Future Skills Summit 2022

Agenda

Please note: All agenda times are in Eastern Standard Time. See what time that is for you.

Day 1

12:45 p.m.

The Future Skills Centre and its consortium partners are pleased to welcome you to its first national summit. Join us as we set the stage for this exciting event:

Hear about the key trends that are transforming Canada’s labour market and will shape the discussions over the next three days.
Learn more about the future-focused, innovative, and evidence-based priorities set out by the Future Skills Centre and its partners as we look to drive action in Canada’s skills ecosystem.
Discover ways in which you can access resources, participate in discussions, and connect with fellow leaders so that you may get the most out of your summit experience.

Co-Host:

Vice-President, Communications & External Relations, Digital Research Alliance of Canada

Speakers:

Executive Director, Future Skills Centre

President and Chief Executive Officer, The Conference Board of Canada

Vice-President, Research and Innovation, Ryerson University

Minister of Employment, Workforce Development and Disability Inclusion

1:15 p.m.

Keynote

Throughout his life, Dr. Fakih has faced great adversity: from arriving in Canada at the age of 16 as a Lebanese refugee with $1,000 in his pocket; facing numerous struggles, including racism, as an immigrant trying to build a business; to being hit with a global pandemic that has disrupted the food service industry where he has built a successful company. Through it all, he has learned to adapt and innovate, ensuring both his business and community would continue to thrive. His passion, work ethic, and philanthropic commitments make him one of Canada’s most highly regarded CEOs, and he was recently named to the Order of Canada.

Dr. Fakih is a living example of the role that immigration plays in supporting Canada’s economic recovery, driving future growth, and enriching the labour market. Hear his experience first-hand and discover how together, we can break down barriers to newcomers’ success.

Moderator:

President and Chief Executive Officer, The Conference Board of Canada

Speakers:

CEO and President, Paramount Fine Foods

1:45 p.m.

Break

2:00 p.m.

Plenary

Across Canada, massive disruption is transforming industries, communities, and where and how we work. All of these are having a marked impact on the type and quality of jobs that are available and the kinds of skills needed to perform them successfully. The labour market is also seeing the emergence of new types of jobs that demand a host of different skills. A new approach is needed to create career guidance and pathways for people navigating career choices through the trajectory of their working lives.

In this interactive discussion, hear about the challenges organizations are facing, the vision of what is needed, and new ideas and approaches being tested to build a responsive system that supports the changing labour force.

Our esteemed panelists will:

Examine the megatrends that are shaping the future of work, such as globalization, demographic changes, technology and automation, and the green economy.
Discuss the gaps and opportunities to further advance Canada’s career and employment services.
Illustrate the impact that the provision of accessible, proactive, and informed career services will have on those undergoing change in their career journey.
Share lessons learned and the impacts of their own initiatives, as well as actionable items moving forward.

Moderator:

Senior Vice President, Talent Services & Operations, RBC

Panelists:

Executive Director, Canadian Career Development Foundation (CCDF)

Labour Market Economist, OECD

President and CEO, Blueprint

2:45 p.m.

Break

3:00 p.m.

ActionLabs A—(please select one)

ActionLabs are designed to highlight the best practices already making an impact in the labour market. Alongside external partners, the FSC supports innovative projects to identify in-demand skills and test new methods of training delivery.

Join us for an interactive discussion as project leads:

Showcase the work that is being done on the ground.
Engage the audience on key research questions and action items.
Draw out lessons learned and actionable takeaways that you can take back to your organization.

Featured Projects:

Tourism Hospitality Emergency Recovery (THER): In its first phase, THER was launched as an agile pilot project to help displaced workers in the tourism and hospitality sector navigate an uncertain future. Now it has become a national effort with a focus on supporting hospitality and tourism businesses in developing sector-based workforce recovery planning.

EDGE UP: Energy to Digital Growth Education and Upskilling Project: Launched in 2019, EDGE UP and its partners have collaborated to design, implement, and evaluate a digital upskilling pilot project with the goal of transitioning displaced mid-career Calgary energy sector workers to high-growth technology opportunities.

