Future Skills
Future skills – basic literacy, numeracy and socio-emotional skills – are important across all economic sectors and occupations. Figuring out who and how to address skills gaps is key to building an inclusive workforce with upward mobility.
Project
Young newcomers and international students in diploma programs: Shock-proofing through language confidence
In recent years, young people have faced difficulties in the labour market. Pandemic lockdowns impacted school and work for most young people, alongside accelerated technological change and the increasing prevalence of gig work (characterized by short-term, on-demand, and task-based labour) have all had negative impacts on quality of work for young people.
Research
Can Experiential Learning Go Virtual? Lessons Learned From Canadian Nursing Education During the Pandemic
Experiential learning (EL)—or learning by doing—is an essential component of many postsecondary education (PSE) programs. This type of training lets people develop hands-on skills and...
Project
Skills and strategies for quality hybrid work in Canada
With several years of hybrid work implementation, this project sought to document the hybrid work experiences of 20 Canadian executive-level leaders in workforce innovation and skills development and private sector organizations in culture, finance, tech, and professional services.
In the Media
The AI revolution is here; are you prepared for the future of work?
The question is on everyone’s minds these days: will AI help or hinder the future of work? Will it enhance human capability, and even create new jobs? Or will it replace human labour, leaving people in a world of ever-shrinking job prospects?
Research
Levelling the playing field for Black Canadians
In this research, we look at how Black Canadian professionals’ social and emotional skills are valued in the workplace and how leaders can cultivate a workplace where everyone feels empowered and included.
How do Black Canadians see their racial identity impacting the recognition and evaluation of their social and emotional skills (SES) at work? What are the risks of an employees’ skills not being recognized? What are the benefits of realizing the diverse skill sets within an organization?
Read the impact paper to get the full analysis.
Project
The Skills Algorithm: Digital Skills Demand Across Canada’s Labour Market
This project used machine-learning methods and data from nine million Canadian job postings collected from January 2020 to June 2023 to understand how demand for digital skills has changed since the pandemic and the importance of non-technical or soft skills even in digital workplaces and occupations.
Research
Ready for green jobs: How ready are Canadian regions to attract and support the skilled workforce needed to reach climate targets and drive clean growth?
Clean growth and climate action in Canada could create thousands of jobs in the next seven years. With a potential 300,000 jobs created, communities across the country have the opportunity to thrive while moving Canada towards meeting its climate targets.
Research
Can social and emotional skills be taught?
In this research, we explore the challenges of teaching and learning social and emotional skills in the classroom. Based on interviews with 40 college instructors and...
Project
Quality of work of Canada’s contingent workforce
This research sheds light on the reasons why people engage in gig work and the policy levers needed to mitigate the risks associated with this new form of employment.