The skills training initiatives in the new federal budget will focus on the areas where Canada has a competitive edge.
Southwest New Brunswick MP Karen Ludwig points to “super clusters”, or areas of the country where certain industries are ready to grow further, “We’d be wise to look at the skills required to further those industries in those sectors”.
For our area, she points to marine science research as an example of a “super cluster” because we are well-known and well situated for it, locally, and in Canada as a whole.
“Our fisheries and aquaculture, we do well with agriculture, and on tourism side. So there’s a lot of opportunities there. It’s about investing in Canadians and about investing in the middle class.”
Some of the items listed in the budget include; allowing unemployed Canadians to pursue self-funded training while receiving EI benefits, as well as a 50 percent increase in Canada Student Grants available for part-time students.