Moderator:

Senior Vice President, Global Government and Industry Relations

Speakers:

President & CEO—OTEC

Director of EDGE UP, Workforce at Calgary Economic Development

Join us for an interactive discussion as project leads:

Showcase the work that is being done on the ground.
Engage the audience on key research questions and action items.
Draw out lessons learned and actionable takeaways that you can take back to your organization.

Featured Projects:

In Motion & Momentum+ (IM&M+): Building resilience, hope and sustainable futures: IM &M+ is focused on breaking long-term cycles of dependence on social assistance for service recipients getting ready to re-enter the labour market. Community-based agencies work with participants to provide support and coaching to continue to move positively towards their employment, educational, and personal development goals.

Newcomer inclusion in Quebec small-to-medium enterprises: This project investigates the manufacturing sector to identify and improve the onboarding experience of immigrant workers in small-to-medium enterprises (SMEs) outside of large gateway cities. These manufacturing SMEs in smaller communities are experiencing a worker shortage, even as a large pool of immigrant workers is available but underutilized.

Moderator:

BMO Chair in Diversity and Governance, Université de Montréal

Speakers:

Managing Director, Canadian Career Development Foundation

Professor, Concordia University

Project Director, Groupe Engram

3:45 p.m.

Break

4:00 p.m.

Join us for an intimate conversation as we sit down with Mohamad Fakih to learn more about his work, passions, and motivations. Use this opportunity to ask your most pressing questions and tap into the brains of those who are making an impact on the future of work in their organizations, communities, and skills ecosystems in Canada.

Moderator:

Chief Executive Officer, The Conference Board of Canada

Speakers:

CEO and President, Paramount Fine Foods

Month XX, 2021

1:00 p.m.

Join us as we kick off another day filled with excitement and learning opportunities. Our summit’s chair will share her thoughts and a high-level recap of our first day and share a glimpse of what’s to come. She will be joined by Sarah Kay, an award-winning spoken-word poet with global perspective and founder of an education organization called Project V.O.I.C.E. Listen as Sarah uses her own poetry, as well as some of her personal experiences, to inspire us as we look to drive action in Canada’s skills ecosystem.

Co-Hosts:

Vice-President, Communications & External Relations, Digital Research Alliance of Canada

Spoken–Word Poet

1:15 p.m.

Panel Discussion

Automation, artificial intelligence, and other emerging technologies mean swift changes in demand for skills in many sectors. New technologies will bring both disruption and opportunities to our workplaces and economy. Canadians will need to be more adaptive, creative, and collaborative, adding and refining skills to keep pace with a world of work undergoing profound change.

Take part in this conversation as our panelists:

Discuss how automation and new technologies are impacting the labour market and specific sectors.
Highlight opportunities and challenges for workers and employers.
Examine how technology needs to be leveraged to help make training and skills more available and responsive to what individuals need.
Share their organizations’ journeys to responding to these disruptive trends and risks.
Identify ways we can leverage technology to improve the future of work.

Moderator:

Head of IVADO Training Program

Panelists:

Board member and President and Managing Partner, KPMG Digital

VP & Country Manager, Google Canada

President & CEO, INDIGENOUS WORKS and Founder & CEO, LUMINARY

Chair of the Commission of Labor Market Partners (CLMP) and the Metropolitan Employment Council (MEC)

2:00 p.m.

Break

2:15 p.m.

ActionLabs B—(please select one)

Join us for an interactive discussion as project leads:

Showcase the work that is being done on the ground.
Engage the audience on key research questions and action items.
Draw out lessons learned and actionable takeaways that you can take back to your organization.

Featured Projects

Future-proofing the Food and Beverage Processing Workforce: Working directly with employers, this project is developing the first systematic testing of a broad learning and recognition framework (FPSC LRF) for the food and beverage processing industry. The objective is to ensure that the workforce can develop and adapt to meet the ever-changing needs of the industry as it grows, adopts new technology, and innovates in response to various labour market challenges.

