The Conference Board of Canada´s 2005 International Workplace Education and Learning Conference was held Dec. 1, 2005.  The focus of this event was on how training and learning can provide new and developing skills to a changing workforce.

Globalization and Canada´s aging population are two forces that could constrain Canada´s economic growth as a result of rising economies in China and India.  Gilles Rhéaume, VP of Policy, outlined these as key challenges ahead for Canada as it adapts to these issues and responds by developing Canadian workplaces and talent.  50% of the jobs created in Canada last year were cognitive in nature, not physical.

Prem Benimadhu, VP of Organization Performance, spoke about the changing roles of managers in more enlightened organizations.  "Principles," he says, that used to work well in organizations don´t work well in today´s environment.  In decades past the general rule was "Get the strategy right, then put the structure in place and then the system.  Today´s operating dictum is "Get the purpose right, then the process and then the people.

Workers must have a high sense of purpose for an organization to be successful. Prem described a group of floor cleaners in a building who were asked by a consultant about their motivation for their work.  The consultant assumed their work to be boring and fairly meaningless.  To the consultants´ surprise the cleaners answered that they were highly motivated, enjoyed doing a good job and took a lot of pride in their work.  Success for them meant they were not just cleaning the floors.  Instead they were creating the environment for good business to occur.  So they regarded themselves and were regarded by others as important contributors to that company´s success.

"So often," Prem added, "We hire great people, then micromanage them.  If the process of work is wasteful, this leads to meaningless work.  The old view regarded people as labour costs, rather than investments.  By regarding people as an investment, there is a much greater focus on learning, training and growing them.

He also recommended some changes to the recruitment process.  "A company might pay $20,000 to recruit a good staff person.  Once the offer is accepted the first thing the recruit sees is a legal letter, basically stating he/she is on probation for 6 months and if the company doesn´t like you, you will be history.  Instead he says "You should send them a wedding card and say you look forward to a long and rewarding relationship."

And he says "Forget 360 ° feedback and exit interviews.  You don´t need them if you honour the promise you make to your employees."

He added that many employees are working too hard due to a lack of focus in their organization.  Resolving this requires a focus on providing meaningful work, getting rid of waste and stretching the purpose of the organization. 

UK Professor Martyn Sloman defined a key shift from training to learning that is taking place in today´s workplace.  Training has been traditionally defined as an instructor-led, content-based intervention that leads to desired changes in behavior.

Learning goes further and is defined as a self-directed work-based process leading to increased adaptive capacity.   He does not say there´s no place for the standard training course because it still is a powerful way for individuals to learn, but there are other ways.  The highest form of learning in the knowledge economy is learning from each other, the sharing of experience in different communities.  We help  people learn by supporting, accelerating and directing learning interventions that meet organizational needs and are appropriate.

Keynote Speaker, the Honourable Chris Bentley, Ontario´s Minister for Training, Colleges and Universities stated that 80% of future jobs will require post-secondary education and skills. By developing these higher skills we will ensure that that workplaces will find the talent they need to be competitive.  He announced two milestone agreements with the federal government in Labour Market Development and Partnership that will generate a combined total of $841 million over 5 years to retrain and re-skill unemployed workers.  They have also invigorated a commitment to keep students in school until the age of 18, rather than 16, which generates a much more successful employment and economic future for these students. 

Arupa Tesolin is a Speaker, Seminar Leader and widely published international writer on Management, Training, Innovation and Building Intuitive Organizations.  Her company Intuita provides live learning events, e-learning courses and a Retail Training Store for management, workforce, career and personal development. Visit www.intuita.com for details.