Career Briefs

Playbook helps small businesses retain and develop employees

CERIC is publishing a new resource entitled Retain and Gain: Career Management for Small Business. The concise Playbook is intended for owners and managers of small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) to use as a practical career management tool with their employees. With SMEs employing just over 90% of Canada’s private sector labour force, it represents a significant opportunity to enhance the career development of Canadians. Written by career management expert and small business owner Lisa Taylor, President of Challenge Factory, it includes collaboration with the Canadian Chamber of Commerce. It is also being made possible with the support of Knowledge Champions. CERIC’s Environics survey released in 2014 showed that 71% of organizations say they have responsibilities for career development, but only 29% of them say they are doing anything about it. Further research confirmed that SMEs are missing an opportunity to leverage good career management practices to grow their businesses. Presented in an innovative “travel guide” format with easy-to-implement activities, the Playbook offers a focus on developing skills, knowledge and abilities of employees to retain talent and contribute more to the business, as well as provides an exploration of top career management issues based on best practices research and interviews with SMEs across Canada. Available in English and French, and in print, ebook and free pdf formats, the Playbook is being launched at the Cannexus17 National Career Development Conference. To access the Playbook, visit ceric.ca/resource/retain-and-gain.

“Job churn” the new reality, says Canada’s Finance Minister

Finance Minister Bill Morneau says Canadians should get used to “job churn” – short-term employment and multiple career changes. Morneau made the comment at a meeting in October. According to published reports, when asked about precarious employment the Finance Minister responded that high employee turnover and contract work will continue in young people’s lives, and the government has to focus on preparing for it. “We also need to think about, ‘How do we train and retrain people as they move from job to job to job?’ Because it’s going to happen. We have to accept that,” Morneau said. Morneau noted that some people such as truck drivers and receptionists will see their jobs disappear in the coming years. “Recognizing that we need a way to help people through their career is something that will soften that blow as they think about the long term.” See the October 25, 2016 edition of CBC’s The Current for a discussion on “Are short-term jobs the new normal?” at cbc.ca/radio/thecurrent.

CERIC releases its Guiding Principles of Career Development

With a goal of bringing greater clarity and consistency to our national conversations around careers, CERIC has developed a set of “Guiding Principles of Career Development.” Released in November 2016, during the inaugural Canada Career Month organized by the Canadian Council for Career Development (3CD), these Guiding Principles reflect multiple voices at CERIC and underpin its vision to increase the economic and social well-being of Canadians through career counselling and career education. They are intended as a starting point to inform discussions with clients, employers, funders, policy-makers and families. Presented as an engaging infographic, they include an exploration of the word “career,” using the metaphor of a canoe. They also outline the many benefits of career development and why it matters more than ever against the backdrop of a rapidly shifting world of work. Career professionals are encouraged to use and share this document widely. The Guiding Principles of Career Development are available in English and French. Visit ceric.ca/guiding-principles for more details.

New report sheds light on income and mobility of immigrants

A new report released in December looks at the increasing employment income of immigrants over time since landing in Canada. One year after immigration, the median employment income of immigrant taxfilers who landed in Canada in 2013 was $22,000. In comparison, the median income for those who landed in 2011 or 2012 was $21,000 one year after landing in Canada. The employment income of immigrant taxfilers by admission category shows that employment incomes vary by the category through which immigrants were admitted and gives an overview of the salaries earned by newcomers from different categories: family class, skilled workers, provincial/territorial nominees, live-in caregivers, Canadian experience class, Government-assisted refugees, privately-sponsored refugees, and refugees landed in Canada. The category earning the highest income is the immigrants with previous Canadian experience. Finally, immigrants are more likely to remain in Alberta and Ontario, with retention rates at 92% and 91% respectively, but leave the Atlantic provinces. To access the report, visit statcan.gc.ca/daily-quotidien/161212/dq161212b-eng.pdf.

The future of work: What skills for tomorrow’s digital world?

In an increasingly digital world where the skill needs of employers are continuously evolving, policy- makers need to make sure that everyone can participate and learn new skills. Recent technological change has shifted skill demands predominantly towards high-skill levels. A new OECD report identifies the skill gap and the challenges workers will face. The report argues that it is essential to ensure that workers possess the right skills for an increasingly digital and globalized world in order to promote inclusive labour markets and to spur innovation, productivity and growth. While no sizeable gender gap was noticed in the share of people possessing good information and communications technology (ICT) generic skills, the data does show that younger people are better prepared for the digital working environment than older people with some 42% of adults aged 25 to 34 being able to complete tasks involving multiple steps and requiring the use of specific technology applications but in the age group 55-65, only one in 10 can do so. The report proposes four key priorities for skills policies to meet the challenges of a digital world such as better preparing students by equipping them with basic ICT skills during education and implementing regular training for workers to keep up with new skill requirements. Learn more at oecd.org/employment/emp/Skills-for-a-Digital-World.pdf.

2017 marks ContactPoint’s 20th anniversary

ContactPoint was launched in January 1997 at NATCON (National Consultation on Career Development) as the first website of its kind to offer a unique online space for interaction and networking among career practitioners across Canada, as well as provide relevant information, professional development opportunities and resources. Funded by The Counselling Foundation of Canada and later brought under the CERIC umbrella, ContactPoint remains an integral part of the career counselling landscape in Canada 20 years on. 2017 will be a year to celebrate ContactPoint’s evolution. (ContactPoint’s French sister site, OrientAction was launched in 2002.) Over time, new sections and have been added to better meet the needs of the career development community. ContactPoint regularly posts new job openings as well as key events and now includes more than 3,300 resources such as Educational Programs, Certifications, Career Exploration and Assessment Tools, Webinar Recordings and more. ContactPoint also publishes the popular weekly CareerWise content curation enewsletter and is home to CERIC’s Careering magazine. Watch ContactPoint throughout the year for special anniversary features.