June was a full month at ASPECT.

As part of our CEO transition plan, the team and I accompanied Janet as she presented ASPECT’s recommendations to the Select Standing Committee on Finance and Government Services at the BC Legislature. It was an opportunity to support the presentation, see our
partners in government in person, and continue building advocacy knowledge across the team.

Community-based training and employment service organizations contribute to the future readiness, responsiveness, and adaptability of our province. They bring trusted relationships and local knowledge, often responding quickly when communities experience layoffs, industry transitions, or other economic challenges. Our recommendations were:

Recommendation 1
Provide funding for a workforce development table that brings ministries together with employers, Indigenous partners, municipalities, and community-based workforce organizations to better coordinate workforce planning across government.

Recommendation 2
Recognize community-based employment services as essential workforce infrastructure and as a partner in the continued development of these relationships.

Recommendation 3 
Invest $15 million annually in a Community Workforce Partnership Initiative that supports partnerships between employers, Indigenous economic development organizations, municipalities, training providers, and employment service organizations. This funding would support workforce planning, rapid responses to layoffs and economic disruption, for employer engagement, and workforce transition supports across the province.

These are practical recommendations grounded in what our members see every day. They are intended to reduce silos in workforce development, build on work already underway, and help protect existing  trusted local networks so organizations have the resources to continue contributing early when communities and employers are navigating change.

Being in the room also reinforced the importance of relationships and collaboration. Whether we are speaking about governments, communities, or organizations, this work is ultimately built by people. Progress comes through the relationships we form, the knowledge we share, and our willingness to work together.

Big thank you to Janet for presenting on our behalf and for her continued contributions to ASPECT while we worked through this transition time. 

Jennifer Nichol, Interim CEO
ASPECT BC