Join business and community leaders in a dialogue on the importance of business and literacy with experts who understand the value a literate employee brings to the work place. What government advocacy or projects need to be put in place to improve literacy and other essential skills?

According to DECODA's A BC Workforce Literacy and Essential Skills Plan, 2014,

• Over 150,000 British Columbians between 25 and 54 have not graduated from high-school
• Approximately 600,000 do not have minimum literacy skills (over one quarter of those currently employed)
• There is an anticipated 1.1 million new job openings by 2020, but only 600,000 young people in the education system

Essential skills necessary for successful employement include:

Reading
Document Use
Oral Communication
Numeracy
Writing
Working with Others
Thinking
Computer Use
Continuous Learning

Literacy, the ability to read with competence and confidence, is a key essential skill required to secure employement in today's growing knowledge-based labour market.

SPEAKERS
1. Surinder Bhogal, Deputy Cheif Librarian for Surrey Libraries
2. Leona Gadsby, Lead Director, Programs & Services, DECODA
Plus business leaders.

SPONSORS
Vancity, Worksafe BC