Issue
Alberta is a prosperous province, with a strong entrepreneurial spirit, and a skilled and energetic workforce. At the same time, Albertans - like many Canadians - are struggling with transitions between learning and work, which is resulting in social and economic implications. If Alberta is to remain competitive with the rest of Canada, it must adapt to and address the coming labour market disruptions.
Background
Skills gaps are damaging the Canadian Economy. According to The Conference Board of Canada’s The Future of Work: Addressing Skill Imbalances in Canada, job vacancies will reach 917,000 by 2040, resulting in over $11 billion in lost economic activity with 366,000 of these coming from technical and manual services.
Recommendations
That the Government of Canada:
- Partner with the business community using tax incentives and P3 opportunities to encourage private investment in the future of the Alberta workforce through program development and infrastructure investment.
- Align provincial funding for post-secondary and government-supported career transition programs with future-ready essential skills identified by employers and professional associations.
- Position the delivery of career development services and work integrated learning to ensure a seamless, coordinated system that provides effective transition within the high school system and the workplace for all Albertans, recognizing varied needs across regions, sectors, and career stages.
- Partner with the business community and industry associations to develop a more holistic outlook on employment that provides insights not captured by currently collected statistics.
