ABSTRACT
Numerous studies have found that employers experience difficulties in recruiting employees with the appropriate skills and aptitudes necessary for working in a knowledge society. This chapter identifies what role a modern state should play in supporting skill development in a post-industrial economy and analyses the degree to which such conditions are present in Canada. It provides a detailed discussion of the specific characteristics of Canadian society, including a brief outline of the country's economy and its changing relationship with the USA. The chapter discusses the country's education and training system. It analyzes the process of economic restructuring in Canada, including an examination of how the North American Free Trade Agreements are affecting developments in Canada, the shifting structure of the economy and their impact on changing employment patterns. The chapter describes the degree to which present education and training policies, as well as recent reforms, are meeting the skill needs of a post-industrial economy.
