There are 14 million Canadians currently in the labour force. The largest group of these was born between 1947 and 1966. These workers, numbering approximately 9.8 million, have another 14 to 33 years of work ahead of them. These are the people who need to upgrade their skills to stay competitive and remain employable. Credit transfers and prior learning assessment are an effective and productive way of providing opportunity for these workers to upgrade their skills and knowledge base.
Industry also recognizes the many benefits which educational partnerships offer.
Transferability and mobility initiatives are not limited to the establishment of academic equivalencies between educational institutions. Such initiatives must expand to encompass the recognition of learning grained in the workplace and through international credentials. While industry recognizes the many advantages of college based training, colleges must recognize that industry operates in a cost-competitive environment. As more and more private colleges explore articulation and partnership agreements with industry, it becomes increasingly important to have a pan-Canadian protocol that is inclusive and transparent for all community colleges to keep them competitive and responsive to the labour market. Shorter program lengths and flexible delivery methods are attracting a growing number of adult learners.