Jim Warnock, Jr.

Seven years ago, in this journal, I spoke about the need for a national strategy for textile training and education in Canada. It was clear then that our industry's ability to compete internationally over the long term would rely in large part on the skills and flexibility of our workforce.

Today, the challenges involved with sustaining a competitive sector are even greater. Increasing pressures due to globalization, including China's entry into the World Trade Organization, the U.S. Trade and Development Act and the federal government's Least Developed Countries initiative, are all of major concern to our industry.

And yet, while the serious implications of these trade policies have combined with the challenges of a retiring workforce and an increased need for skilled workers, we've come a long way in seven years.

Management and labour, suppliers and other sector partners, have been building on their long history of effective collaboration. Based on an industry-wide analysis undertaken in 1996 and again in 2001, technical, management and essential skills training were identified as vital needs.

We could have stopped at studies. We could have continued to argue with provincial governments for increased funding and new educational programs. Instead, we built our own. We didn't build them from the ground up but, instead, initiated partnerships with the best educational institutions in Canada and internationally to create world-class training we needed to meet our goals.

Our collaboration, with each other and the federal government through Human Resources Development Canada, has produced award-winning and internationally-recognized learning resources for the Canadian textile workforce in both official languages. Stakeholder commitment at the highest levels is a testament to both the need for and the effectiveness of the skills development strategy embarked upon by our industry.

Beyond awards or outside recognition, we have made real progress. Companies like my own have participated by sharing time, knowledge and resources to the development of various programs. We are also the beneficiaries, reaping tangible results from our joint efforts with other textile companies and organizations.

But, we have only just started - and the urgency of our continued collaboration has never been more pronounced. Providing high-quality skills development opportunities for our workforce is a necessity for all Canadian textile companies looking to survive the immense challenges of today's market. We must press on.

We are now embarking on another phase of textile education and skills development. It's one that recognizes the difficulty of traditional training methods in an industry challenged by around-the-clock production schedules and geographic dispersion. We are redefining textile education for employees at all levels of our organizations, providing access to training anywhere and at any time of the day or night.

We are developing the most comprehensive and up-to-date training programs on all the major manufacturing processes, from fibre and yarn manufacturing to fabric formation, finishing and even apparel manufacturing. All of these programs will be available later this year. We are also negotiating, as a sector, with the best universities and educational institutions in Canada and around the world to bring our employees personal and performance skills programs - all when they want and at virtually no cost.

And, to tie it all together, we will help companies put in place state-of-the-art onsite learning facilities at textile plants across Canada. As well as the programs on manufacturing processes, technical training, business performance, as well as literacy and basic computer skills will be offered to employees at every level of our organizations right in the textile workplace.

These are exciting developments. And we will continue to find new and innovative ways to meet our training and education goals.

Essentially, my message hasn't changed in seven years - an effective industry strategy for training and education in Canada remains vital to our international competitiveness. No single company or organization could undertake these initiatives on its own. Our success - past, present and future - is based on our ability and willingness to work together as a sector. This approach offers the greatest potential to build and maintain the most qualified textile workforce in the world.

If you would like to learn more, I encourage you to call the Textiles Human Resources Council at 613.230.7217 or visit www.thrc-crhit.org.

Jim Warnock is Chief Operating Officer at Tiger Brand Knitting Company Ltd. and a Director of the Textiles Human Resources Council.