Developed through a careful examination of what PIAAC data have to offer, what past research reveals and leaves unclear about adult skills, and what stakeholders in the skills community believe is important, the Research Agenda offers a plan to seize the opportunity presented by the second cycle of PIAAC to improve Canada’s skills landscape.

The second cycle of PIAAC data has limitations that analysts and others will need to navigate as they ask and try to answer key questions about adult Canadians’ skills. What are those limitations and how might they affect the kinds of questions we can ask and the answers we uncover?  

Youth unemployment recently reached a nine-year record high. In May, one in five returning students aged 15 to 24 were unemployed.

Low rates of training investment are most frequent among small and medium size enterprises (SMEs), which comprise the vast majority of private sector employers in this country. To address this challenge, the Future Skills Centre partnered with EMC and the Social Research and Demonstration Corporation to test a pay-for-performance model of skills training and find out whether employers could be persuaded to support delivery of training if they were partially reimbursed.

Immigrants to Canada face chronic underemployment, while at the same time employers here are crying out for skilled workers. Part of the problem is that employers find it difficult to identify and assess the skills immigrants bring to the table and how their experience could be best applied in Canada’s labour market. Newcomers need help articulating their skills and filling in any gaps in their experience that might be helpful in landing and keeping a job in their field.

Canada’s public service does not have a centralized training and skills development strategy at a time when the economy is in great flux and many workers need retraining and upskilling to keep up with new technologies.

In addition to concerns about literacy levels, the most recent PIAAC data confirms a long-standing problem with unequal distribution of skills across the population – and thus concerns about their contribution to economic, social and health inequities.

As we look toward building a more inclusive and innovative future, it's essential to reflect on how we support Black youth pursuing science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM).

The Diversity Institute, Magnet and Future Skills Centre partnered with the Ontario Chamber of Commerce to develop and evaluate a national learning management system, Skills Bridge, to provide SMEs with customized training resources that are effective, affordable, and able to build a diverse workforce.