The COVID-19 pandemic, coupled with economic uncertainty, has prompted various members of the workforce in Grand Erie to consider quality of work more holistically.

This project sought a better understanding of how PLAR is used, or can be used, to effectively accelerate learners through programs in the applied health sciences.

This project assessed the potential contribution of expanded and modernized seasonal occupational pluralism — where workers combine different jobs in different parts of the year to generate their annual incomes — to address the labour supply challenges facing rural-seasonal industries in the Maritimes.

The project aimed to test innovative methods of bringing together a diverse group, including Indigenous communities, Indigenous youth, industry representatives and employers, workforce and social development experts as well as education and training providers.

The research explored the extent of economic and job quality inequities between those who had access to remote work options during the pandemic and those who did not, as well as the widening disparity in job satisfaction between the two groups.

The pandemic expanded digital technologies to connect and support remote workers, and increased electronic monitoring of those working remotely. While some employers see value in monitoring, overuse can negatively affect employee well-being and job satisfaction. 

The British Columbia Institute of Technology (BCIT) tested the potential of virtual training by building the Virtualized Experiential Learning Platform (VELP). The platform provided learners, instructors and researchers with remote access to a physical training environment.

At the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic in March 2020, Canada’s unemployment rate reached one of its highest levels at 14.1 per cent. In response, the federal government launched the Canada Emergency Response Benefit (CERB), providing a financial benefit of $2,000 a month to workers directly affected by COVID-19.

The COVID-19 pandemic has changed the nature of work, leading to more connectivity and a blurring of boundaries between work and non-work.