Continuing the research that we first presented in The New Geography of Skil, we now show how speaking the common language of skills can bring educators, companies, and workforce/economic developers together to address the talent needs of a specific region or industry. By combining broad labor market data with more nuanced skills cluster data, we provide a snapshot of the existing strengths - and the shifting landscape - of a key regional industry and demonstrate how this data can inform local talent strategies. To illustrate this idea, we identify talent gaps that affect Minnesota's medical device manufacturers and compare the state's unique regional strengths with those of the same industry in California - revealing stark differences that can occur from place to place. Applying this highly granular data, Minnesota can then develop the right skills-focused programs to strengthen and diversify the in-demand skills that ultimately retain medical device companies and keep the regional economy strong. To keep higher education, workforce/economic development, and strategic human resource organizations aligned and valuable to the people they serve, we recommend that this data be used in four very clear and practical ways: Step 1: Know your strengths and look to diversify; Step 2: Identify competitive opportunities for upskilling; Step 3: Strengthen the local talent pipeline; and Step 4: Develop in-demand microcredentials.

For decades, manufacturing was a large and reliable source of employment, especially for workers with a high school education or less. However, after many years of job losses, the manufacturing workforce is no longer dominated by workers with a high school diploma or less. This report describes the changes to the US manufacturing industry's workforce in three parts: (1) the major structural changes that drove manufacturing's evolution, declining employment and rising productivity, which are tightly linked to automation, globalisation and the growth of a networked economy; (2) the shift towards a diverse workforce with a different balance of qualifications and; (3) the changing structure and loss of 'good' jobs in manufacturing, which varies by ethnicity and sex. The author concludes that an industry comeback, however welcome, would not lead to a dramatic return of the manufacturing workforce. Projections suggest that manufacturing is not expected to be a major job generator in the future. In fact, industry employment is expected to decrease by 253,200 net jobs, or about 2 per cent, during the next decade. This is a reality that must be understood by both policy makers and the public into the industry's future.

This brief outlines how closer collaboration among adult education, workforce development, and vocational rehabilitation partners can advance effective practices and programs for workers with foundational skill needs and disabilities. It provides a case study of one such approach, and state and federal policy recommendations for strengthening alignment between these systems and replicating this approach in other communities.

This report is about the role of the Independent Training Providers (ITPs) within the wider skills system and their contribution to national skills, economic and inclusion priorities. ITPs are private or charitable non-state providers of technical training provision and it is noted that they represent an under-researched and poorly understood sub-sector within wider technical and vocational education and training (TVET). Yet, as will be argued from the research evidence in this report, ITPs play an increasingly important role in delivering government policy priorities in the development of TVET systems, and they often contribute towards global development priorities as set out in the UN Sustainable Development Goals (United Nations, 2015), particularly with regard to: the elimination of poverty through creating jobs via sustainable economic growth; the provision of quality education; and revitalising global partnerships for sustainable development. The report is based on research conducted by the Association of Employment and Learning Providers (AELP), the UK's trade body for work-based learning providers with over 900 companies in membership, supported by the British Council. The research begins by outlining the distinctive characteristics of the ITPs in the UK which enable them to respond to government priorities. Examples of the successes and challenges that UK ITPs face are presented through mini case studies. Further on, the research examines the role of the ITPs in six countries (Botswana, South Africa, Uganda, India, Nepal and Sri Lanka) and the different models they operate within.

This inquiry, chaired by Andrew Laming, examined ways to ensure students are supported from school to work by measuring gain in schools and how this contributes to supporting students for post-school education and training. The inquiry also looked at opportunities to better inform students of appropriate post-school education and training using employment outcomes as a measure of course suitability. The report's structure reflects the inquiry's Terms of Reference: chapter two looks at teachers and teaching, including the importance of ongoing teacher education; chapter three explains and discusses 'measurements of gain' in schools, the National Assessment Program - Literacy and Numeracy (NAPLAN), the Australian Tertiary Admission Rank (ATAR), alternatives to NAPLAN and ATAR, and addresses 'soft skills'; chapter four considers government programs designed to support young people to gain the skills and work experience they need to get and keep a job, the transition to vocational education and training (VET) and university, and apprenticeships and traineeships; and chapter five outlines the particular issues facing students with a disability.