ADaPT: Digital competencies: ADaPT creates new training opportunities into digital roles for non-STEM graduates, internationally-educated professionals, and high-potential workers who lack traditional credentials. By expanding the current ADaPT model across different Canadian communities, this project strives to enhance career pathways and address challenges faced by under-represented groups.

Moderator:

Chief Executive Officer Firespirit Inc.

Speakers:

Executive Director Food Processing Skills Canada Ontario

Director, Training Programs & Business Development, Ryerson’s Diversity Institute

Join us for an interactive discussion as project leads:

Showcase the work that is being done on the ground.
Engage the audience on key research questions and action items.
Draw out lessons learned and actionable takeaways that you can take back to your organization.

Unleashing learning management systems: This project leverages technology to help curate and develop online content and tools to support training and skills development needs among small and medium enterprises (SMEs) across Canada to foster more inclusive workplaces.

Virtual Recruitment and Assessment for the Unionized Construction Industry: Using research, behavioural insights, and social and digital marketing, this project aims to develop a recruitment strategy to reach new audiences and support the recruitment of under-represented populations into the unionized construction industry.

Moderator:

Project Manager, Magnet

Panelists:

Vice President, Programs, Ontario Chamber of Commerce

Director of Workforce Development, SkillPlan

Senior Research Associate, Social Research and Demonstration Corporation (SRDC)

3:00 p.m.

Break

3:15 p.m.

Fireside Chat

Wendy Cukier of Ryerson University’s Diversity Institute will lead a fireside chat on the theme of “The Road to Inclusive Recovery.” They will discuss the challenges for equity-deserving groups as they navigate through economic recovery, rebuilding a more resilient, inclusive and stronger country for everyone and recognizing the critical role of education, skills development and training as an enabler, and strengthening different sectors and geographies of the Canadian labour market.

Moderator:

Founder, Diversity Institute and Academic Research Lead for Future Skills Centre

Speaker:

Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada

P.C., C.M., O.Ont, C.B.E.

3:45 p.m.

Break

4:00 p.m.

Virtual braindates are knowledge-sharing conversations that you book with others to have one-on-one or in small groups (via video chat) on the Braindate platform. They’re the best way to brainstorm, solve challenges, share expertise or experiences, while connecting with new (brilliant!) people — all virtually. How does it work? It’s simple:

Look out for our email with login information to Braindate.
Explore the Topic Market — where all participants (including you!) post the knowledge they are willing to share.
Pick something you want to learn or create your own topic.
Book your braindates, with whom you will connect virtually during the Future Skills Summit.

Month XX, 2021

12:00 p.m.

Plenary Panel

As Canada moves to meet some of the world’s most ambitious net zero targets, workers’ skills in virtually every sector will be more critical than ever. John Stackhouse, SVP, Office of the CEO, RBC, and moderator Duangsuda Sopchokchai, associate director, economic research at the Conference Board of Canada, will discuss the latest research findings from RBC on how Canadian skills, tasks and jobs will be transformed and the ways workers, businesses, skills practitioners and governments can collaborate to prepare the workforce for a net zero economy.

Host:

Executive Director, Future Skills Centre

Moderator:

Associate Director, Economic Research, The Conference Board of Canada

Speaker:

Senior Vice-President, Office of the CEO, RBC

12:45 p.m.

Break

1:00 p.m.

Join us as we kick off another day filled with excitement and learning opportunities. Our summit’s chair will reflect on the summit’s key takeaways and share details of what’s to come.

You will hear from Glory Ogor, a young worker who has taken part in work led by FSC project partners supported by the Centre. She'll share more about her skills-building journey, talk about what's keeping her at night, and give the skills development ecosystem a call to action that cannot be ignored.

Co-Host:

Vice-President, Communications & External Relations, Digital Research Alliance of Canada

Speaker:

Senior Business Systems Analyst, Scotiabank

1:15 p.m.

ActionLabs C—(please select one)

Join us for an interactive discussion as project leads:

Showcase the work that is being done on the ground.
Engage the audience on key research questions and action items.
Draw out lessons learned and actionable takeaways that you can take back to your organization.

