Ontario

The Level Up Skills Evolution project begins with a unique premise – what if employers were more in the lead for designing microcredentials? The project therefore aimed to address workforce challenges by developing and scaling sector-based micro-credentials to help employers navigate technological change, labour shortages, and training gaps.

The economy in Northern Ontario has recovered from the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic and is expected to grow by 20 per cent over the next 20 years. However, the existing workforce is not able to fill the demand for labour in the region, which will continue to grow. This primer provides an overview of Northern Ontario’s labour market conditions. It is part of a multi-year collaborative research project which explores labour markets in Nunavut, Northern Ontario, and Yukon.

Researchers at the University of Saskatchewan’s Canadian Centre for the Study of Co-operatives reviewed the literature to examine the response in Canada and elsewhere by farmers, agribusiness firms, agricultural organizations and governments to the emergence of big data generated by the use of the IoT in agricultural production processes.

Northern Ontario, Yukon, and Nunavut share similar challenges to workforce development related to their shared Northern, rural, and remote contexts. Current challenges will only grow as sectors increasingly require more digital, leadership, business and administrative, and soft skills. 

Piloting alternative approaches to workforce adjustment, where support can be put in place even before a layoff happens, can confer significant benefits not only on affected workers but also the company and local community.

Using a person-centred and culturally appropriate approach, the VILA hub aimed to provide life skills, academic and job training, engagement, and work opportunities to adults with intellectual disabilities across diverse communities in Ontario.

The project aimed to partner with other colleges and employers to identify in-demand jobs and their associated competencies requirements, and to develop and deliver micro-credentials that meet the specific needs of individual job seekers.

This report outlines the implementation of the City of Kingston’s Workplace Inclusion Charter, which was launched in partnership with KEYS Job Centre in 2019. The goal of the City of Kingston’s Workplace Inclusion Charter was to serve as a system that would guide employers, service providers and equity-deserving groups in the labour market in creating more inclusive work environments and facilitating access to new talent among local businesses and employers.

To fully harness the potential of international students and maximize the investments made in their education and settlement, it is crucial that those who stay in Canada after graduation transition smoothly into the labour market.