Disruptive Technology and the Future of Skills: A Gendered Analysis

Despite the intense interest in the “Future of Work'' and “Future Skills,” discussions of the impacts of workplace changes on women or other diverse groups are noticeably absent. Existing research on women in the workplace has largely focused on wage gaps and not on the impact of trends such as increased automation, the prioritization of STEM over other disciplines, or new emergent forms of work such as gig and contingent work. 

The Future Skills Centre hosted a panel discussion on August 7, 2020 that examined the risks women face in the future of work, the reasons for those risks, and how they might be mitigated. Expert panelists explored myriad topics including the business case for the inclusion of women, the role of social sciences and humanities in unpacking these trends and innovative approaches to women’s inclusion in the job market. 

Speakers included: 

• Dr. Wendy Cukier, Ryerson University 
• Dr. Tania Saba, University of Montreal 
• Dr. Sandra Lapointe, McMaster University 
• Dr. Jaigris Hodson, Royal Roads University 
• Dr. Kelly Gallagher-McKay, Future Skills Center 
• Sunil Johal, City of Toronto

Watch the panel discussion on-demand and find Dr. Cukier’s presentation below.