Enhanced eCampusOntario Micro-credential Portal streamlines career mobility

Portal helps job seekers, workers discover pathways
to in-demand jobs

TORONTO, Dec. 19, 2023 /CNW/ - eCampusOntario, a not-for-profit centre of excellence and global leader in the evolution of teaching and learning through technology funded by the Government of Ontario, today launched enhancements to its popular micro-credentials portal to help job seekers and workers discover personalized, skills-based pathways to in-demand jobs.

Canadian businesses commonly experience recruitment difficulties and skills gaps. When searching for talent, 44.5 per cent of companies have difficulty finding candidates with necessary skills, while 56.1 per cent report that employees often do not have adequate skills to do their job (Statistics Canada Survey of Employers on Workers' Skills 2021, released November 2022).

The enhanced eCampusOntario portal empowers individuals to navigate their way to a new career. Based on the past or current job title entered, the system recognizes an individual's skills set and recommends micro-credentials that build on those abilities.  The portal also flags which micro-credentials address high in-demand jobs. Through automation, the portal presents the individual with a personalized portfolio of skills-based micro-credential possibilities.

Individuals see a selection of short-duration learning pathways that will accelerate their learning journey to a new or boosted career. eCampusOntario supports the curated selection of fast, affordable and flexible training opportunities from nearly 2,000 micro-credentials offered by higher education institutions across the province and catalogued in the Micro-credentials Portal. The Portal was developed and is maintained through funding from the Government of Ontario.

Powered by a new partnership with the Conference Board of Canada and funded by the Future Skills Centre, the enhancements link labour market data with the Micro-credentials Portal and is the next step in the evolution of eCampusOntario's commitment to furthering micro-credentials and the flexibility they provide to Ontario's workforce.

"Our government is helping Ontarians quickly gain the skills employers are looking for and the Micro-credentials Portal supports that by offering a personalized user experience, said Jill Dunlop.  Connecting postsecondary education and industry, and helping Ontarians find the micro-credentials they need, prepares them for the in-demand jobs of today and tomorrow."

     -       The Honourable Jill Dunlop, Ministry of Colleges and Universities

"The Future Skills Centre is proud to empower career mobility through eCampusOntario's timely Micro-Credential Platform. Backed by labour market insights and a partnership with the Conference Board of Canada, we're shaping a future-ready workforce for Ontario through efficient upskilling. Together, we address skills gaps and transform careers."

     -       Pedro Barata, Executive Director, Future Skills Centre.

"The Conference Board of Canada's OpportuNext program matches a person's skills with viable career paths. eCampusOntario has the most comprehensive set of micro-credentials in Canada, all available in a single repository, to help people upskill and reskill for a variety of career paths. Bringing these two platforms together will accelerate our mutual objective of upskilling Canada's workforce."

     -       Michael Burt, Vice-President, The Conference Board of Canada

"Employers in every sector of the Canadian economy are seeking workers with advanced technology capabilities. Workers, in turn, are seeking well-paying technology careers and the learning paths that will give them the necessary skills for those careers. As the industry-government nexus for technology prosperity in Canada, TECHNATION sees this micro-credentialing initiative as a valuable way to close the technology skills gap."

     -        Sandi Campbell, Executive Director, Future Workforce Development Operations, TECHNATION

"Supporting upskilling and reskilling through easier access to micro-credentials will help businesses fill labour market gaps and individuals realize career goals. eCampusOntario is pleased to work with our partners to help get people into programs and into jobs. Providing personalized pathways that leverage labour market data into actionable insights will help us build the workforce of tomorrow, today."

     -       Robert Luke, CEO, eCampusOntario

About eCampusOntario and its portal partners

eCampusOntario is a not-for-profit centre of excellence and a global leader in the evolution of teaching and learning through digital technology.

The Future Skills Centre is dedicated to helping Canadians gain the skills they need to thrive in a changing labour market.

The Conference Board of Canada offers trusted research and unparalleled connections, delivering unique insight into Canada's toughest problems so leaders can build a stronger future.

OpportuNext from The Conference Board of Canada is a free-to-use career tool created in partnership with the Future Skills Centre. Using big data, it matches a person's skills with viable career paths — often including some you have not considered.

SOURCE eCampusOntario

Media contacts: Sherrilynne Starkie, PR Advisor, [phone], [email protected]