The Future Skills Podcast – Détails, épisodes et analyse

In this episode of the Future Skills Podcast, we focus on Canada’s big build moment—when major infrastructure, industrial expansion, and nation‑building projects are converging with profound workforce pressures. Host Jeremy Strachan is joined by former Ontario Minister of Labour and Infrastructure Monte McNaughton to explore why apprenticeships, early pathways into the skilled trades, and labour mobility are essential as retirements accelerate and demand surges. We then hear from Mike Gordon, Director of Canadian Training of the United Association of Plumbers and Pipefitters, who unpacks why training quality, credential recognition, and national standards are critical to mobilizing a skilled workforce—without taking risky shortcuts. We close with Pari Johnston, President and CEO of Colleges and Institutes Canada, who makes the case for public colleges as the backbone of Canada’s skills ecosystem, and what it will take to deliver training at the speed, scale, and quality needed to prepare workers for an AI‑driven economy. 

Guests  

Monte McNaughton, Co-Chair, Future Skills Centre Resilient Workforce Working Table 

Mike Gordon, Director of Canadian Training, United Association of Plumbers and Pipefitters 

Pari Johnston, President and CEO, Colleges and Institutes Canada 

Links 

Future Skills Centre Homepage: https://fsc-ccf.ca/ 

Future Skills Centre LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/fsc-ccf 

Future Skills Centre Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/fsc-ccf.bsky.social 

Signal49 Research Homepage: https://www.signal49.ca/ 

Signal49 Research Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Signal49Research 

Signal49 Research X: https://x.com/S49Research 

Future Skills Centre Resilient Workforce Working Table: https://fsc-ccf.ca/engage/resilient-workforce-working-table/ 

United Association of Plumbers and Pipefitters: https://www.uacanada.ca/ 

Colleges and Institutes Canada: https://www.collegesinstitutes.ca/ 

Signal49 Research, Building Under Pressure: Skilled Trades Shortages and Rising Construction Costs. Ottawa, Signal49 Research, November 24, 2025. 

Statistics Canada. Changes in the population of tradespeople between 2016 and 2021. Education, Learning and Training Research Paper Series, September 26, 2024.
https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/n1/pub/81-595-m/81-595-m2024002-eng.htm  

In this episode of the Future Skills Podcast, we tee up the new season by diving into Canada’s hinge moment for talent, productivity, and resilience by revisiting some of the key themes from A Future Built on Skills. This one-day hybrid event from October 2025 brought together thought leaders in skills, training and workforce development. We’re joined by the Future Skills Centre’s Noel Baldwin in conversation with the Honourable Patty Hajdu, Minister of Jobs and Families, exploring an all‑hands‑on‑deck approach to workforce resilience—why soft skills, apprenticeships, and work‑integrated learning matter as major projects and trades demand surge. Then J.P. Giroux, President of the Excellence in Manufacturing Consortium, takes us onto the factory floor to unpack how automation and AI are reshaping roles, why SMEs must treat training as strategy, and how a culture of continuous learning drives real productivity gains. We close with Professor Wendy Cukier, Academic Director and Founder of the Diversity Institute at Toronto Metropolitan University, who makes the case for a national skills agenda centered on SMEs, inclusion (EDI), and scenario planning for AI, and what a blueprint for preparing Canada’s workforce for 2026 and beyond looks like.

Guests

The Honourable Patty Hajdu, Minister of Jobs and Families, Government of Canada

Noel Baldwin, Executive Director, Future Skills Centre

J.P. Giroux, President, Excellence in Manufacturing Consortium

Wendy Cukier, Academic Director and Founder, Diversity Institute

In this bonus episode of the Future Skills Podcast, new host Jeremy Strachan dives into highlights from the Magnet Network Live event held in Toronto in October 2024, where leaders gathered to address Canada’s talent, training, and skills challenges. The episode features insights on AI, productivity, and Canada’s “12/21 problem,” where outdated learning models fall short in a 21st-century workforce. 