Most contemporary conversations about the future of employment tend to focus on technological trends. However, in order to support forward-facing planning and avoid blind spots, it is critical to understand a range of trends, with various levels of maturity, and how they might interact over time. This report outlines 31 broad trends that could impact the future of Canada's labour market over the next 10-15 years. These trends have the potential to influence future skills demand in either positive or negative ways - and sometimes both. This report is not a prediction of the future or a deep analysis of any one trend, but instead reveals a complex picture. It aims to spark exploratory and imaginative thinking, and push readers to ask themselves 'what if?' What if Canada sees a rise in wildfires, floods and mudslides? What if cases of mental health issues associated with technology use continue to multiply? What if artificial intelligence (AI) becomes capable of performing creative tasks? This report explores 31 broad trends such as these, while imagining the possible implications for Canada and its labour market in the year 2030 and beyond. The goal of this report is to challenge leaders from all sectors - including policymakers, educators and employers - to cast their net wide when considering multiple trends, from the weaker signals of change to those that are in the limelight. This also includes contemplating the potential for different trends to interact in ways that are not always so obvious.

We know from the 2017 Survey of Employers' Use and Views of the VET System that around half of employers in Australia are looking outside the nationally accredited vocational education and training (VET) system to provide their employees with training. This report explores the reasons employers are using unaccredited training, why they chose this form of training over others and whether it is meeting their skill needs.

This report focuses on the impacts of digital transformation on jobs and productivity and is intended as an input to discussion in the G7 Innovation Ministers track of the 2018 G7 Innovation and Employment Ministerial 'Preparing for Jobs of the Future'. The G7 or Group of Seven is a group consisting of Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the UK and the US. The report concludes that the G7 has an important role to play in raising awareness of the transformation underway and can share experiences on how best to exploit the opportunities while effectively addressing the challenges. Such an exchange could focus on the design, implementation and evaluation of policies. The OECD can assist in this exchange and act as a clearing house in the dissemination of evidence and best practices. Beyond information sharing, the G7 can work on shared challenges that are international in nature. Four have risen up on the policy agenda: (i) ensuring the strongest possible benefits of transformative technologies on economies and societies, including the growing importance of data; (ii) developing a common approach to artificial intelligence (AI); (iii) fostering inclusive innovation; and (iv) preparing for the jobs of the future. There is also an overarching need to enhance measurement of the digital transformation so that an evidence base is established for effective policy making across these four policy challenges., The report outlines its key messages under the following areas: (1) the impact of transformative technologies on economies and societies; (2) artificial intelligence; (3) inclusive innovation; (4) preparing for jobs for the future; and (5) improving measurement of the digital transformation.

When it comes to awareness, many occupations considered to be 'skilled trades' are not well understood by Canadians. More troubling than a lack of awareness are some of the unfounded, yet persistent, attitudes held about working in the trades. Research on the jobs of the future estimates that 40 per cent of all new jobs in the next decade could require some kind of skills-based training. However, less than a third of 13 to 24-year-olds in Canada are considering this kind of post-secondary education. This report uses a new approach to recruitment, one that focuses more on the personal and emotional benefits of the work. It aims to give career seekers a sense of the personal qualities of different kinds of tradespeople, their feelings of fulfillment, their contributions to society, and their overall happiness on and off the job. The report contains the results and recommendations of a national survey of skilled tradespeople undertaken to gain a deeper perspective on workers in this crucial part of the Canadian workforce. An online survey asked questions in order to understand the motivating factors in a tradesperson's career trajectory. A key finding of the survey is that 'tradespeople are among the happiest workers in the country'.