Project Overview
The Conference Board of Canada, in partnership with Future Skills Canada, published an Issue Briefing in June of 2024 titled The Heart of the Matter (Conference Board of Canada, 2024). This briefing details the hiring demand for social and emotional skills (SES) across the country for different industries and occupation levels. Statistics in the briefing identify that people skills, such as communication and teamwork, are among the most sought-after by employers, with desirable personal qualities, such as leadership and adaptability, being mentioned most frequently in job postings.
While SES is of optimum importance when retraining, a survey issued by the Conference Board of Canada (2024) also highlights that the demand for core AI skills increased by 37.0 percent from 2018 to 2023. Research conducted by Microsoft and LinkedIn concludes that two-thirds of leaders (66%) wouldn’t hire someone without AI skills (2024). The Workforce Readiness Micro-credential is a program designed to address barriers to employment and support underemployed and unemployed adults (ages 18+) with essential employability skill development and the cultivation of interpersonal and job readiness competencies.
Delivered completely online, there are weekly virtual sessions for additional support, and individual in-person meetings can be scheduled for those students who require more intensive assistance. The program leverages innovative technologies that are aligned with the principles of Universal Design (UDL) and Social and Emotional Learning (SEL) to prepare participants for meaningful employment or position them for further education aligned with a defined career plan.
The program is comprised of 10 modules, each of which results in a digital badge upon completion and a culminating micro-credential for the attainment of all 10 badges. These badges and micro-credentials are shareable on social media and showcase the competencies, learning outcomes and assessments completed in each course. All achievements are securely recorded using blockchain technology, making them easily verifiable by prospective employers.
This program increases the confidence level of learners in the areas of digital literacy and AI, as technology is pervasive across all sectors. Further, the program provides a solid framework for successful interpersonal communication in the workplace, with a focus on identifying personality traits in oneself and others, and how this knowledge is empowering, prompting individuals to leverage their unique strengths and the collective assets of a team.
Finally, a defined occupational goal, developed from within the job readiness component, will provide the focal point to facilitate the creation of a work plan to inform structured job search efforts or training pathways to take place during the last two months of the program.
The fundamental values of Six Nations Polytechnic are woven into each course and speak to the professional and personal skills required to obtain wellness and personal fulfillment in one’s chosen profession. Human Resources staff from Libro Credit Union have provided critical employer information that has informed the development of the program for the creation of content that is relevant and timely.
Courses
- Indigenous Wellness Strategies
- Digital Literacy Essentials
- Staying Safe Online
- AI in a Changing Workplace
- Resume & Cover Letter Development
- LinkedIn & Networking
- Interviewing with Purpose
- Career Exploration & Job Search
- Professionalism in the Workplace
- Skills for Team Success