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Future Skills Centre Launches Six Innovation Projects and Call for Proposals

The Future Skills Centre is funding projects across the country that are testing innovative approaches to skills development, helping thousands of Canadians prepare for the future of work

Toronto, April 2, 2019 – The working lives of many Canadians will be changed as existing jobs are displaced and new jobs are created with different skills demands. The Future Skills Centre – Centre des Compétences futures (FSC-CCF) is announcing six projects to test innovative approaches for helping diverse Canadians gain the skills they need to adapt and succeed in the workforce. An estimated 5,000 Canadians from coast to coast to coast will engage with these projects to test solutions to skills development challenges. Working with Indigenous and Northern communities, newcomers to Canada, and young job-seekers, these projects are experimenting with innovative and inclusive approaches to digital skills training, competency assessment models, career pathways, and employability skills development.

The Centre is also pleased to launch today a call for proposals to develop, test, and measure innovative approaches to supporting mid-career workers who have been displaced by changes in the labour market, are at risk of being replaced, or who will face new job requirements in the future. This theme was identified to address gaps in skills training for mid-career workers. With a total budget of $4M over the next two years, selected projects from this call will generate actionable evidence about how to better meet the needs of mid-career workers facing challenges in the labour market.

We’re very excited to announce the Future Skills Centre’s inaugural, community-based innovation projects and a call for proposals. We’re hitting the ground running only six weeks after our official launch, investing in skills development research which will involve thousands of Canadians.
Melanie Wright, Interim Executive Director of the Future Skills Centre
On behalf of our partners and Interim Advisory Board, we are thrilled to be launching these innovation projects and call for proposals, which will engage thousands of workers in gaining access to new skills, and will contribute to a growing evidence base on the skills needed to thrive in the new economy.
Steven N. Liss, Vice-President of Research and Innovation at Ryerson University and Acting Chair of the FSC-CCF Interim Advisory Board
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 help Canadians find and keep good, well-paying jobs, and strengthen the middle class, so that everyone has a fair chance at success. These six projects are an important step toward achieving this vision.
Honourable Patty Hajdu, Minister of Employment, Workforce Development and Labour

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Media Contact

Eglantine Ronfard
Communications Manager – Responsable Communication
Future Skills Centre – Centre des Compétences futures
Phone: 647 262 3706
Email: eglantine.ronfard@fsc-ccf.ca

The Future Skills Centre – Centre des Compétences futures is funded by the Government of Canada’s Future Skills Program.

About the Future Skills Centre

The Future Skills Centre – Centre des Compétences futures (FSC-CCF) is a forward-thinking centre for research and collaboration dedicated to preparing Canadians for employment success. We believe Canadians should feel confident about the skills they have to succeed in a changing workforce. As a pan-Canadian community, we are collaborating to rigorously identify, test, measure, and share innovative approaches to assessing and developing the skills Canadians need to thrive in the days and years ahead.

Learn More about our Innovation Projects

A young indigenous woman in a library.

Indigenous ICT Development Centre

Exploring approaches to build awareness and capacity in the information and communications technology sector for…
Two young men and a young woman sit outside of a cafe working on laptops.

Project Integrate

Testing an integrated assessment model and job matching for youth job seekers
Youth playing outdoors with a stick and ball.

For-Credit InSTEM Program

Testing a culturally-based approach to essential employability skills training for Indigenous and Northern youth.
A young and diverse group smiling with arms around each other.

FUSION: Future Skills Innovation Network for Universities

A national network of Canadian universities focused on innovative skills development to prepare students for…
Three women having a discussion infront of laptops.

FAST: Facilitating Access to Skilled Talent

Testing expanded occupation streams for an online skills assessment and development platform to help newcomers…
Young business people working at office on new project. startup, concept , team

Defining Digital Competencies

New skills training program to test a blended approach for digital and professional competencies