Technical Note

The current version of the list was compiled from a variety of sources including a ProQuest search of 34 databases to identify peer‐reviewed materials published in the past 5 years and non‐peer‐reviewed materials published in the past 12 months using standardized search terms.¹

A Google Scholar search identified highly cited (more than 100 citations) academic research publications as well as the “grey” literature – non‐peer‐reviewed materials published by think tanks, consulting firms, and other non‐academic research‐conducting organizations. The list of references also includes and extends the literature reviews and bibliographies produced by the Labour Market Information Council, the International Labour Organization, and the University of Toronto, Munk School, Future Skills Canada. 

The research team reviewed the list and excluded references that were considered extraneous or that were related but in areas warranting further targeted research for example research on specific technology trends and adoption, on migration patterns, in-depth analyses of specific industries or occupations, analyses of needs or experiences of specific populations (women, immigrants, racialized minority, indigenous, persons with disabilities, LGBTQ2+), innovative approaches – pedagogy, curriculum and tools, case studies etc. – all topics that will be addressed in subsequent work.

Individual organization website searches for future skills and future work using each website’s native search function were completed at all websites listed in the McGill Canadian Think Tanks list. From this list, 39 key academic and “grey” literature papers were selected for an initial annotated bibliography.

Through this process, we identified 112 research organizations, think tanks, and university research centres that have published work on future skills or the future of work. These organizations include OECD, ILO, McKinsey, EY, PwC, Deloitte, Brookings, NESTA, UK Commission for Employment and Skills, Conference Board of Canada, C.D. Howe, Mowat Centre, Brookfield Institute for Innovation + Entrepreneurship, RBC, TD, Government of Canada, Singapore, Australia, New Zealand, and others.