Research Strategy
The Future Skills Centre supports research to build a robust evidence base that decision-makers can use to prepare workers for the challenges of the future.
Our research partnerships address a holistic set of questions that touch upon issues emerging among individual workers, communities, industries, and providers of education and training. We bring together experts bridging supply and demand-side perspectives, reflecting the diverse interests and supporting approaches that are both people-centric and employer-informed.
We are working with a diverse team of more than 100 world class diverse multidisciplinary researchers from academic institutions, think tanks, and community organizations bringing together a pool of expertise in economics, information technology, predictive analytics, education, management, sociology, gender and diversity studies, and multiple methods and new technologies.
Our research informs discussion on the following questions:
- What do key stakeholders understand about the skills and competencies that will best prepare Canadians to work in a rapidly changing economy?
- What practices are needed to serve the skills development needs of diverse and vulnerable populations?
- What do employers need to be able to meet their current and future skilled workforce needs?
- What are new and innovative approaches to preparing for the future skills needs and demands that work?
- What broader workplace issues are impacting the ability of Canadian workers to navigate their careers and future prospects?
Key Initiatives
Quality of work
We are supporting a multidisciplinary portfolio of research projects exploring how working conditions impact the ability of Canadian workers to develop and refine their skills.
Research on sustainable futures and skills
We are supporting a variety of research projects exploring national, regional, and sectoral-level implications of Canada’s transition to a more sustainable, less carbon-intensive economy.
Research on the needs of equity seeking groups in the workforce
We work with research partners to explore the challenges facing women, racialized Canadians, newcomers, youth and Indigenous peoples in securing opportunities to participate in the workforce.
Benchmarking Canada’s performance against international data
We work with international researchers to benchmark key indicators of skills development and skills ecosystem performance against similar economies.
Our Latest Research
Pathways to Opportunity: Addressing Barriers to Labour Force Participation in a Changing World of Work
Mapping Youth Pathways from Education to Employment: What We Know and How to Strengthen Supports Across Canada
