One of our jobs is to make Canadians aware of the opportunities that await them as they enter into a life of learning. The International Adult Literacy Survey , conducted by The Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development in 1997, bluntly told Canada that its future competitiveness hinged on the degree to which we can raise literacy and learning levels in our society, and that one of our most vulnerable areas is the workplace. In 1991 job losses were reported in all sizes of businesses except for small businesses with fewer than 5 employees, in which there was an increase of 45,000 jobs 1.4 million new jobs will be created in Canada by the year 2000 Service sector jobs are growing. Two-thirds of training provided by employers was aimed at sales, professional or managerial staff. Sweden, Germany and Denmark all spend at least twice as much on their training and employment programs.
Literacy education contributes to the development of self knowledge and critical thinking skills.
In turn, this development empowers individuals and communities. It is a continuum of these skills necessary for everyday life in the home, at work, in education and in the community. Reading - Twenty two percent of Canadian adults can use reading materials to carry out simple reading tasks only in familiar contexts with clearly laid out formats. They do not have the skills to cope with unfamiliar and more complex reading materials. Level 1 - People who have difficulty with printed materials and identify themselves as unable to read.