For many neurodivergent professionals who encounter barriers in traditional workplaces, self-employment is more than an alternative. It can provide a way to work that aligns with their needs, draws on their strengths, and reduces environmental stressors. Yet many supported employment programs do not routinely include self-employment as a career option for clients.

Canada’s transition to a net-zero economy is transforming the nature of work in the skilled trades. As industries such as energy, construction, manufacturing, and transportation, adopt cleaner technologies, the demand for certified tradespeople is sharply increasing.

In late 2024, the Future Skills Centre received nearly 900 proposals across multiple funding calls. These proposals offer a unique, system-wide view into Canada’s skills development ecosystem. In partnership with the Behavioural Insights Team, this project analyzed the proposal database to surface shared priorities, emerging challenges, and common approaches to labour market innovation.

In this resource, developed in partnership with Signal49 Research (formerly Conference Board of Canada), for career advisors, we suggest a number of ways to help...

RCS set out to test new models for career and employment services that respond to the needs of workers, employers, and practitioners in a rapidly changing labour market. Rather than a single intervention, RCS operates as a portfolio of innovation projects co-designed with service partners and piloted in real-world settings.

Automation technologies present Canadian businesses with opportunities for improved productivity, labour efficiencies, and growth. Adopting automation technologies will change how industries operate, including the types of jobs and skills needed.

Our research draws on first-hand experiences to better understand specific labour-related challenges facing SMEs.

Canada’s rapidly changing labour market is challenging both workers and employers to adapt. Automation, demographic shifts and evolving skill demands mean that many mid-career Canadians will need to retrain or transition into new roles, while small and midsize enterprises (SMEs) struggle to recruit and retain skilled staff.

Calgary’s economy is poised for significant growth in key sectors like energy transition, technology and health care. However, a critical misalignment threatens this progress: a major disconnect exists between the in-demand occupations, as identified by employers, and the local talent pool’s skills and perceptions.