Pixel International Conferences

“Jobs without people and people without jobs” has been a global challenge for over 20 years, as CEOs around the world consider skills gaps one of the most pressing concerns for innovation and growth (Brethour, 1997; Drummond, 2012; ICTC, 2017). Employer and job-seeker surveys identify a disconnect between supply and demand. Finding the right talent and recruiting well-prepared recent graduates is a challenge for large (30.9%) and small (28.3%) enterprises (Cukier, 2014). Concurrently, many skilled workers, particularly diverse workers, experience un- or under-employment. Yet, filling skills gaps is a challenge for post-secondary institutions. Horizon planning takes years because it requires collegial decision making and regulatory body oversight; thus, it is inflexible and unable to respond to changing labour market needs (Canada, 2017). Further, it is difficult to anticipate needed skills given the rapid technological change that suggests that nearly 50% of current jobs will not exist in 2022 (Osbourne & Frey, 2014). In response to concerns about skills gaps and the under-employment of diverse groups, a number of innovative programs have been developed and implemented. This presentation focuses on Advanced Digital and Professional Training (ADaPT), a work-integrated learning program offering digital literacy, communications, research, business financial and career skills workshops designed for post-secondary graduates and students facing employment challenges that responds to identified employer needs. Funded by the provincial government and 20 industry partners (who train and hire), ADaPT is an experimental model for supporting job seekers’ workplace transition via workshops tailored to student and employer needs. Established outside of formal curriculum and open to students across programs and institution, ADaPT can launch and deliver work integrated learning in under 4 months. More than 200 participants affiliated with 15 Canadian universities have completed the program with job placement rates over 80% and high levels of satisfaction from both employers and participants (93%). More than 75% of participants self-identify with one diversity characteristic (gender, racialization, disability or Indigeneity). ADaPT is an innovation that leverages technology, psychometric testing, experiential learning, partnerships and just-in-time methods to fill this known gap. This presentation will also discuss current efforts to scale and extend the program.

Keywords: digital skills; professional skills; innovation; skill development; internship; business development; entrepreneurship; youth employment;