Knowledge Synthesis Grants on Skills Development for Future Needs of the Canadian Labour Market
The social sciences and humanities offer a wealth of knowledge and expertise on labour market dynamics and skills development. As a result, in partnership with Employment and Social Development Canada (ESDC) and other key stakeholders, SSHRC developed a call for proposals to evaluate the current state of knowledge about the skills needs of the Canadian labour market and to identify the most promising policies and practices for better meeting future skills needs.
The objectives of this funding opportunity were to:
- assess the quality, accuracy and rigour of current work in the field;
- identify gaps in the knowledge and the quantitative and qualitative data available; and
- mobilize skills and labour market knowledge within industry, the academic and public policy sectors.
Sixteen reports by researchers across Canada from a range of disciplines were funded through this initiative. The complete recipients list can be found here
Please note that reports are only available in the language in which they were submitted.
Crowdsourcing Métis Research
Chris Andersen and Yvonne Poitras‑Pratt present their knowledge synthesis on Métis research in education, employment and training. Working with a variety of Métis organizations, the research team found that most Métis research is provincially‑based and, as a result, exists in a “jurisdictional vacuum”. The team hopes to create a crowdsourcing database to help centralize knowledge and to make best practices and other resources more readily available for policy actors across Canada.
Integrating International Students
Chedly Belkhodja discusses his research project that measures the factors involved in the successful integration of international students in Canadian society. International students form a growing population in Canadian universities. His research identifies challenges in attracting international students, and in their professional integration after graduation into Canadian workplaces. His research synthesis will help provide a better understanding of how international students contribute to Canada’s prosperity and society.
Investing in Human Capital
Benoit Dostie discusses his knowledge synthesis about the impacts of employer‑sponsored training. His research looks at business strategies in human investment, at links between training and an organization’s productivity, and the complementary elements between investments in human, organizational and physical capital. His research synthesis has shown that employee training yields positive outcomes for businesses, and that the benefits outweigh the loss of wages of employees undergoing training.
Leveraging Mentoring
Catherine Elliott, on behalf of Joanne D. Leck, discusses the state of mentoring in Canada and some of the challenges faced by women, visible minorities and immigrants, disabled persons and Aboriginal people in advancing to senior positions in the workplace. Elliott, Leck and their research team document how mentoring is associated with numerous benefits, including improved work performance, promotions, and enhanced skills development. They examine various approaches to mentoring and aim to discover how best to leverage mentoring as a tool to promote employee learning and advancement in order for Canada to access the leadership potential of all employees.
Workplace Inclusion
Sally Lindsay talks about her knowledge synthesis project, which focused on identifying ways to improve the participation of persons with disabilities whose talents are underutilized in the Canadian labour market. Her research identified policies, programs and employment practices that can improve the inclusion of persons with disabilities in the workforce. The report calls for more research in the area, and for different agencies to communicate and work together on the issue.
READ MORE: http://www.sshrc-crsh.gc.ca/society-societe/knowledge_mobilization-mobilisation_des_connaissances/index-eng.aspx
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