Rural, Remote, & Northern Communities

Despite the labour shortage in forestry management in Canada’s North, there is a lack of innovative and engaging training methods and capacity to deliver reforestation skills to remote Indigenous communities. To help meet the need for this training, and to make it accessible and more engaging in digital form, the Northern Alberta Institute of Technology (NAIT) created two courses that featured immersive, 360° photos and videos, and a tool kit for instructors who do not have in-depth technical knowledge on how to develop immersive curriculum content.

MindFuel came alongside Indigenous communities to address the barriers faced by Indigenous youth in rural and remote communities by implementing STEM and innovation programs for youth.

This project set in motion a series of initiatives aimed to generate the necessary insights and evidence required to develop a national workforce strategy for the Canadian agriculture and agri-food sector.

This project, undertaken for Canada’s Future Skills Centre, drew in various Indigenous, government, and post-secondary partners from Northern Ontario, Yukon, and Nunavut. It features a labour market analysis and economic forecast for each region from 2024 to 2045, as well as descriptions of the in-demand skills and key challenges to workforce and skills development in these Northern regions.

Contact North implemented the Northern Entrepreneurs Accessing Training (NEAT) project to improve accessibility to skills training for Indigenous entrepreneurs and their employees.

This project aimed to provide free training to underserved populations and build resilience among workers in the community through skills acquisition in the midst of ongoing economic transformation and uncertainty.

The Doing It Right project, based in the Yukon, sought to address the barriers faced by women and gender-diverse individuals in the skilled trades.

Skilled trades are a priority and among the top occupations in demand in Nunavut, Northern Ontario, and Yukon between 2024 and 2045; meeting this demand remains a persistent concern. Which type of organizations play a key role in sustaining Northern trades? What are the factors that impede Indigenous and Northern students from working in the trades even after they’ve participated in training programs? What plans are in the works that will allow for sustaining training, collaboration, and reduction in duplication in skills development services? Read the impact paper for a look at three programs that are making a difference, and an analysis of more services and approaches that could meet the demand for skilled trades in Canada’s North.

The Canadian Alliance for Skills and Training in Life Sciences (CASTL) | September 24, 2024 Study finds 74% of employers plan to hire in the next three years, with 50% of new hires expected to fill manufacturing/production and laboratory technician roles.