Ladder up and out: labour training as poverty escape

Over the past year, Canada has faced its share of tough economic news. Global forces, including the recent COVID pandemic and the rising cost of living, have combined to place greater stress on Canadians’ everyday finances. Not everyone was affected equally by the latest economic downturn. It exacerbated existing inequality, and deepened poverty, affecting women, racialized Canadians, Indigenous peoples, and those living in rural areas to a greater extent than their counterparts. More than three years later, many still haven’t fully recovered; and, history tells us, should Canada go through another recession, these same groups will again bear the brunt of it. How can the federal government help these Canadians escape the cycle of poverty? It starts with a commitment to dynamic, industry-informed workforce development and training, writes Julia Blackburn, the CEO of NPower Canada. Photograph courtesy of NPower Canada How can the federal government help these Canadians escape the cycle of poverty? It starts with a commitment to dynamic, industry-informed workforce development and training. We must train underrepresented Canadians for in-demand positions in growing sectors like cyber security, IT and digital services, and green energy, and match them with good, sustainable jobs. NPower Canada is a registered charity that helps low-income, diverse Canadians find meaningful and sustainable digital careers. We provide job seekers who face barriers to employment with a full suite of support from no-cost skills training, to professional development, wraparound supports, and five years of alumni services including job opportunities, access to networking, mentorship, and continuing education to advance their careers. Our program is national in scope, delivered in French and English, serving diverse job seekers in urban cores as well as smaller municipalities and Indigenous communities. Importantly, our curriculum is informed by industry, and developed by global tech leaders such as Google and Microsoft. Our industry partnerships help our curriculum stay ahead of trends and ensure we are providing our graduates with the right skills. NPower Canada program participants can graduate after eight to 15 weeks of part-time, virtually-delivered training. Our robust strategy has led to 81 per cent of NPower Canada graduates securing either employment and/or higher education opportunities within four months of completing training. Salim Jivraj is the senior vice president of digital and business transformation and shared services at TD Insurance, and a board member and chair of the strategic planning committee at NPower Canada. Photograph courtesy of NPower Canada Graduating from NPower Canada can have a life changing effect. In 2022, when enrolling in NPower Canada’s workforce development program, job seekers had an average household size of three members, and a before-tax annual household income of $29,376. Upon securing employment with one of NPower Canada’s hiring partners, program graduates earned an average starting salary exceeding $41,000. In many cases, this has meant that our graduates have doubled their prior household income, lifting themselves and their families out of poverty. These positive outcomes could be just the beginning: the need for digital upskilling is great, and the demand for talented workers continues to grow. Indeed, labour shortages constrain our economy, especially in growing sectors. Canada is becoming a leader in green energy and technology, for example. But if we are to sustain our lead in this vital industry, we will need to train workers in the necessary skills. Ideally, many of these new workers should come from equity-deserving groups, thereby addressing income inequality even as we address climate change. The Information and Communications Technology Council forecasts that the Canadian digital economy will create another 250,000 jobs by 2025, growing the technology workforce to employ 2.26-million Canadians. Again, how impactful would it be if many of these new workers came from underrepresented groups? While NPower and others are working towards these goals, these are massive, macro-economic trends that require a national-level response. The federal government must help scale up efforts that are underway with an investment in workforce development and training. A significant investment in a suite of workforce development measures aimed at equity deserving groups not only helps alleviate the digital talent shortage, it complements the government’s commitments to climate change and Canadian equity-deserving groups, including Indigenous communities, newcomers, and women. With one action, the government has the opportunity to help redress inequities faced by these groups while positioning the country for success in the digital economy and continued leadership in the green economy. Talk about a win-win-win. Julia Blackburn is the CEO of NPower Canada. Salim Jivraj is the senior vice president of digital and business transformation and shared services at TD Insurance, and a board member and chair of the strategic planning committee at NPower Canada. The Hill Times