CareerWise is always on the lookout for interesting, relevant reports to share with our readers. There was no shortage this year. Through CareerWise and our newsletter, CareerWise Weekly, we shared dozens of reports in 2018. Here are some of the highlights.
Humans Wanted (RBC)
This report is based on a major study of the Canadian workforce by RBC. It argues that the four million Canadian youth entering the workforce over the next decade are going to need a foundation of skills that sets them up for many different jobs and roles rather than a single career path. It makes the case that students will need a portfolio of human skills such as critical thinking, social perceptiveness and complex problem-solving to remain competitive and resilient in the labour market.
The Future of Jobs Report 2018 (World Economic Forum)
The Fourth Industrial Revolution is interacting with other socio-economic and demographic factors to create a perfect storm of business model change in all industries, resulting in major disruptions to labour markets. The Future of Jobs Report aims to unpack and provide specific information on the relative magnitude of these trends by industry and geography, and on the expected time horizon for their impact to be felt on job functions, employment levels and skills.
The Status of Senior Entrepreneurship in Canada: A Snapshot (Sheridan Centre for Elder Research)
Nearly four in 10 older entrepreneurs face gaps in the support they need to launch or develop their businesses, according to this CERIC-funded study. This research report reveals 37% of the respondents aged 50-plus have experienced challenges in accessing financial or government support and mentors. It explores the differentiated paths that senior entrepreneurs take, what has contributed to their success and what steps can be taken to enhance senior entrepreneurship in Canada.
Barriers to Work-integrated Learning Opportunities (HEQCO)
This report from the Higher Education Quality Council of Ontario observes that student demand is rising for work-integrated learning (WIL) experiences, including co-op, internships, applied research projects, field experience and service learning. However, it states that certain students still face barriers to participation in WIL. The report argues more could be done to increase the participation of first-generation, Indigenous and other minority students in WIL programs.
Indigenous Employment and Skills Strategies in Canada (OECD)
OECD research finds Indigenous underemployment persists in Canada, with Indigenous people still facing numerous barriers. The report states that Indigenous people are more likely to be in lower-paying jobs such as teaching, retail or social work. However, the report also points to some positive changes. It finds skills-training programs are most successful when they are delivered and managed by Indigenous people for Indigenous people.
Informal Learning: A Spotlight on Hidden Learning in the Canadian Workplace (The Conference Board of Canada)
Operational and human resources leaders in Canada believe their organizations to be highly supportive and conducive to informal learning. This sentiment is not shared, however, by employees on the receiving end of learning. Informal Learning discusses the Conference Board Workplace Environmental Index, which measures elements representing the quality and state of an organization’s work environment and the strength of its informal learning culture.
Landscape of Accessibility and Accommodation in Post-Secondary Education for Students with Disabilities (NEADS)
This report from the National Educational Association of Disabled Students represents a thorough examination of the current landscape of accessibility, services, accommodations, technical equipment and supports for students with disabilities at publicly funded post-secondary institutions across Canada. It contributes to the Government of Canada’s and the Ontario government’s emphasis on access to education and training for persons with disabilities, leading to their participation in the competitive labour market.
No Safe Harbour: Precarious Work and Economic Insecurity Among Skilled Professionals in Canada (Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives)
Based on a national survey of professionals about precarious working conditions, No Safe Harbour shows professionals across the country are not immune to the hallmarks of precarious work: no steady income, no pension, no benefits, no sick pay. Even full-time work isn’t a buffer against precarity: 26% of precarious professionals work full-time, though most go contract-to-contract (37%) or work part-time (34%).
Refugees and Canadian Post-Secondary Education: Characteristics and Economic Outcomes in Comparison (Statistics Canada)
Refugees in Canada tend to fare worse in terms of economic integration, with lower incomes and employment rates than immigrants entering through other admission categories. This paper first presents the characteristics of participants in PSE, the timing, duration and type of participation (full- or part-time), and finally the role of post-secondary training in the economic outcomes of resettled refugees. Findings are presented separately for men and women, and in comparison with Family Class immigrants and principal applicants in the economic admission categories.
The legalization of cannabis: impact for the workplace (Morneau Shepell)
While the federal Cannabis Act addresses usage in many public places, the question of how to handle cannabis in the workplace rests largely with individual employers. The question is what, if anything, should organizations be doing to respond to the legalization of cannabis? Responses to Morneau Shepell’s 2019 Trends in Human Resources survey, conducted in July 2018, indicate that a minority have implemented policies to address the use of cannabis in the workplace, even though medical cannabis has been legal in Canada since 2001.
What other reports caught your eye this year? Keep the conversation going and share a report that was meaningful to you in the comments section below.