Featured Projects:

FAST: Facilitating Access to Skilled Talent: Piloted as a pre-arrival program, FAST is an online, occupation-specific skills assessment and development platform that is designed to aid newcomers to Canada in overcoming barriers, such as the lack of recognition of their international work credentials and the absence of Canadian work experience.

Upskilling Canadian youth for in-demand tech careers: This initiative provides youth aged 18–29 with professional and technical skills training, direct job placement, and five years of post-hire services, including mentorship and continuing education for career advancement. In its second phase, a hybrid approach will be expanded to bring virtual skills training and remote work opportunities to Indigenous, francophone, and Northern communities.

Moderator:

Director, Research and Policy, Canadian Council for Youth Prosperity

Speakers:

Chief Executive Officer, NP Power Canada

Program Lead, Immigrant Employment Council of BC

Join us for an interactive discussion as project leads:

Showcase the work that is being done on the ground.
Engage the audience on key research questions and action items.
Draw out lessons learned and actionable takeaways that you can take back to your organization.

Featured Projects:

Material Handling 4.0: Building pathways to employment for disadvantaged groups: The supply chain sector is seeing shifts in the way it moves, stores, distributes, and disposes of materials and products. Material Handling 4.0 combines training, individualized student support, and practical work experience to help new material handlers transition into job opportunities within the supply chain sector.

What works for work? Employment integration in youth service hubs across Canada: Now expanded across Canada, this program helps young people facing barriers to entry into the job market due to mental health challenges. The team is providing evidence-based support and working with employers to integrate employment specialists into the mental health services team to help young people find, secure, and keep meaningful employment.

Moderator:

Scientist, Institute for Work & Health

Speakers:

Director, CAMH

Manager, Future Skills Partnerships, Mohawk College

2:00 p.m.

Break

2:15 p.m.

Plenary

The demands to adopt environmentally sustainable practices are growing, and many communities are experiencing massive shifts as industries such as the energy sector undergo change. Organizations and governments are committed to helping people within these regions transition and succeed — collaborating to drive policy change, set ambitious targets, and action innovation as we transition towards a low-carbon future. The green economy is seeing a growing demand for skills in areas such as clean energy and clean tech. To help achieve our climate goals, how can we reskill and upskill the workforce across sectors for the green jobs of the future — without leaving anyone behind?

Join us for this forward-looking discussion as panelists:

Examine the green economy transformation and the sectors at the helm of this shift.
Illustrate commitment to support and sustain people and regions undergoing transition.
Discuss the skills needed to support the transition and prepare Canada to be a leader in the green economy.
Share their organizations’ and outside examples of the green economy journey and workforce impacts.
Discuss innovative approaches and technologies to diminish the environmental footprint of the workforce.
Reflect on how Canada’s skills ecosystem can anticipate demand for skills in growing green sectors such as clean energy and clean tech.

Moderator:

Senior Director, Policy and Innovation, Smart Prosperity Institute

Panelists:

Executive Director, Iron + Earth

President & CEO, Ocean Wise Conservation Association

CEO, Foresight Cleantech Accelerator Centre

3:00 p.m.

Break

3:10 p.m.

Plenary Panel

All sectors need to do their part in ensuring skills policies and programs adapt to support job seekers, workers, and employers—priorities that are reflected in major investments in the federal government’s most recent budget. Recognizing that Canadians will face continuous change during their working lives, panellists will discuss the importance of continued education, skills training, and access to dynamic labour market information to better navigate a continuously changing world of work.

Moderator:

Director, Research, Evaluation and Knowledge Mobilization

Speakers:

Director of Research, Data, and Analytics, Labour Market Information Council

President, Holland College

Senior Assistant Deputy Minister, Skills and Employment Branch, Employment and Social Development Canada, Government of Canada

3:50 p.m.

Break

4:00 p.m.

