• Français
Future Skills Center logo
Français
Polygon Created with Sketch. Home | Research
Research

Indigenous STEM Access Programs: Leading Post-Secondary Inclusion

This Issue briefing discusses the impact of current programs for Indigenous learners in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics in post-secondary education. They are one approach to increase Indigenous inclusion in these fields.

Executive Summary

The transition from high school to post-secondary education (PSE) is a time of uncertainty for many students. Educational, cultural, and economic challenges make this transition even more complex for Indigenous learners transferring into PSE in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM).

In PSE institutions across Canada, access and retention programs for Indigenous STEM learners aim to increase the number of Indigenous people working in STEM fields. These programs support individual students and promote institutional change. However, the limits of their success demonstrate how change is needed across the broader education system.

Indigenous STEM Access Programs: Leading Post-Secondary Inclusion shows that current STEM-focused access and retention programs in PSE are having an impact. These programs are one approach on a continuum of strategies to increase Indigenous inclusion in the STEM fields that are critical to the future economy.

Related Content

Two women wearing safety glasses standing in a metal workshop, working on metal drilling machine.
Research

Women in Trades: Progress, Barriers and Opportunities

  • October 2026
  • Diversity Institute
The research addressed three core questions: What is the current state of women’s participation in skilled trades in Canada? What systemic barriers prevent women from entering, completing and advancing in the trades? And what strategies, domestically and internationally, have shown the most promise in addressing these barriers?
2 Related Reports
Research

Workforce Training in Canadian SMEs: Barriers and Promising Models

  • September 2026
  • Ontario Chamber of Commerce, Diversity Institute
This project responds to the need for a clearer understanding of the factors shaping SME upskilling and the conditions under which training investments are more effective.
2 Related Reports
Creative and diverse office people reviewing 3D project progress while solving graphical issues.
Research

The Right AI Tool for the Job: The Productivity Potential of AI Applications in Canada

  • September 2026
  • Signal49 Research (formerly The Conference Board of Canada)
Artificial intelligence (AI) is expected to revolutionize work and drive productivity gains not seen in years. To assess the potential impact of AI, this analysis links AI application exposure to industry-level productivity outcomes.