Future Skills Centre

Canadians need to prepare for a changing labour market. The Future Skills Centre—Centre des Compétences futures (FSC–CCF) will help them transition and adapt to new jobs. Funded by the Government of Canada’s Future Skills Program, the Future Skills Centre is a partnership between Blueprint, Toronto Metropolitan University, and The Conference Board of Canada.

As part of our commitment to the Future Skills Centre, the Conference Board will research future skills needs, lead knowledge mobilization and convening activities, and facilitate the exchange of ideas by developing a pan-Canadian stakeholder network.

Latest Research

ChatGPT: Organizational and Labour Implications

Canadian Economics November 16, 2023

Artificial intelligence (AI) has a long history, with the first AI program often attributed as the “Logic Theorist,” created in 1956. More recently, advancements in machine learning algorithms, and the growing availability of large data sets on which to train models, have led to a proliferation of AI applications. However, in November 2022, the release of ChatGPT (Chat Generative Pre-trained Transformer) by OpenAI marked a turning point in public interest.

Issue briefing • 13-min read

Levelling the Playing Field for Black Canadians

Education & Skills November 16, 2023

Black Canadians perceive that employers undervalue their skills and knowledge. Not valuing people’s skills, and feeling that your skills are not recognized, can create barriers to inclusive workplaces, which ultimately holds Black employees back.

Impact paper • 30-min read

Conversational hands at a table with a laptop and a notebook.

Education & Skills October 14, 2023

The Conference Board of Canada, on behalf of the Future Skills Centre, is exploring how Canadian employers identify and assess social and emotional skills (SES) in new and potential employees.

Online experience • 17-min read

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Listening to You

We recently heard from Canadians across the country on how the Future Skills Centre can best meet your region’s priorities.

The Conference Board of Canada organized the Regional Sounding Tour and the Virtual Regional Sounding Tour as part of the Future Skills Centre’s strategic roundtable events. By listening to Canadians in the skills and training community, we gained valuable insights into the skills that will be needed tomorrow.

Find out more about the top issues facing Canadians.

Virtual Regional Sounding Tour

For details about our 2019 Regional Sounding Tour.

Regional Sounding Tour

The Honourable Patty Hajdu

Former Minister of Employment, Workforce Development and Labour

The world of work is changing and Canadians need to be equipped to seize the opportunities this presents. Future Skills is part of the Government’s plan to build an agile workforce that can find and keep good, well-paying jobs, and strengthen the middle class so that everyone has a fair chance at success—today and tomorrow.

Mohamed Lachemi

President and Vice-chancellor, Toronto Metropolitan University

As Canada’s leader in innovative, career-oriented education, Toronto Metropolitan University is proud to lead the consortium for this important federal government initiative. With expertise in multidisciplinary, large-scale research and evaluation projects, TMU is a community builder that convenes academics, governments, non-profits, and industry to better understand and promote diversity, entrepreneurship, and employment. TMU is well-positioned to help prepare all Canadians for emerging opportunities today and beyond.

Susan Black

Chief Executive Officer, The Conference Board of Canada

The Conference Board of Canada is pleased to be at the centre of this exciting and important federal initiative for workforce development and the future of work. We will be undertaking new research and convening initiatives with a keen focus on offering innovative ideas on what we can do as a Country to keep pace with new technologies and the rapidly changing nature of work.

Karen Myers

President and CEO, Blueprint

Blueprint is delighted to be a partner in this ground-breaking initiative. Our expertise in skills development and extensive experience executing complex research and evaluation projects will allow us to confidently lead the FSC/CCF evidence generation strategy. Working together, we will build a culture of evidence-informed decision-making that will strengthen our skills development ecosystem and improve outcomes for individuals, families, and communities across Canada.

Michael Burt

Vice President, The Conference Board of Canada

Our work with FSC has led to significant breakthroughs in our understanding of key questions. This includes identifying who faces the most automation risks and how we can help them transition into new roles, identifying and quantifying key skills gaps, and highlighting the potential of blended market and land-based economies in Canada’s far north.

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