FPSC launches $7.7M workforce dev. program

Food Processing Skills Canada (FPSC) launches “Achieving Our Workforce Destination: Qualified People, Successful Careers & Competitive Business” program, which has been designed to elevate the Canadian food and beverage manufacturing industry’s workforce development expectations and ambitions with real, practical activities and resources.

FPSC receives an investment of $7.7 million for this project from the Government of Canada’s Sectoral Workplace Solutions Program (SWSP), which helps key sectors of the economy implement solutions to address their current and emerging workforce needs.

“Ensuring a highly competitive Canadian food and beverage manufacturing industry demands skilled individuals and exceptional workplaces. Achieving Our Workforce Destination will deliver on both,” said Jennefer Griffith, executive director, Food Processing Skills Canada. “Thank you to the Government of Canada for investing in an industry that offers exciting career and business opportunities for Canadians and recent immigrants.”

Achieving Our Workforce Destination will enhance the skills and employability of people and improve employers’ capacity to fill positions through better recruitment, onboarding, and retention best practices. The program has several elements.

Rapid Results will establish a new national panel representative of the entire Canadian food and beverage processing industry that will collect real-time data on the key areas relevant today, including recruitment and retention, supply chains, and rising costs. Results will be shared across Canada to provide critical information that will guide labour and employment solutions for the industry.

Skills Training Across Canada will deliver micro-credential training for supervisors to drive new industry leaders and attract the next generation of talent. Comprehensive, online training through a blended learning approach that includes onboarding, goal-driven content, coaching, gamification, and self-directed technical and social emotional learning.

Acahkos emotional intelligence training and coaching will be delivered to senior managers of small to mid-size companies to ensure the industry is at the forefront of management and leadership that values personal growth as much as professional development.

The industry’s first Learning and Recognition Framework will be expanded to provide occupation details, and an accreditation process released to support post-secondary schools, employers and private trainers in aligning skill requirements, competencies and recognition for careers. New and existing FoodCert certifications including quality assurance manager, meat cutting professionals, fish and seafood personnel, and food production supervisor will be made available to employees.

To provide employers with the latest tools an HR digital toolkit will be populated with interactive micro learning, assessment tools and downloadable training packages. A new Speaking Food livestream series will lead important conversations with industry leaders and subject matter experts.

“With this new funding we have a project that will deliver training for up-and-coming leaders and senior management so that we not only raise the performance bar of today’s workforce, but also develop a professional reputation that is attracting young talent for the future,” said Mike Timani, chair, Food Processing Skills Canada.

“The future of Canada’s agriculture and agri-food sectors depends heavily on having a skilled and reliable workforce. Recently, these vital sectors have faced significant challenges in maintaining stability and ensuring social and economic benefits for farmers, their families, and Canadians. The Achieving Our Workforce Destination: Qualified People, Successful Careers & Competitive Business program will contribute to our collaborative commitment to strengthen this vital sector that contributes to Canada’s growth and overall wellbeing,” said Marie-Claude Bibeau, agriculture and agri-food Canada minister.

Achieving Our Workforce Destination project partners are Food Producers of Canada, Food, Health and Consumer Products of Canada, Fisheries Council of Canada, Canadian Meat Council, BC Food and Beverage, Alberta Food Processors Association, Food and Beverage Manitoba, Food and Beverage Ontario, Conseil de la transformation alimentaire du Québec, Comité sectorial de main-d’oeuvre en transformation alimentaire and Food and Beverage Atlantic.