The Canadian Council of Chief Executives last month issued a challenge to employers nationwide to put more emphasis on training to make sure their workers' skills were up to date. The effort is spearheaded by Elyse Allen, the president and CEO of GE Canada. Allen said that training is a valuable tool for employers to recruit and retain skilled workers, and that employers must do more to ensure workers have the education and skills necessary to hold down decent positions. The council pointed to a recent Conference Board of Canada study that suggested the average Canadian employer only spends about two-thirds as much as U.S. companies on employee education and training. This has caused a rift in the Canadian workforce, particularly with young people looking to make the transition from the classroom to the office. The council hopes its announcement will spark a national discussion on the critical importance of employee skills, and the employer’s responsibilities for developing them.