Key discussions focus on the need for risk-taking in business, the importance of social and emotional skills, and the critical role of trust in the workplace. Strachan also explores immigration’s role in Canada’s future, barriers faced by international students, and the impact of the Future Skills Centre’s efforts to foster an inclusive economy through innovative partnerships and initiatives across Canada. 

Background 

On October 23 and 24, 2024, Magnet Network hosted a two-day networking and knowledge-sharing event in Toronto’s distillery district. Featuring an array of speakers who are thought leaders, policymakers, and visionary idea accelerators in the skills ecosystem in Canada, Magnet Network Live (MNL) was a key forum for stakeholders to meet and hear insights on the pressing issues related to training, workforce development, and productivity in Canada. 

Conference Board of Canada was there in two capacities. Michael Burt, VP, was featured in a session alongside Candice Faktor, CEO of Disco, in a “fireside chat to explore why businesses are holding back on critical investments and how innovative learning models can shift this dynamic.” Jeremy Strachan, SRA, attended to record live audio as content for this episode. Content interviews and ambient and atmospheric textures of the event.

Canada’s productivity puzzle remains unsolved, and a combination of skills waste, talent mismatch, and forecast labour shortages in key sectors like the skilled trades and the green economy are set to exacerbate our problems. MNL is one-of-a-kind event where attendees will hear from some of the best ideas on how to maximize our talent pool resources.

Guests

• Noel Baldwin, Executive Director of the Future Skills Centre 
• Michael Burt, Vice President of Signal49 Research
• Mark Patterson, Executive Director of Magnet 
• Emily Madden, Senior Director of Magnet 
• Ashok Kasilingam, CEO of M2M Tech 
• Erin Rose, Senior Research Associate, Signal49 Research

The Black population in Canada is expected to exceed 3 million by 2041. Despite growing awareness of the root causes of inequities faced by Black communities, we don’t yet have interventions at scale in the skills ecosystem. In this episode, our guests describe the importance of culturally relevant, targeted programing for supporting Black communities in Canada to thrive in education and employment.

Our guests envision a future where gaps in educational attainment and wages between black and non-black individuals are closed, and where anti-Black racism in our classrooms and workplaces is eradicated. They share successful components of workforce development programs, including social capital development, mentorship, socioemotional development, and community involvement.

Speakers:

• Kofi Hope, CEO and Co-Founder, Monumental
• André McDonald, Professor, Mechanical Engineering, Associate Vice-President, Strategic Research Initiatives and Performance, University of Alberta
• Mohamed Elmi, Executive Director, Diversity Institute
• Heather McIntosh, Director, Education and Skills, The Conference Board of Canada (host)

We’ve heard the term “productivity” come up a lot lately. But what does the term really mean? And why does strong productivity matter for leaders, decision makers, and to Canadians at-large? Three experts join us in this episode to help us unpack this concept. They give us an overview of the economic concepts behind productivity, suggest solutions to help boost Canadian productivity, and explain why skills development and innovation are an important part of this conversation.  

Speaker list

• Jonathan Barr, Senior Director, Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada (ISED)
• Pedro Antunes, Chief Economist, Signal49 Research
• Anne-Lore Fraikin, Senior Manager, Economic Research, Signal49 Research
• Heather McIntosh, Director, Education and Skills, Signal49 Research (host)

Links: 

• Skills and Productivity: Which Skills Shortages Are Impacting Canadian Productivity?—August 2024 - Signal49 Research
• Compétences et productivité : Quelles pénuries de compétences influent sur la productivité canadienne?—Août 2024 - Signal49 Research

The urgency of the climate crisis is undeniable. The transition to a clean economy demands significant changes in skills, occupations, and attitudes. In this episode, we delve into the challenges, opportunities, and strategies associated with developing higher education graduates who are equipped to lead and grow a sustainable economy. Our distinguished guests provide key employer, post-secondary, and international perspectives. Join us for a thought-provoking discussion on the intersection of higher education, employment, and a sustainable future. 

