Effects of new information technology, innovation and competition on on-the-job training in Canada

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Résumé (français)

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Résumé (anglais)

Economic growth and prosperity as well as inclusion and equality can be achieved by providing opportunities for workers to learn and develop their skills and abilities. Much less is known about on-the-job training that takes place at the workplace level, and the types of workplaces that provide on-the-job training to their employees. Further examination of the workplace factors as determinants of on-the-job training is essential to develop sound and effective policies to provide training in an equitable manner. The purpose of this study is to examine the effects of implementing new information technology, innovation, and competition experienced by the workplace as determinants of on-the-job training. The study uses a Canada-wide survey of employers and employees (the 1999 Workplace and Employee Survey of Statistics Canada). Results show that implementing new information technology, the introduction of innovation, and the competition level of the workplace positively affect the incidence of on-the-job training. After controlling for a range of other variables, multivariate results show that the interaction of these variables affect the incidence of on-the-job training. When a workplace has not implemented new information technology, is not an innovator, and is not experiencing competition, it is significantly less likely to provide on-the-job training. The results are important because this underinvestment can have negative implications for those workplaces and, especially, their affected workers.