Government of Canada takes action to ensure Canadian workers are prepared for the jobs of tomorrow Français
New Future Skills Centre and Future Skills Council will identify priorities and create new opportunities for a stronger economy.
TORONTO, Feb. 14, 2019 /CNW/ - New technology, artificial intelligence, and global competitiveness are changing the way Canadians work. Many of the skills needed for good quality jobs will change in the years to come. A Canadian workforce that incorporates new technology and adapts is key to Canada's long-term economic growth.
Today, the Honourable Patty Hajdu, Minister of Employment, Workforce Development and Labour, along with the Honourable Bill Morneau, Minister of Finance, announced the Future Skills Centre and Future Skills Council. This is part of the Government's plan to ensure that all Canadians have the skills to find and keep good quality jobs and grow the middle class.
Ryerson University, the Conference Board of Canada and Blueprint were selected to partner and operate Canada's new Future Skills Centre. The Future Skills Centre will operate at arm's length from the Government of Canada to fund projects across Canada that develop, test and measure new approaches to skills assessment and development.
Fifteen members from Canada's public, private, labour and not-for-profit sectors were selected to form the Future Skills Council. The selection process was an open call that was merit-based and took into consideration regional, cultural and gender diversity. The Council will provide advice to the Minister of Employment, Workforce Development and Labour on emerging skills and workforce trends including national and regional priorities related to skills development for Canadians. The Council will be co-chaired by Valerie Walker, Executive Director of the Business/ Higher Education Roundtable (BHER) and Dr. Thierry Karsenti, Director of the Centre de recherche interuniversitaire sur la formation et la profession enseignante (CRIFPE).
Quotes
"The world of work is changing and Canadians need to be equipped to seize the opportunities this presents. Future Skills is part of the Government's plan to build an agile workforce that can find and keep good, well-paying jobs, and strengthen the middle class so that everyone has a fair chance at success – today and tomorrow."
– The Honourable Patty Hajdu, Minister of Employment, Workforce Development and Labour
"Canada's economy is growing and jobs are being created by Canadians every day, but the skills needed to succeed in those jobs can sometimes change rapidly. The Future Skills Centre and Council will work with schools, businesses and government to make sure Canadians can learn those skills, helping them stay competitive in tomorrow's job market."
– The Honourable Bill Morneau, Minister of Finance
"As Canada's leader in innovative, career-oriented education, Ryerson University is proud to lead the consortium for this important federal government initiative. With expertise in multidisciplinary, large-scale research and evaluation projects, Ryerson is a community builder that convenes academics, governments, non-profits, and industry to better understand and promote diversity, entrepreneurship, and employment. Ryerson is well-positioned to help prepare all Canadians for emerging opportunities today and beyond."
– Mohamed Lachemi, President and Vice-chancellor of Ryerson University
"Blueprint is delighted to be a partner in this ground-breaking initiative. Our expertise in skills development and extensive experience executing complex research and evaluation projects will allow us to confidently lead the FSC/CCF evidence generation strategy. Working together, we will build a culture of evidence-informed decision-making that will strengthen our skills development ecosystem and improve outcomes for individuals, families, and communities across Canada."
– Karen Myers, President and CEO of Blueprint
"The Conference Board of Canada is pleased to be at the centre of this exciting and important federal initiative for workforce development and the future of work. We will be undertaking new research and convening initiatives with a keen focus on offering innovative ideas on what we can do as a Country to keep pace with new technologies and the rapidly changing nature of work."
– Susan Black, President and CEO, The Conference Board of Canada
Quick Fact
- The Government of Canada is investing $225 million over four years, and $75 million per year thereafter, in Future Skills.
Associated Links
Canada.ca/Future-Skills
Future Skills Council
Future Skills Centre
Follow us on Twitter #FutureSkills
Backgrounder
In Budget 2017, the Government committed to establish a new organization to support skills development and measurement in Canada, based on the Advisory Council on Economic Growth and the Forum of Labour Market Ministers' recommendations.
The Advisory Council on Economic Growth's report, Building a Highly Skilled and Resilient Canadian Workforce Through the Future Skills Lab, recommended the Government of Canada create a dedicated, arms-length, Future Skills lab to focus on new approaches to address skills gaps and support learning throughout Canadians' working lives.
