--- canonical_url: "https://csls.ca/ipm-archive/ipm-issue-11/productivity-and-building-human-capital-for-the-bottom-third/" title: "Productivity and Building Human Capital for the ‘Bottom Third’" author: name: "CSLS" url: "https://csls.ca/author/cslc/" date_published: "2026-07-13T06:53:26+00:00" date_modified: "2026-07-13T06:53:26+00:00" post_type: "ipm" summary: "" ipm_issue_period: - "Fall 2005" ipm_keyword: - "adult learning" - "Canada" - "employment insurance" - "equity" - "human capital" - "low-skilled workers" - "productivity" - "services sector" - "training" ipm_research_theme: - "Policy and institutions" ipm_country_focus: - "Canada" featured_image: "https://csls.ca/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/IPM_50_banner.webp" status: "publish" --- # Productivity and Building Human Capital for the ‘Bottom Third’ Canonical URL: https://csls.ca/ipm-archive/ipm-issue-11/productivity-and-building-human-capital-for-the-bottom-third/ # Productivity and Building Human Capital for the ‘Bottom Third’ [Download full PDF article](https://csls.ca/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/IPM-Issue-11-2-Jackson.pdf) Cite this article × Cite this article as: Jackson, Andrew. 2005. “Productivity and Building Human Capital for the ‘Bottom Third’.” International Productivity Monitor, No. 11 (Fall 2005): 7–13. https://www.csls.ca/ipm-archive/ipm-issue-11/productivity-and-building-human-capital-for-the-bottom-third/ ## Author: - Andrew Jackson Canadian Labour Congress ## IPM Issue 11 Fall 2005 pp. 7–13 ## Related IPM articles [The Relationship between Efficiencies Defenses for Mergers and TFP Growth Robin Shaban Fall 2025 | IPM Issue 49 | pp. 82–102](https://csls.ca/ipm-archive/ipm-issue-49/the-relationship-between-efficiencies-defenses-for-mergers-and-tfp-growth/) [Adult Skills and Productivity: New Evidence from PIAAC 2023 Dan Andrews, Balázs Égert, Christine de La Maisonneuve Fall 2025 | IPM Issue 49 | pp. 41–63](https://csls.ca/ipm-archive/ipm-issue-49/adult-skills-and-productivity-new-evidence-from-piaac-2023/) [Appendix: Variable Definitions and Country/Sector Coverage for Regulatory Reform Analysis Gilbert Cette, Jimmy Lopez, Giuseppe Nicoletti, Océane Vernerey Fall 2025 | IPM Issue 49 | pp. 1–18](https://csls.ca/ipm-archive/ipm-issue-49/appendix-variable-definitions-and-country-sector-coverage-for-regulatory-reform-analysis/) [The Potential Impact of Pro-competitive Regulatory Reforms on Productivity and Growth in Canada Gilbert Cette, Jimmy Lopez, Giuseppe Nicoletti, Océane Vernerey Fall 2025 | IPM Issue 49 | pp. 3–40](https://csls.ca/ipm-archive/ipm-issue-49/the-potential-impact-of-pro-competitive-regulatory-reforms-on-productivity-and-growth-in-canada/) [IPM Issue 49 Editors’ Overview Andrew Sharpe, Bart van Ark, Paul Schreyer Fall 2025 | IPM Issue 49 | pp. 1–2](https://csls.ca/ipm-archive/ipm-issue-49/) [Appendix: UK Productivity Growth Rates Across Data Vintages and Studies Josh Martin Spring 2025 | IPM Issue 48 | pp. 65–73](https://csls.ca/ipm-archive/ipm-issue-48/appendix-uk-productivity-growth-rates-across-data-vintages-and-studies/) [Opportunities and Risks of Artificial Intelligence for Productivity Francesco Filippucci, Peter Gal, Katharina Laengle, Matthias Schief, Filiz Unsal Spring 2025 | IPM Issue 48 | pp. 1–26](https://csls.ca/ipm-archive/ipm-issue-48/opportunities-and-risks-of-artificial-intelligence-for-productivity/) [Using Ecosystem Accounting to Integrate the Environment in Measures of Multifactor Productivity Carl Obst Fall 2024 | IPM Issue 47 | pp. 87–108](https://csls.ca/ipm-archive/ipm-issue-47/using-ecosystem-accounting-to-integrate-the-environment-in-measures-of-multifactor-productivity/) [Eroding Natural Capital: An Alternative Explanation for the Secular Decline in Productivity Growth Christina Caron Fall 2024 | IPM Issue 47 | pp. 109–147](https://csls.ca/ipm-archive/ipm-issue-47/eroding-natural-capital-an-alternative-explanation-for-the-secular-decline-in-productivity-growth/) [Climate Change and Productivity — An Exploration Dirk Pilat Fall 2024 | IPM Issue 47 | pp. 54–86](https://csls.ca/ipm-archive/ipm-issue-47/climate-change-and-productivity-an-exploration/) ## Abstract ## Résumé EN FR Copy link Email LinkedIn This article argues that the most effective way to boost productivity while creating a more equitable labour market is to focus on the human capital needs of the bottom third of the workforce — low-paid, low-skilled workers largely employed in consumer services. The author reviews the evidence that raising average literacy and numeracy levels has a stronger productivity impact than raising the proportion of high-skill workers, and proposes a scheme for paid training leave funded through Employment Insurance to address the unmet demand for adult learning. Cet article soutient que la manière la plus efficace d’augmenter la productivité tout en créant un marché du travail plus équitable est de se concentrer sur les besoins en capital humain du tiers inférieur de la main-d’œuvre — des travailleurs peu rémunérés et peu qualifiés employés principalement dans les services à la consommation. L’auteur passe en revue les données probantes selon lesquelles la hausse des niveaux moyens de littératie et de numératie a un impact plus fort sur la productivité que la hausse de la proportion de travailleurs hautement qualifiés, et propose un dispositif de congé de formation rémunéré financé par l’assurance-emploi pour répondre à la demande non satisfaite d’apprentissage des adultes. [Download full PDF](https://csls.ca/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/IPM-Issue-11-2-Jackson.pdf)