New Report Shows Technology a Vital Tool in Addressing Skills Gap, Upskilling, Recruitment and Inclusive Workplace Environments

November 04, 2020

Experts advise organizations will need to leverage new talent and technologies to adapt to the new virtual economy

Toronto, ON, November 4, 2020: The pandemic has forced all types of organizations to pivot to deliver their products or services as well as their operations virtually. Even before COVID-19, digitization and automation were disrupting the workforce. At the same time, demand for skilled workers continues to be a major concern for both large and small and medium sized organizations. A new report called Technology-Enabled Innovations in the Skills and Employment Ecosystem provides (opens in new window) a timely review of the increasing opportunities where technology can provide innovative approaches in addressing the skills gap, the need to upskill, recruit and provide inclusive workplace environments – all major challenges faced by organizations and job seekers and employees alike.

This report, released today from Ryerson’s Diversity Institute in partnership with the Public Policy Forum (external link) and supported by the Future Skills Centre (external link) , builds upon previous research released earlier this year called, (PDF file) Return on Investment, Industry Leadership on Upskilling and Reskilling their Workforce (external link) which showed that companies have already begun, investing hundreds of millions of dollars in upskilling and reskilling programs to address the skills gap and provided an overview of how companies including AT&T, Scotiabank, TD Bank, Accenture and Walmart are retraining their workforces. One of the largest upskilling projects included one by AT&T with an investment of $1B resulting in half of its 250,000 workforce completing 2.7 million online courses. Other research shows a 25 percent average return on investment for training programs, with some participating companies reporting returns as high as 300 percent.

Stephen Harrington, report co-author and National Lead, Workforce Strategy, Deloitte said, “skills gaps, like the technology change driving the trend, are accelerating. What’s clear is that the cost of re-skilling cannot be carried by most organizations if we continue with old approaches, the pure volume of learning requirements is unaffordable. We need new approaches to learning. Fortunately, technology is ready to play a role, with a vast array of low cost providers entering the market. The new challenge is for employers to make sense of the options by building the capability to acquire, integrate, and turn-over learning technologies more quickly.”

Data analytics, artificial intelligence, mobile communications, and virtual and augmented reality are examples highlighted in the report of technologies that can assess and develop skills, better align supply and demand, and create more inclusive, productive and healthy workplaces.

“We need to better define, assess, develop and utilize skills and technology can help us do this whether we are talking about technology skills or social and emotional intelligence,” said Wendy Cukier, report co-author and founder of the Diversity Institute. “Employees and businesses need more evidence-informed approaches to recruitment, selection, promotion and performance management to support and retain employees and to create more inclusive work environments. As digitization continues to shift the type of skills employers need, it will only become more urgent for Canadian companies to understand the advantages and impact of reskilling and upskilling programs, and to create a culture of continuous learning to ensure employees have the skills they need, so no one is left behind.”

The report proposes an approach that considers how technology contributes to five primary skills development areas:

Skills development and education—the learning, experience and exposure to skills development
Accessing skills—the sourcing, mapping and selecting of talent
Skills-mapping—including skills identification, gaps, assessments and skills-position mapping
Skills assessment—including measuring and evaluation, as well as credentialing; and
Skills utilization—including tools to support diversity and inclusion.

Mark Patterson, report co-author and Executive Director of Magnet, an online skills matching platform for job seekers and employers, advises, “we have long known about the power of online platforms powered by big data and artificial intelligence to match job seekers with opportunities, to assess and develop skills and to create more inclusive work places. Tools and platforms in the skills- mapping section are also on the rise and necessary to help define what skills are required, or will be required, for particular jobs as well as to identify skills gaps within organizations.”

The report analyzes educational technologies and shares that educational technology (known as edTech) startup investments alone are expected to reach a total industry investment of USD $275 billion by 2022. Robert Luke, CEO of eCampusOntario, which is responsible for supporting the development and innovation of digital learning for 45 colleges and universities and one Indigenous Institute in Ontario, said, “the use of technology for education offers important opportunities for learners to access education where and when they need to. In today’s pandemic reality, technology is the primary way for access to learning. As we work to develop digital learning at scale it is essential to focus on learner needs, quality, and inclusion and accessibility.”

“To be most effective when implementing upskilling or training, organizations should consider that upskilling needs to be integrated into the overall workplace experience,” said Paula Allen, Senior Vice President of Research, Analytics and Innovation, Morneau Shepell. “Training and learning should not be a separate or stand-alone function. Additionally, accommodations and the design of integrated training and upskilling should be considered to address challenges faced by distinct populations. Technology has tremendous potential to create more inclusive environments supporting employee engagement, mental health and satisfaction, which also translate into improved performance”

Namir Anani, President and CEO, Information and Communications Technology Council welcomed the report’s focus on the advantages of the use of technology to address the ongoing skills gap. “In an increasingly changing economy, our ability to prepare tomorrow’s digital workforce and nurture Canada’s innovative talent are vital for ensuring Canada's competitive advantage on the world stage. As digitization continue to reshape the fabric of our economy, we must also be intentional in our skills development strategies to ensure a shared digital future for all Canadians where no one is left behind.”

The report is part of the Skills Next Project (external link) , a collaboration of the Public Policy Forum and the Diversity Institute at Ryerson’s Ted Rogers School of Management —supported by the Future Skills Centre, which explores a number of the most important issues currently impacting the skills and employment ecosystem in Canada.

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For further information, please contact: Kathleen Powderley, 416-803-5597, kathleen@responsiblecomm.ca