Regional Workforce Development Committees
Workforce Development is a people-first approach with a focus on employment initiatives that address the creation and retention of a viable workforce through skills training, collaboration and matching of employers and employees with the objective of economic prosperity for individuals, businesses and communities.
Source: What is Workforce Development?
From 2021-2023, the NL Workforce Innovation Centre (NLWIC) designed, established, and operated ten Regional Workforce Development Committees (RWDCs) as planning platforms for localized labour market activities and initiatives in consultation with the provincial Department of Immigration, Population Growth and Skills (IPGS), now renamed the Department of Jobs, Immigration and Growth (JIG). These Committees were established to develop tailored action plans to address workforce development needs specific to regions across the province. This included a focus on three activities: (1) development and dissemination of labour market information; (2) identification of priority focus areas for training and skills development; and (3) collaborative use of labour market programs and services, including immigration-related supports.
The concurrent Future Skills Centre-funded research project titled Testing and Evaluating the Impact of a New Workforce Development Model in Newfoundland and Labrador: Future-Proofing Our Skills Development Ecosystem tested and evaluated the design, setup, and Action Planning of the Regional Workforce Development Committees as a new model of regional workforce development in Newfoundland and Labrador. The model’s Final Evaluation Report is being reviewed for next steps while the deliverables, including a digital, searchable NL Workforce Innovation Ecosystem Map – www.WorkSupportNL.ca – will be publicly launched this Fall 2025. Further details to follow. The other key deliverable, ten sets of NL Labour Market Information (LMI) Infographics based on Statistics Canada 2021 is available on our website and additional LMI plans are in the works. Stay tuned.
Background
In November 2019, the provincial government mandated four new core activities for the NLWIC, including to develop regionally tailored workforce development action plans.
Research Collaboration
NLWIC, in collaboration with the Department of Immigration, Population Growth and Skills (IPGS), now renamed the Department of Jobs, Immigration and Growth (JIG), entered into a research project in collaboration with JIG, with funding by the Future Skills Centre (FSC) for a concurrent evaluation to research, test and evaluate the impact of Regional Workforce Development Committees (RWDCs) in Newfoundland and Labrador as a real-time case study of regional workforce development collaborations and other outcomes including action plans.
NL LMI Infographics Sets
NLWIC compiled Labour Market Information (LMI) for each region of the province and created ten regional LMI Infographic sets.
Contact
Susanne Dawe
Stakeholder Engagement Coordinator, NLWIC
t: 709 637 8597
susanne.dawe@nlwic.ca
