The COVID-19 pandemic and its series of lockdowns disproportionately impacted the service industry and many young women who work in this sector. This project provided online workshops and coaching to help young women in the service industry develop transferable social-emotional skills in leadership and confidence, communications, business literacy, job interviewing and networking to support their capacity to undertake career changes. 

In Canada’s North, entrepreneurship is important for local job creation and economic diversification. Because many entrepreneurs are Indigenous, their businesses also bring direct economic benefits to their communities. To support entrepreneurship, strong networks and access to training, mentorship and other supports are essential.

The Retail Entrepreneurship Acceleration Program (REAP) + iLaunchHERproduct, led by de Sedulous Women Leaders and funded by the Future Skills Centre, is a single program with two components that was designed to address the systemic barriers faced by Black, racialized and immigrant women entrepreneurs in retail.

This project was designed to address two key issues related to training programs that address skills gaps in manufacturing—employer underinvestment and low participation. The Social Research and Demonstration Corporation (SRDC), in partnership with Excellence in Manufacturing Consortium (EMC), piloted an outcomes-based “pay-for-performance” model, which reimbursed employers if they successfully supported the delivery of EMC’s Manufacturing Essentials Certification soft skills training program and met key performance targets.

Indigenous and Northern entrepreneurship and businesses play a crucial role in bolstering local economies by supporting economic diversification, job creation and community development. 

The Scale Learning Lab was developed to address the hospitality sector’s ongoing talent shortages through an innovative, industry-led training model. By combining digital learning and hands-on training, the Learning Lab provides hospitality professionals with the skills needed to succeed in a rapidly evolving sector.

To address the economic gaps that persist between Indigenous and non-Indigenous people in Canada, Workforce Warriors Inc. launched the Leadership Development for Indigenous Communities project.

The Upskill and Certify Indigenous Child and Youth Practitioners project aimed to address the barriers that Indigenous child and youth workers face in accessing postsecondary opportunities to build skills and advance their careers.

Launched in 2021, eCampusOntario’s Micro-credentials Portal addresses skills mismatches in the labour market by offering short, industry-relevant learning programs.