Backgrounder : Future Skills Council and Future Skills Centre 

In February 2019, the Government introduced Future Skills to help ensure that Canada’s skills development policies and programs are “future-fit.” It was created in response to recommendations by the Advisory Council on Economic Growth and the Forum of Labour Market Ministers. The Government is investing $225 million over four years, starting in 2018–19, and $75 million per year thereafter, in Future Skills to:

• 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 in 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 includes:

• the Future Skills Council, a ministerial advisory body that brings together multi-sectoral leaders to advise on skills and workforce trends, and identifies and promotes areas for action of pan-Canadian significance; and
• the Future Skills Centre, an independent innovation and applied research centre that identifies emerging in-demand skills, and that prototypes, tests and measures new and innovative approaches to skills development and training.

Evidence generated by the Council and the Centre is informing Government action to ensure that Canada’s skills development programs adapt and respond to the evolving needs of jobseekers, workers and employers.

Future Skills Council

The Council’s mandate complements existing efforts, such as the Labour Market Information Council, which was established in April 2017 following an endorsement by the Forum of Labour Market Ministers. The Labour Market Information Council works to identify and implement pan-Canadian priorities for the collection, analysis and distribution of labour market information.

Council members include:

• Denise Amyot, President and Chief Executive Officer, Colleges and Institutes Canada
• Jeremy Auger, Chief Strategy Officer, D2L
• Judy Fairburn, Board Director, Calgary Economic Development
• Thierry Karsenti, Ph.D., Canada Research Chair on Technology and Education, University of Montréal
• Lisa Langevin, Director, Equity and Engagement, Industry Training Authority
• Mike Luff, National Representative, Canadian Labour Congress
• Amanda Kilabuk, Executive Director of Tungasuvvingat Inuit
• Dr. Alexander (Sandy) MacDonald, President and Chief Executive Officer, Holland College
• Gladys Okine Ahovi, Executive Lead, Canadian Council for Youth Prosperity
• Melissa Sariffodeen, Chief Executive Officer and Co-Founder, Canada Learning Code
• Kerry Smith, Senior Director, Manitoba Métis Federation
• Dana Spurrell, Assistant Deputy Minister, Workforce Development, Labour and Immigration, Ministry of Advanced Education, Skills and Labour, Government of Newfoundland and Labrador, and Provincial/Territorial Co-Chair of the Forum of Labour Market Ministers Senior Officials Table
• David Ticoll, Chair, National Stakeholder Advisory Panel, Labour Market Information Council, and Distinguished Fellow, Innovation Policy Lab, Munk School of Global Affairs and Public Policy, University of Toronto
• Valerie Walker, Chief Executive Officer, Business + Higher Education Roundtable
• Rachel Wernick, Senior Assistant Deputy Minister, Skills and Employment Branch, Employment and Social Development Canada, Government of Canada

Dr. Paulette Tremblay, former Chief Executive Officer of the Assembly of First Nations, and Michelle Snow, former Assistant Deputy Minister, Workforce Development, Labour and Immigration, Ministry of Advanced Education, Skills and Labour, Government of Newfoundland and Labrador, also contributed to the report.

Future Skills Centre

The Future Skills Centre is an independent pan-Canadian organization that prototypes, tests and measures new and innovative approachs to skills development and training.

It is funded by the Government of Canada and operated by Ryerson University, the Conference Board of Canada and Blueprint. The Future Skills Centre collaborates with provincial and territorial governments, Indigenous governments and organizations, education and training institutions and service providers, labour, for-profit and not-for-profit organizations across Canada.

Half of the Centre’s funding will address the needs of disadvantaged and underrepresented groups, including up to 20% to address the needs of youth. The Future Skills Centre identifies what works best for different people in different circumstances and disseminates its findings across all sectors to support broad public access to proven practices.