FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Ottawa, ON -- April 8, 2002 - For the second time in two years, a Textiles Human Resources Council (THRC) initiative has received a national award from the Conference Board of Canada. The THRC is pleased to announce that Textile Manufacturing Basics has been selected from among 20 entries and awarded the Conference Board of Canada's 2002 National Awards for Learning Technologies in the Workplace. The award is presented to Canadian businesses effectively using innovative, technology-enhanced learning in the workplace to raise employee skill levels or maintain the employability of workers.

Textile Manufacturing Basics was created as a result of a partnership of the Textiles Human Resources Council, Hafner Inc. of Granby, QC, and Human Resources Development Canada. Validated by over 30 Canadian textile manufacturing companies, unions, and educational institutions, it is organized into modules covering over 90% of the processes found in textile manufacturing. These include the manufacturing of yarn, weaving, knitting, quality control and dyeing and finishing.

Textile Manufacturing Basics is now used throughout Canada by textile firms, industry suppliers, downstream users of textiles, as well as retailers and educational institutions. It has also been sold in 26 countries in North and South America, Europe and Asia Pacific. The revenue generated will go toward the development of other e-Learning products for the textile industry.

Available in both official languages, this one-of-a-kind, multi-media, computer-based training product uses the latest in learning technologies to provide access to basic textile skills development and training to all levels of employees in the workplace. Based on Hafner's existing classroom-based curriculum, Textile Manufacturing Basics consists of a CD-ROM and 200-page guide. It is an important first step toward a standardized training regime that is flexible, learner-paced, modularized and highly visual.

Congratulations to Hafner and the companies, unions and institutions involved in the creation of Textile Manufacturing Basics. The award will be showcased at the Partners 2002 - Linking Education and Innovation Symposium and Showcase, to be held May 5-7, 2002, in Calgary, Alberta.

The Textiles Human Resources Council (www.thrc-crhit.org) is an industry-led nonprofit organization dedicated to innovative training and education solutions for the Canadian textile industry.