Leadership Panel

Beyond the many transformations of the labour market discussed during the summit, it is certain that the work environment will continue to change in the coming decade. Our final panel focuses on the future of work, identifying the most impactful and important steps forward, giving a sense of the key elements of a future road map for the Canadian skills ecosystem.

Moderator:

Executive Director, Future Skills Centre

Illustrator:

Illustrator

Panelists:

Strategic Advisor and Foresight Expert, NOW Partners, LLC

CEO, BrandEQ Group Inc.; CEO, Black Business Professional Association (BBPA)

Atkinson Foundation’s Fellow, Future of Workers

4:45 p.m.

Session description coming soon.

Co-Host:

Vice-President, Communications & External Relations, Digital Research Alliance of Canada

Speakers:

Executive Director, Future Skills Centre

Illustrator

Vice-President, Research and Innovation, Ryerson University

Future Skills Summit

What to expect

Foster dialogue, cultivate ideas, share innovations, and drive action

Discussions will focus on:

Featured speakers

Mohamad Fakih

Nadine Spencer

John Stackhouse

Rachel Wernick

All Speakers

ArmughanAhmad

GaryAnandasangaree

The Honourable Dr. JeanAugustine

PedroBarata

DonnaleeBell

SusanBlack

JuliaBlackburn

TonyBonen

JulieCafley

SaulCarliner

KatieChappell

WendyCukier

LuisaDa Silva

LawrenceDaniels

LouieDi Palma

SabrinaGeremia

JenneferGriffith

LasseGustavsson

Dr. JoannaHenderson

SareenaHopkins

JeanetteJackson

Dr. ArifJetha

SarahKay

SanjayKhanna

KellyLendsay

StevenN. Liss

Dr. Alexander (Sandy)MacDonald

MikeMoffatt

AdamMorrison

KatharineMullock

AudreyMurray

KarenMyers

CamNguyen

Glory Ogor

AliciaPiechowiak

JennyPoulos

The Honourable Carla Qualtrough

BrianRobson

Dr. TaniaSaba

NathalieSanon

IonaSantos-Fresnoza

ShaliniSharma

NatalieShearer

LoveySidhu

DuangsudaSopchokchai

ChristineStenton

JeanetteSutherland

NadiaTheodore

TriciaWilliams

ArmineYalnizyan

Agenda

Day 1

Julie Cafley

Pedro Barata

Susan Black

Steven N. Liss

The Honourable Carla Qualtrough

Susan Black

Mohamad Fakih

Jenny Poulos

Sareena Hopkins

Katharine Mullock

Karen Myers

Nadia Theodore

Adam Morrison

Jeanette Sutherland

Dr. Tania Saba

Donnalee Bell

Saul Carliner

Alicia Piechowiak

Armughan
Ahmad

Gary
Anandasangaree

The Honourable Dr. Jean
Augustine

Pedro
Barata

Donnalee
Bell

Susan
Black

Julia
Blackburn

Tony
Bonen

Julie
Cafley

Saul
Carliner

Katie
Chappell

Wendy
Cukier

Luisa
Da Silva

Lawrence
Daniels

Louie
Di Palma

Sabrina
Geremia

Jennefer
Griffith

Lasse
Gustavsson

Dr. Joanna
Henderson

Sareena
Hopkins

Jeanette
Jackson

Dr. Arif
Jetha

Sarah
Kay

Sanjay
Khanna

Kelly
Lendsay

Steven
N. Liss

Dr. Alexander (Sandy)
MacDonald

Mike
Moffatt

Adam
Morrison

Katharine
Mullock

Audrey
Murray

Karen
Myers

Cam
Nguyen

Glory
Ogor

Alicia
Piechowiak

Jenny
Poulos

The Honourable Carla
Qualtrough

Brian
Robson

Dr. Tania
Saba

Nathalie
Sanon

Iona
Santos-Fresnoza

Shalini
Sharma

Natalie
Shearer

Lovey
Sidhu

Duangsuda
Sopchokchai

Christine
Stenton

Jeanette
Sutherland

Nadia
Theodore

Tricia
Williams

Armine
Yalnizyan