SSSTEP Report Now Public: A Key Resource for the Sector

Dear Members,

We’re excited to share that the Social Services Sector Training and Education Plan (SSSTEP) report, developed in partnership between the Federation and the BC Association of Aboriginal Friendship Centres, is now publicly available. The report was originally funded through the Canada-British Columbia Labour Market Development Agreement’s Sector Labour Market Partnerships Program (SLMP) administered by the BC Ministry of Post Secondary Education and Future Skills (PSFS).

This report builds on previous labour market research led by the Federation and brings together expert recommendations from across the social services sector, post-secondary institutions, and unions to help address the ongoing recruitment and retention challenges in the sector. While securing funding for these initiatives remains challenging, SSSTEP provides a roadmap for action and advocacy — helping to make a case for a more coordinated, well-resourced workforce development strategy.

We want to acknowledge the contributions of our advisory committee and the researchers, Kelly Cubbon and Lucia Lorenzi, whose work was essential in bringing this project to completion.

You can access the full report here: SSSTEP Report – March 2025

We encourage you to review the report and consider how these recommendations might support your work. If you have any questions or would like to discuss ways to advance these recommendations collectively, please don’t hesitate to reach out.

Thank you for your dedication to strengthening BC’s social services sector.