The Canadian Steel Trade and Employment Congress (CSTEC) is a joint venture formed in 1985 between Canada's steel producing companies and the United Steelworkers (USW).

CSTEC has been widely recognized for its innovation, its effectiveness and its administrative efficiency. For example, when the federal government introduced its Sector Council Initiative in the early 1990's, CSTEC's work in the steel industry was recognized as a model for future sector councils that were created in other industries. Another example was the recognition of CSTEC by the Conference Board of Canada as the recipient of its Award for Innovation in Human Resource Development. This recognition of CSTEC also extends to other industries and organizations that CSTEC has worked with both in Canada and abroad.

The reason for CSTEC's reputation is that it has always been responsive to the industries and organizations it has worked with. This has always been the case with the steel industry as it has been the case in CSTEC's work with other industries in Canada and globally.

For over 30 years in the Canadian steel industry, CSTEC has worked with the companies, the union, education and training institutions and the federal and provincial governments to develop and to implement a wide range of important services that respond to the needs of the industry and its workforce.

Trade

All employers in the broader steel sector are eligible to apply to CSTEC for funding from this program. To qualify, employers need to meet certain requirements.

In the mid 1980's to the early 1990's, the Canadian steel industry was threatened by unfairly traded steel imports that were being dumped into Canada. CSTEC played an important role in supporting the industry in its efforts to promote fair trade remedy policies.

Worker Adjustment

During the late 1980's and through the 1990's, these trade issues and the rapid growth of technological change resulted in a major restructuring of the steel industry that involved widespread and significant job losses. Working with the companies, the union, education and training institutions and the federal government, CSTEC developed and provided a wide range of innovative and cost effective services to assist the workforce that was affected by this restructuring. CSTEC worked with local adjustment committees to help nearly 17,000 workers find new employment or new careers. CSTEC's success rate was very impressive with close to 90% of the participants finding new jobs in the first six months. A majority found new employment at similar or higher wages.

Workforce Skill Development

Following this very difficult period, the steel industry through CSTEC shifted its focus to developing cost effective training services that will help secure the future viability of the industry. From the late 1990's to the present, CSTEC has worked with local training committees to develop a wide range of training needs assessment tools, prior learning recognition tools, classroom and computer based training courses and training certification programs that have helped the workforce keep their skills up to date.

Workforce Renewal

More recently, CSTEC has worked with the companies, the union, education and training institutions and the federal and provincial governments to deal with the important challenges presented by an aging workforce. Since the early part of this decade, CSTEC has developed and provided important services to help the industry in their workforce recruitment efforts. In addition, CSTEC has developed innovative approaches to apprenticeship to help the industry replace nearly half of its skilled tradespersons that would retire over the next decade.

CSTEC'S Work with Other Industries and Organizations

In addition to the steel industry, CSTEC has been asked by other industries in Canada and by organizations and governments in South America and Europe to provide important consultative and support services in the areas listed above. For example, CSTEC has worked with the forestry and aerospace sectors in Canada. Globally, it has worked in countries like Brazil, Argentina, Chile and the United Kingdom. Through this work, CSTEC has added valuable new expertise that has been reflected in its program and service development.