Government needs to be thinking about smart investments to make applied education safe and accessible
The important role of front-line workers has never been more apparent than over the last several weeks. They include nurses and personal support workers, paramedics and other first responders, technology professionals and skilled tradespeople, and those working in advanced manufacturing or supplying us with food. These have been the people with the skills and know-how…
The traditional student no longer exists. That means we need to find ways to encourage and fund lifelong learning
With a host of transformational challenges putting pressure on labour markets, a line from Robert Atkinson and Jeffrey Brown’s latest paper struck me: “Nothing about the future of work is inevitable.” Their paper is intended to reaffirm that in the face of structural change, coming impacts can be mitigated through dedicated effort and smart policy.…
They offer industry-relevant programs, equipment and facilities that ready learners for a constantly changing workplace
It seems everywhere you look, people are talking about transformation in Canadian workplaces. Robots, driverless cars and Internet-enabled machines are changing the nature of work. An aging population is putting unprecedented pressure on health-care services and leading to shortages in sectors where retirements are outpacing available young people with the necessary skills. The world around…
Let’s unlock their full potential with greater and more consistent government funding
By Sarah Watts-Rynard and Denise Amyot Canada is at an innovation crossroads. Productivity measures have long lagged our international counterparts and our small businesses often lack the internal resources to fulfil their potential. Developing new prototypes, adopting new technologies and designing new processes takes time, money and human resources. As Canada’s economic engines, small and mid-sized…
It’s time to focus on assessing skills in workforce development as we prepare for the inevitable job shift
When the federal Liberals took power in 2015, they made evidence a key priority in policy-making. Michael Barber, known for his groundbreaking work in “Deliverology,” the science of getting results, was brought in to advise key government decision-makers, and results and delivery units were created within federal departments. Across almost every ministry, there was a…
We can’t talk about the future of work without also talking about the future of education
By Nobina Robinson and Daniel Komesch Polytechnics Canada When leaders of the world’s seven most advanced economies meet on June 8 and 9 in Charlevoix, Que., the top-line agenda item will be preparing for the jobs of the future. What exactly does this agenda item mean for the Canadian workers, students and employers? The proliferation…
The payoffs from investing more in applied research collaboration among different kinds of institutions are practical and long-lasting
There are tens of thousands of brownfield sites scattered across Canada – many of them in urban locations. Enter collaborations with applied research. And a Canadian-made solution. Outstanding discovery research occurs at universities across the country. However, far too often this research fails to arrive at the commercial marketplace. Consecutive federal governments have attempted to tackle…
The graduate employment rate for bachelor’s degree holders from Polytechnics Canada members was 91 per cent in 2015-16
There are bachelor’s degrees and there are applied bachelor’s degrees. The difference – when it comes to finding fulfilling employment – can be dramatic. In late November, Statistics Canada released its comprehensive reports on education, covering a wide range of topics, including overall education attainment and the skills mismatches and earnings potential of bachelor’s degree…
Manitoba’s Red River College’s Smart Factory offers a solution by bringing students and industry together
Automation has become a scary word. As new technologies proliferate, unease and uncertainty surround the labour market of the future. Will jobs be destroyed? Created? Can a robot really replace what I do? What kind of career should my child pursue if we don’t know what the jobs of the future will look like? How can…
Nearly half of the Canadian labour force is at high risk of automation within the next two decades, so how should we prepare?
Automation has become a scary word. As new technologies proliferate, unease and uncertainty surround the labour market of the future. Will jobs be destroyed? Created? Can a robot really replace what I do? What kind of career should my child pursue if we don’t know what the jobs of the future will look like? How…
The important role of front-line workers has never been more apparent than over the last several weeks. They include nurses and personal support workers, paramedics and other first responders, technology professionals and skilled tradespeople, and those working in advanced manufacturing or supplying us with food. These have been the people with the skills and know-how…
