Focus on Indigenous initiatives and partnerships
We are committed to an inclusive approach to skills development, which includes ongoing innovation projects and research to better inform and support skills training and economic recovery in First Nations, Métis and Inuit communities across Canada.
Indigenous communities and businesses play an important role in generating wealth and jobs for local communities, and levels of self-employment and entrepreneurship are increasing. A total of 350,000 Indigenous youths will come of age by 2026 (Source: Public Policy Forum), and now is the time to address youth underemployment and the lack of essential skills among Indigenous youth and adults.
Indigenous workers have found themselves in a more vulnerable position economically due to the health and economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. Last year, between February and May 2020, Indigenous workers lost 51,000 jobs, a national loss rate of 14 per cent. While Indigenous men and women were hit equally hard by the initial labour market impact of the pandemic, the employment rate for Indigenous men rebounded strongly through the summer of 2020 and again from March to May 2021. By May, it had changed little compared with February 2020 at 58.4% (Source: Statistics Canada). Despite this recovery, the employment rate for Indigenous men remains lower than that of non-Indigenous men.
Skills training and post-secondary education are two essential pillars needed to support sustainable Indigenous economic development and to help build self-sufficient First Nations, Métis and Inuit communities. In collaboration with Indigenous leaders, organizations and communities across Canada, the Future Skills Centre has been advancing research and innovation projects to identify the skills most needed by Indigenous workers today and tomorrow.
Learn more about our partnerships and initiatives supporting Indigenous workers
Indigenous ICT Development Centre
Exploring approaches to build awareness and capacity in the information and communications technology sector for…
Leadership development for Indigenous communities
Indigenous communities will be empowered through a national Indigenous leadership program with links to industry…
STEM skills and an innovation mindset for youth
This project develops STEM skills and an innovation mindset among youth.
Securing sustainable northern fisheries
This partnership supports small-scale Arctic fisheries by introducing and promoting locally harvested products to Canada’s…
Project Connect: Technology-enabled learning for Métis communities
Project Connect will design and test an online delivery model for a professional project administrator…
Upskill and certify Indigenous child and youth practitioners
Create innovative educational opportunities that reduce barriers to Indigenous peoples’ participation and increase the number…
Discover reports on new approaches to Indigenous skills development
Learning Together: STEM Outreach Programs for Indigenous Students
In Learning Together: STEM Outreach Programs for Indigenous Students, we were interested in free STEM…
Mapping the Landscape: Indigenous Skills Training and Jobs in Canada
Indigenous businesses are growing and — importantly — creating employment for others. Further, self-employment and…
Digital Differences: The impact of automation on the Indigenous economy in Canada
How is technological change, and specifically automation, affecting Indigenous workers in Canada? Digital Differences looks…
Building Inclusive Workplaces
A one-size-fits-all approach to pandemic recovery will not work. Programs tailored to the specific needs…
Linking Skills to Employment in Inuit Nunangat
The economic opportunities currently available in Inuit Nunangat are not balanced. Economic opportunities in the…
Twin Efforts: Opportunities for Collaboration in Indigenous Post-Secondary Education
Indigenous Institutes play an essential role in helping Indigenous peoples—Canada’s fastest-growing population—prepare for the labour…