The Newfoundland and Labrador Workforce Innovation Centre issued its call for proposals today, encouraging businesses, community groups and agencies to submit applications for funding which will help foster economic growth throughout the province.
“The Workforce Innovation Centre will fund a variety of initiatives to help create sustainable employment and serve as an incubator for new ideas and projects that will help our province prosper,” said The Honourable Gerry Byrne, Minister of Advanced Education, Skills and Labour. “This far-reaching advancement will have a positive impact on post-secondary education, industry, and the economy in Newfoundland and Labrador.”
The centre, located in College of the North Atlantic’s (CNA) Corner Brook campus, provides a coordinated, central point of access to engage government, career and employment service providers, skills development organizations, and stakeholders in the business and community sectors. Its goal is to help research and test new and innovative workforce development models that make direct links to facilitate labour force participation, attachment, and increased workforce productivity. The centre is supported by a $1.5 million investment from the Canada-Newfoundland and Labrador Labour Market Development Agreement. These funds will be allocated for successful proponents of approved projects following this call for proposals.
“Through this initiative, the college will be responsible for stakeholder engagement and partnership development, something we consider a strength of our institution, particularly in the area of establishing innovative projects for program funding,” said Robin Walters, CNA’s Vice-President of Industry & Community Engagement. “I believe this is where we play an integral role. As an institution, we have a connection to the social and economic fabric of every community that we serve through the provision of academic programs, supports for skills training, and supports for employers. We help to build a foundation that will not only benefit the residents of today, but also of future generations who will lead our province into a sustainable future.”
Projects will be considered under the 2017-18 Call for Proposals if they address one or more of the following: seek ways to ensure that the education and skills of Newfoundland and Labrador’s labour force meet current and future labour market needs; develop innovative means to provide employment and training programs, and to develop the processes and procedures required to enhance the delivery of these programs; design improvements and efficiencies, including functionality of existing programs, operations and services; and, identify and mitigate any barriers to employment that Newfoundlanders and Labradorians may be experiencing. Prioritized sectors include Aquaculture, Agriculture, Fisheries, Natural Resources, Information Technology, and Tourism and Culture.
The centre will provide a number of services supports to individuals, organizations and businesses such as proposal-based funding; online access to research and best practices; training via information sessions, webinars and other capacity-building activities; and by engaging a network of labour market partners to share innovative approaches.
The centre oversees the Newfoundland and Labrador Research and Innovation program administration, monitoring and reporting. The Department of Advanced Education, Skills and Labour annually defines the priorities for eligible projects and communicates these priorities to the centre, which then issues annual calls for proposals based on these priorities.
To learn more about the Workforce Innovation Centre and its services, applicants are asked to visit, www.cna.nl.ca/wic or contact the centre at wic@cna.nl.ca.
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Media Contacts:
Roger Hulan
Manager of Marketing and Communications
College of the North Atlantic
(709) 643-7938
roger.hulan@cna.nl.ca
Ryan Crocker
Media Relations Manager
Department of Advanced Education, Skills and Labour
709-729-1795, 725-9595
RyanCrocker@gov.nl.ca