Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) Field Visit

The NL Workforce Innovation Centre (NLWIC) at College of the North Atlantic (CNA) is one of two workforce innovation organizations in Canada selected to participate in an international research study conducted by the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD).

The study, entitled “Promoting Skills Use in Canadian Workplaces,” saw Katharine Mullock, OECD Field Visit Lead Researcher from Paris, France, engage in a series of bi-lateral meetings, a site visit to the Genesis Centre (one of 20 research projects funded to date by NLWIC), two labour market partners focus group sessions, and NLWIC’s first NL Workforce Innovators Roundtable in St. John’s from November 4-6.

With support from Employment and Social Development Canada (ESDC), the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) team based out of Paris will assess the potential for existing workforce development bodies to promote learning and better skills use within firms in Canada. There is significant evidence that the way work is organised and employees are managed are important in turning workplaces into learning organisations. Such practices are often called “high-performance work practices” (HPWP) and include aspects of work organisation (e.g. team work, job rotation, mentoring, task discretion, autonomy) and management practices (e.g. employee participation, incentive pay, training practices and flexibility in working hours). A handful of countries have implemented programmes to promote effective workplace practices. These programmes are generally focused on raising awareness, supporting implementation projects within firms through funding and consulting support, and disseminating good practice. This project will assess the potential of Canada’s workforce innovation centres to take up the role of stimulating, developing and promoting good practice in this important area, in partnership with government, education and training institutions, stakeholders and other actors in skills development.

 

Links of Interest

OECD Priorities for Adult Learning Dashboard

http://www.oecd.org/employment/skills-and-work/adult-learning/dashboard.htm

OECD Report on Future-Ready Adult Learning Systems

http://www.oecd.org/fr/publications/getting-skills-right-future-ready-adult-learning-systems-9789264311756-en.htm

OECD Skills for Jobs database – cross-country database of skills shortages and surpluses

https://www.oecdskillsforjobsdatabase.org/#FR/_

Documents

OECD Presentation by Katharine Mullock (PDF)

VOCM Interview

The VOCM interview marked the last of three days of Katharine’s visit with us and the end of her Canadian field trip here as part of her international research study involving NLWIC and the Ontario workforce development organization in Canada.  Between November 4-6, we convened four NL bi-lateral meetings, two focus groups and the first NL Workforce Innovators Roundtable involving updates from our 20 research proponents.  From a number of measures, her visit was a success and important for NLWIC, CNA and the province.