As part of its ongoing commitment to foster sustainable economic growth and effectively address labour market shortages, the Manitoba government is accepting applications for the next four-year cycle of the Sector Council Program, that supports the development of a skilled, adaptable and productive workforce in key sectors of the economy, Economic Development, Investment and Trade Minister Cliff Cullen announced today.

“Having access to a strong, capable workforce supports the growth and prosperity of Manitoba businesses, allowing them to increase productivity and enhance competitiveness locally, across Canada and in the global market,” said Cullen. “The Sector Council Program supports industry organizations to develop and deliver innovative strategies and training programs that target emerging labour market needs.”

The Manitoba government is inviting industry organizations in the province’s key economic sectors to submit applications. A streamlined process and dedicated webpage has been developed to provide clarity of expectations and parameters of the program.

The minister noted applications will be evaluated using a newly developed logic model that identifies expected activities, outputs and outcomes around five themes designed to:

• enable access to industry-relevant training;
• facilitate alignment of training with industry needs;
• expand the skilled labour pool to ensure a sufficient supply of workers for jobs in the sector;
• develop industry intelligence to inform responsive strategies and investments; and
• align labour and employee skills with business needs through effective human resource management.

The program will support 11 sectors:

• aerospace;
• agriculture;
• bioscience;
• construction;
• creative industries;
• film;
• information, communication and digital technologies;
• natural resources, energy and environment;
• tourism, hospitality and retail/customer services;
• traditional and advanced manufacturing; and
• transportation and distribution.