Speaker list

• Kevin Nilsen, President & CEO, ECO Canada
• Charles Hopkins, UNESCO Chair in Reorienting Education Towards Sustainability, York University 
• Tanzeela Faisal, Research Associate, The Conference Board of Canada
• Heather McIntosh, Director, Education and Skills, The Conference Board of Canada (host)

Links

Teaching Green Skills: What Actions Are Post-secondary Institutions Taking? - Signal49 Research

In this episode, we delve into the implications of the AI revolution for teaching and learning within Canada’s post-secondary institutions. Join us as we speak with a researcher, an AI sector leader, and a university Chief AI Officer to uncover how this technology is reshaping education. From real-world applications to ethical considerations, we explore the opportunities and challenges of integrating generative AI tools (like ChatGPT) into the classroom, offering insights for educators, administrators, and policymakers alike.

Speaker list

• Melissa Judd, Vice-President, Research Operations and Academic Partnerships, Vector Institute
• Mark Daley, Chief AI Officer, Western University
• Adam Vanzella Yang, Senior Research Associate, Signal49 Research
• Heather McIntosh, Director, Education and Skills, The Conference Board of Canada (host)

Links

• Future Skills Centre Homepage: https://fsc-ccf.ca/
• Future Skills Centre Twitter: https://twitter.com/fsc_ccf_en
• Signal49 Research Homepage: Research - Signal49 Research
• Signal49 Research X: https://x.com/S49Research

350,000 Indigenous youth are set to come of age by 2026, offering unique contributions as they enter the workforce. Discover the multifaceted impacts of Indigenous youth on the labour market as two distinguished experts delve into this topic. In this episode, they explore the challenges, opportunities, and incredible value that Indigenous youth bring to the modern job market and how companies can advance inclusive environments that honor and integrate Indigenous traditions, thereby empowering young Indigenous employees to bring their authentic selves to work. We also learn about some of the collaborative approaches between employers, educational institutions, and Indigenous communities to bridge the gap and foster increased opportunities for Indigenous youth. 

 Guests: 

• Michael DeGagné, President & CEO, Indspire
• Kory Wilson, Executive Director Indigenous Initiatives and Partnerships, BCIT

 Host:

• Julie Cafley, Executive Director, Catalyst Canada

Neurodiversity is a range of different ways of thinking, interacting, and processing information, and is especially important to the future of work. In this episode, experts in neurodiversity in the workplace join us to discuss the immense potential of neurodiverse individuals in professional settings. Our guests share practical strategies and valuable insights for employers looking to create supportive environments for neurodiverse employees - from implementing accommodations for all to fostering inclusive company cultures. 

Guests: 

• Neil Barnett, Director - Inclusive Hiring and Accessibility, Microsoft
• Radha MacCulloch, VP and Head of Canada, Specialisterne North America

Host:

• Julie Cafley, Executive Director, Catalyst Canada

En 2020, les femmes représentaient seulement 16,8 % des propriétaires majoritaires de petites et moyennes entreprises (PME). Dans cet épisode, nous examinons l’expérience des femmes en entrepreneuriat, les obstacles à leur participation et la récente hausse du nombre d’entreprises fondées par des femmes. Nos invitées occupent des fonctions dirigeantes, l’une chez un gros pourvoyeur d’emplois et l’autre au sein d’une organisation qui aide les femmes entrepreneures et les réseaux qui les soutiennent à entrer en contact et à collaborer facilement. Elles nous racontent leur expérience personnelle et professionnelle, parlent des possibilités et des obstacles, et discutent des occasions de formation pour les femmes entrepreneures d’aujourd’hui et de demain, partout au Canada.
 
 Invités

1. Salwa Salek, cheffe Équité, diversité et inclusion, Desjardins
2. Sabine Soumare, directrice générale, Portail de connaissances pour les femmes en entrepreneuriat (PCFE)

Hôte

Julie Cafley, directrice générale, Catalyst Canada