Canadians Say More Training Vital to Remain Competitive in Job Market

TORONTO--(Marketwire - April 29, 2009) - Even in the face of economic recession, the importance of training and skills development has been highlighted by a recent international workplace survey that shows more than three-quarters of Canadian respondents believe their current skills will be outdated within five years.

The survey, by global workforce solutions leader Kelly Services, finds that more than a third of the respondents believe the training currently provided by their employers will not meet their future career needs.

The Kelly Global Workforce Index obtained the views of nearly 100,000 people in 34 countries including more than 7,000 in Canada.

Kelly Services VP and Managing Director of Canadian Operations, Karin French says that in an increasingly competitive global economy, investing in vital human capital can become a key competitive advantage for employers. "Training may not be at the forefront in the present economic climate, but organizations that devote the resources may be more likely to see higher productivity and profitability in the future," French says.

The survey highlights the significance that employees across the generational age groups place on training and skills development to sustain them in a rapidly changing labour market.

Among the key findings of the survey:

--  Baby boomers (aged 48-65) are most worried about the level of training
    they receive, with 43 percent saying it is not sufficient to upgrade skills
    and advance their career.
--  82 percent of Gen X (aged 30-47) say that within the next five years
    their skills will need to be upgraded to keep pace with changes in the
    workplace.
--  77 percent of Gen Y (aged 18-29) see the provision of training as a
    joint responsibility between the employer and employee.
--  Almost half (47 percent) of all respondents believe their HR
    departments have not helped them to achieve their employment goals.
    

Across generations, more men than women are concerned that employers are not providing adequate training and believe their skills will need to be updated within the next five years to keep pace with industry developments.

Among respondents, more than three-quarters (77 percent) say that training should be a joint responsibility between an employer and employee. The preference among those surveyed is for on-the-job training (40 percent), followed by professional development courses (32 percent), self-initiated learning (19 percent) and formal university or college qualifications (9 percent).

French says the findings reveal the depth of concern across the working population at their ability to meet new workforce challenges with the current training offered to them by their employer.

"The current economic environment has made people very aware of their skills and whether they will be sufficient to survive the recession and beyond, into a period of economic recovery.

"Increased competition for jobs combined with technological change makes it vital that employees are assisted to become even more productive, through the best training possible," French concludes.

About the Kelly Global Workforce Index

The Kelly Global Workforce Index is a survey revealing opinions about work and the workplace from a generational viewpoint. Results of the current findings from across Kelly's global operations in North America, Europe, and the Asia Pacific will be published throughout 2009 in a series of six releases.

About Kelly Services

Kelly Services, Inc. (NASDAQ: KELYA) (NASDAQ: KELYB) is a world leader in workforce management services and human resources solutions, offering temporary staffing services, outsourcing, vendor on-site and full-time placement to clients on a global basis. Kelly provides employment to nearly 650,000 employees annually, with skills including office services, accounting, engineering, information technology, law, science, marketing, creative services, light industrial, education, and health care. Revenue in 2008 was $5.5 billion. Visit www.kellyservices.com

Contact Information: Media Contacts: Kate Samson (416) 646-4249 kate.samson@kellyservices.com Judith Clark (248) 244-4305 judith_clark@kellyservices.com