Since 2020, new challenges have arisen and existing challenges have been amplified across Canada’s labour market. At the same time, we have seen organizations, leaders and workers adapt to working in a new type of environment. We have also seen the increased importance of fostering new and ongoing learning opportunities for workers and jobseekers.
Work-integrated learning (WIL) remains a worthy model for preparing students for the workforce, but can be reimagined to address other labour market challenges, such as the growing need for digital skills, upskilling mid-career workers and recruiting diverse talent.
All stakeholders within the skills training arena – employment service providers, post-secondary institutions, policy-makers, industry leaders, etc. –should consider how WIL can be deployed to address other challenges and build on successful models.
As a delivery partner of the Student Work Placement Program (SWPP), funded by the government of Canada, Magnet proudly supported more than 18,000 student work placements across Canada in 2020-21.
“WIL remains a worthy model for preparing students for the workforce, but can be reimagined to address other labour market challenges.”
Based on our experience, we feel strongly that the program’s success relied on flexibility within a changing environment, collaboration and a willingness to share resources, and the capacity to support jobseekers and employers in navigating and accessing relevant opportunities.
While SWPP largely targeted students in four-year programs, these principles can also serve as the foundation for other innovative WIL programs that benefit a wider pool of jobseekers, including mid-career learners and those from underrepresented groups.
Three ways to reimagine WIL
1. Make WIL available to mid-career learners: Employers, industry leaders and post-secondary institutions need to be able to spot evolving skills requirements and emerging jobs, and collaborate to create flexible opportunities for workers to acquire new skills and prepare for transitions.
For example, in 2019, Future Skills Centre launched a 7.65 million investment in projects to identify training opportunities for mid-career workers, including apprenticeships and assessments. Some examples of projects, which targeted sectors hit by significant job losses and also focused on equity-deserving groups, include:
- Continuous Learning for Individuals’ Mid-Career and Beyond (CLIMB): Supporting 200 Indigenous participants to access re-training programs offered by Northern Lights College. Participants also have access to resources to identify how their skills match to potential roles and the appropriate courses to support transitions.
- Canadian Alliance for Skills Training in Life Sciences (CASTL): $1.52 million investment for academic and technical training related to careers in the biosciences in Atlantic Canada. Delivered in partnership with three universities, 100 employers and three colleges.
- Supporting Mid-Career Workers with Disabilities: $650,000 invested in a two-year initiative that combines career coaching, learning tools and peer support for jobseekers with disabilities through Ontario Tech University.
These programs bring together resources from post-secondary institutions, funding support from government and training support from employers to address a specific labour market challenge.
2. Offer micro-credentials to support upskilling: Micro-credentials are short, focused courses, based on a specific set of competencies. Their short duration and conduciveness to self-directed learning make micro-credentials well-suited to ongoing learning.
Employment service providers might be well positioned to deliver and administer micro-credentials, helping jobseekers “level up” through short courses focused on both soft and digital skills, especially if courses are informed by industry needs. Post-secondary institutions might also explore offering online micro-credentials to mid-career learners through continuing education.
Micro-credentials will enjoy greater success and uptake through a co-ordinated approach – delivered by trusted providers, with robust funding and support from government and industry. Furthermore, collaboration across industries and between educational institutions to develop learning programs that are recognized in multiple regions and sectors will reduce fragmentation and increase value for jobseekers.
3. Extend inclusion through government-supported programs: Federal programs such as SWPP benefitted students and employers, but eligibility criteria restricted student participation to Canadian citizens, permanent residents and protected persons as defined by the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act, largely in full-time, four-year programs.
Future programs should be founded on collaboration between government, industry and employment service providers. If future models incentivize employers to hire newcomer jobseekers from Canada’s network of publicly funded employment services and international students, they could help to address labour market shortages and make our workforce more inclusive.
WIL is not the only solution to the challenges facing Canadian employers, jobseekers and educators, but it serves as an important investment in workers and jobseekers of all levels. It can play a major role in building an inclusive future of work where everyone can transition and grow through change. Current examples of WIL each have value and are also a foundation for creating initiatives that work for all.
