We need to prepare now for the workforce of tomorrow
“I know kung fu” is an affable line from the 1999 film “The Matrix” when Keanu Reeves’ character Neo learns the martial art in an instant. Wouldn’t we all love to download a program to learn a new skill, or language for that matter? Yet is this need that far from reality? We simply do not have enough people nor the people with the right skills to support our labour force demand. Employers more and more will need to look at ways to provide upskilling opportunities to fulfil evolving business needs. That means we need to lay the groundwork now to prepare for the future of work.
According to OCC’s 2023 Ontario Economic Report (OER), labour shortages continue to dominate as a source of concern directly impacting most employers. Yet, the light at the end of the tunnel is unfortunately far away. Baby boomers are retiring, causing additional strain on an already tight labour market. The number of babies born in Canada fell to a nearly 15year low in 2020. And, while the federal government is making efforts to increase the number of immigrants to Canada, we are far behind, and not using all the tools at our disposal. Ontario continues to face massive labour shortages across a variety of industries. This will intensify organizations’ needs to look at ways to upskill and reskill their current talent. The workforce of tomorrow will require nimble training options and fewer bar programs riers to labour mobility across Canada and internationally.
The government also has a role to play. The OCC’s Workforce Development Policy Council’s efforts have resulted in measurable gains in public policy to support upskilling and re-skilling the province’s workforce. We were pleased to see the Ontario government introduce a new micro-credential strategy and framework last year. Micro credentials provide a quick, affordable, and often industry-focused way to help employees level up and specialize in their fields. We would now like to see the government work with all post-secondary institutions to expand enrolment and introduce new micro-credential to foster lifelong learning.
Many organizations struggle with what is called the “skills mismatch,” a dynamic in which employers’ needs don’t align with the skill sets of job seekers. While policy-makers at both the provincial and federal levels talk about bringing in more talent to Ontario and Canada as a whole, there is a missing piece when it comes to ensuring a highly skilled workforce that is prepared for Ontario’s labour market.
By increasing the number of postgraduate work permits, governments can ensure not only a steady flow of talent coming to Canada, but also ensuring that these students are trained to Canadian standards rather than having to rely on requalification examinations.
Specific emphasis must continue to be placed on attracting and retaining skilled labour in high-demand sectors of the economy. That means the government must continue to work with post-secondary institutions, informed by data and trends, to ensure they are meeting Ontario’s workforce needs in highdemand areas, such as the skilled trades, apprenticeships, education and health care. Other sectors we would like to see them focus on include but are not limited to, construction, logistics, early childhood education, STEM, agriculture and food and beverage manufacturing. Certain shortages are particularly acute in rural and remote communities. Regional immigration programs or other place-based strategies are therefore necessary to address this.
Ensuring organizations find employees with the right skills is critical to our overall competitiveness. Much work lies ahead. OER 2023 revealed that business confidence has dropped to a record low in 2023.
Labour shortages, inflation, health care system vulnerabilities, and forecasts of an economic contraction are dampening confidence in the province’s economic outlook. Like the choice of the red pill or blue pill in the Matrix, employers and public policy-makers can either face reality and get ahead or ignore it and get left behind. Which one do you choose?