News Bulletin - September 2020
Like the iconic iceberg, there’s more to see and understand when it comes to the workforce innovation research projects funded through the NL Workforce Innovation Centre (NLWIC) and to the workforce innovators in Newfoundland and Labrador who are leading them. So learn more from the links and follow us, follow our projects, engage @NLWIC #tipoftheiceberg or download our brochure here. 
Choices for Youth (CFY) is committed to building programs, systems, and opportunities that are focused on providing individualized support for young people, celebrating who they are, and working together to unlock their potential to build a brighter future.

According to the latest numbers from Statistics Canada, unemployment has risen to 15.5 per cent in Newfoundland and Labrador. Specifically, the unemployment rate for youth ages 15-24 is 17.1% (Statistics Canada, July 2018). Compared to the Canadian unemployment rate at 11.1%, this statistic presents many questions that requires valid research and community engagement.
What employment supports are needed to address the identified gaps and barriers for at-risk individuals aged 12-40 in the Corner Brook-Bay of Islands area?

How can this research on employment supports and the evaluation of the pilot project be used to develop best practices for the delivery of employment services using the YES! Drop-in Employment Services, Job Connect and Brighter Futures Employment Programs?
NL Workforce Innovation Centre is excited to continue to partner with The Conference Board of Canada and Business + Higher Education Roundtable in their project to improve and expand work-integrated learning (WIL) in Canada. That project aims to assess and support the recruitment, training, and future talent needs during our country’s economic recovery from COVID-19.


If you are interested in shaping the efforts and business toolbox, gaining advanced access to B+HER’s online resource hub, and joining a pan-Canadian network focused on building the future of work-integrated learning, we invite you to attend one of the following virtual consultations:

Work-integrated learning in the construction industry |
Sept 24, 2020 at 3:00PM EST

Work-integrated learning and Canada's entrepreneurship ecosystems |
Sept 29, 2020 at 11:00AM EST

Work-integrated learning in the advanced manufacturing industry |
Sept 30, 2020 at 1:00PM EST

Work-integrated learning in financial services |
Oct 7, 2020 at 10:30AM EST

Work-integrated learning in Canada's digital technology sector |
Oct 13, 2020 at 1:00PM EST

Advancing work-integrated learning in science and innovation (bilingual) |
Oct 21, 2020 at 2:00PM EST

Work-industry learning in the arts and cultural sector |
Oct 27, 2020 at 11:00AM EST

NLWIC will be co-convening the Work-integrated learning and Canada's entrepreneurship ecosystems and Work-integrated learning in Canada's digital technology sector consultations. We encourage you to register for any of the consultations on the above dates, pending availability. 


These events are free, but space is limited. 
B+HER and CEWIL announce grant funding to create new work-integrated learning opportunities
The Business + Higher Education Roundtable (BHER) and Co-operative Education and Work-Integrated Learning Canada (CEWIL Canada) are thrilled to announce a one million dollar collaborative grant-based funding initiative aimed at creating work-integrated learning (WIL) opportunities across Canada.

This initiative comes at a time when young Canadians are facing significant challenges navigating the workforce in the face of COVID-19. Thirty-five percent of post-secondary students who responded to a recent Statistics Canada report having a work placement postponed or cancelled because of the novel coronavirus. This aligns with CEWIL members who indicate that co-op terms are down 23 per cent this year, compared to this time last year. 
Canadians’ needs for skills training and education are changing quickly.
In response, the Public Policy Forum, the Diversity Institute, and the Future Skills Centre have joined together to publish Skills Next, a series that explores what is working in workplaces, universities, and the labour market – and where workers are falling through the gaps in our skills training system.

Our first set of Skills Next papers was released in January and February of 2020. Each report focuses on one issue — such as the impact of technology in the workplace, gig work, digital skills, and barriers to employment that some marginalized groups experience — and reviews the existing state of knowledge on this topic and identifies areas in need of additional research.
FSC Podcast
Ep. 01: Developing Social and Emotional Skills in an Automated World
We’ve all heard it before: Technology is disrupting the world of work, eliminating “low skill” jobs and harming the future of the trades. Daunting? Sure. But there’s also growing demand for a specific type of worker. One with the ability to problem solve, lead, collaborate, communicate, and adapt to the ever-evolving world of work. In other words, there is a growing demand for strong social and emotional skills. The problem is, there is a gap between the demand for these skills and the skills Canadians acquire through education and training.
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