In the report the Advisory Council on Economic Growth called for an organization that would provide a forum for all levels of government, employers, educators and other stakeholders invested in building a highly skilled and resilient workforce to collaborate in testing new methods of training delivery and share best practices.
Consultations conducted by the Forum of Labour Market Ministers (FLMM), found that there was a need to support innovation and evidence based policy and that centres of excellence are an innovative way of supporting research on best practices and innovation in the employment sector.
Future Skills will:
- examine major trends that will have an impact on national and regional economies and workers;
- develop, test and evaluate innovative approaches to help Canadians gain the skills they need to adapt and succeed in the workforce;
- identify emerging skills that are in demand now and into the future;
- help Canadians make informed training decisions; and
- share results and best practices with governments, private sector, labour, educational training institutions, not-for-profit organizations, academics and subject matter experts to support broader adoption of innovative approaches.
Future Skills Centre
The Centre will be a pan-Canadian research centre that will operate in both official languages, at arm's length from the Government of Canada.
The Centre will partner with and fund projects that are led by groups such as provincial and territorial governments, Indigenous governments and organizations, and, not-for-profit organizations.
These projects will:
- Help Canadians make informed training decisions by identifying emerging in-demand skills now and in years to come;
- Help Canadians gain the skills they need to adapt and succeed in the workforce by developing, testing, and evaluating innovative approaches; and
- Share results and best practices across all sectors and with Canadians to support investment in the skills needed to be resilient in the face of change now and into the future.
The Centre will allocate 50% of its funding to disadvantaged and under-represented groups, including up to 20% to address the needs of youth.
Future Skills Council
The Council will make recommendations to the Minister on national and regional priorities related to skills development and training for Canadians. Respecting the role of provincial and territorial governments in skills development, the Forum of Labour Market Ministers Senior Official Provincial/Territorial Co-Chair will participate as a non-voting member of the Council to ensure that provinces and territories have an opportunity to shape identified priorities.
The Council's mandate complements existing efforts, such as the Labour Market Information Council (LMIC), which was established in April 2017 following an endorsement by the Forum of Labour Market Ministers. The LMIC works to identify and implement pan-Canadian priorities for the collection, analysis and distribution of labour market information.
Employment and Social Development Canada will draw from the evidence and proven practices identified by the Council and Centre and support the Government to transform Canada's skills programming to be responsive to Canadians' evolving needs.
The Council members are:
- Denise Amyot, President and CEO, College and Institutes Canada;
- Jeremy Auger, Chief Strategy Officer, Desire 2 Learn;
- Roberta Baikie-Andersen, Program Director of Inuit Pathways, Nunatsiavut Government;
- Dr. Thierry Karsenti, Director, Centre de recherche interuniversitaire sur la formation et la profession enseignante;
- Lisa Langevin, Assistant Business Manager, International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local 213;
- Mike Luff, National Representative, Canadian Labour Congress;
- Dr. Alexander MacDonald, President and CEO, Holland College;
- Gladys Okine, Executive Director, First Work: Ontario's Youth Employment Network;
- Christa Ross, Assistant Deputy Minister for the Immigration, Employment and Career Development Division with the Ministry of Immigration and Career Training;
- Melissa Sariffodeen, CEO and Co-Founder, Canada Learning Code;
- Kerry Smith, Senior Director, Manitoba Metis Federation;
- David Ticoll, Chair, National Stakeholder Advisory Panel, Labour Market Information Council; Special Advisor, Talent, Information Technology Association of Canada; Distinguished Fellow, Innovation Policy Lab, Munk School of Global Affairs, University of Toronto;
- Judy Fairburn -Board Director, Calgary Economic Development;
- Dr. Paulette Tremblay, Chief Executive Officer, Assembly of First Nations;
- Valerie Walker, Executive Director of the Business/ Higher Education Roundtable; and
- Rachel Wernick, Senior Assistant Deputy Minister, Employment and Social Development Canada (ESDC).
SOURCE Employment and Social Development Canada
For media enquiries, please contact: Véronique Simard, Press Secretary, Office of the Honourable Patty Hajdu, P.C., M.P., Minister of Employment, Workforce Development and Labour, [email protected], 819-654-5611; Media Relations Office, Employment and Social Development Canada, 819-994-5559, [email protected]
Share this article