs among their employees. Marketing to employers is very different than marketing to employment and social service agencies. We will explore some of these differences in this module. |