The provincial government's hoping to revamp the way federal workforce development transfers are used. The agreement with the federal government sees about $3 billion come in from the Canadian government, while the province also provides funding to the help connect business with those in need of employment.

Portage la Prairie MLA, and Education and Training Minister Ian Wishart says the goal of this review is to better use those funds, to address new and changing labour markets. With four consultations coming up, he hopes to hear from a wide variety of people, ranging from those in industry or education, to those who may struggle to get back into the workforce, such as those with disabilities or First Nations groups.

"I guess ideally we want people trained for the jobs of the future. The jobs of the future would be filled, but we'll also have industry being able to expand in the future because they'll have the right people for the right jobs."

He says it's hard to guess just what kind of feedback will be heard, but expects to hear from food processing and value added industries, as well as those in the agriculture sector. With many sectors struggling to find skilled workers, especially with the aging population, Wishart hopes better address the needs of the future can improve the economy, as well as the province's employment rate. While consultations have yet to take place, Wishart says one key message will likely be the importance of partnerships between sectors.

"I guess the message is a lot about partnerships and the need for more flexibility in the programs. We've basically been working with the same programs since 1997 and this is our first opportunity to kind of recalculate and have a new approach."

Retraining will also be a focus of the consultations, as the province aims to get older individuals in small communities back into the labour market. Portage's roundtable consultation is set for August 11th at the PCU Centre.