EMC Factory Focus Podcast – Episode 7: How Pay-for-Performance (PFP) Training Transforms Manufacturing Workforces

Host Jason Bates and EMC President JP Giroux lead a roundtable with three valued EMC member companies to discuss the impact and sustainability of the Pay-for-Performance (PFP) training model. Hear from Canplas Industries, The Gund Company, and Fluidconcepts as they share how PFP funding motivates training investment, supports continuous learning, and drives productivity on the shop floor. A must-listen for anyone focused on workforce development and closing the manufacturing skills gap.About the PFP Pathway Program:The Pay-for-Performance (PFP) Pathway is a Future Skills Centre–funded initiative testing how incentive-based funding can encourage small and medium-sized enterprises to invest more intentionally in employee training. Working with nearly 80 employers across manufacturing, food processing, the bioeconomy, and environmental sectors, the program requires companies to pay upfront for training and receive up to 70% reimbursement upon completing milestones designed to strengthen long-term training capacity. Early findings show that PFP helps employers maximize their training budgets, adopt more strategic planning, and involve leadership in aligning skill development with business needs. Insights from the program aim to inform future workforce strategies, including potential cost-sharing approaches for emerging skills such as AI literacy, manufacturing skilled trades and green competencies.Special Thanks:Thank you to our partners—Food Processing Skills Canada, BioTalent Canada, ECO Canada, Future Skills Centre, and the Social Research and Demonstration Corporation (SRDC)—for their support and collaboration.For more information on the PFP Pathway Program, please contact [email protected] Brought to you by EMC, Canada's largest manufacturing consortium.