Media Advisory/ Photo Opportunity: Be part of Canada’s largest conference focused on career and workforce development

Cannexus, Canada’s largest career development conference spotlights the top 2023 career trends

Ottawa, Jan. 10, 2023 – Rainbow resumes, climate-aware careers, breadcrumbing… these are just a few of the many trends in focus at Cannexus, Canada’s largest conference examining the country’s current and emerging workforce realities. Taking place between January 23 -25, 2023 both in Ottawa and virtually, the conference will bring together more than 2,000 delegates and career development professionals to discuss these issues and innovations.  

With talks of a recession and historic labour shortages, both employers and employees are undergoing a transition and are seeking to establish new rules of work including a hybrid environment. Cannexus will explore what this all means for graduates transitioning out of school, adults who are shifting careers, the exodus of aging Boomers from the workforce and the record number of newcomers integrating into the job market.  

What: Cannexus, Canada’s Career Development Conference 

When: Monday, January 23 – Wednesday, January 25, 2023 

Where: Shaw Centre, 55 Colonel By Dr., Ottawa AND Online 

EVENT LINEUP: The full agenda for the conference is available at: https://cannexus.ceric.ca/_schedule/ 

INTERVIEW OPPORTUNITY:  

Dr. Candy Ho, chair of the board of directors of CERIC, the organizer of Cannexus, will be at the conference in Ottawa and available – along with a national network of career development experts – to help make sense of today’s workforce and workplace trends.  

The conference’s more than 150 sessions – some in-person, some online – will cover such timely topics as: 

  • Rainbow resumes and queering careers: supporting 2SLGBTQIA+ jobseekers to address common barriers to employment 
  • “Re-entry moms” in the wake of the “she-cession”: Moms who were primary caregivers with resume gaps are prime untapped talent 
  • New collar job. Breadcrumbing. Hyperspecialization. Job embeddedness. Filter bubbles: Understanding the new vocabulary of careers  
  • Deciding if you need a new career or just a new employer. The key questions to ask to make an effective decision   
  • Student mindsets from a survey of 16,000 post-secondary students in Canada: What do young people want from their careers right now? 
  • Navigating implicit bias in the job search for underrepresented populations during recruiting and hiring  
  • New research: Hiring is the first step, but the success of new immigrants depends on how employers onboard them 
  • The career re-engagement of post-retirement age workers and the shared benefits for employers and employees 
  • Cultivating climate-aware careers that lessen the impact of ecological change, upskilling Canadians in net-zero skills and combatting eco-anxiety  

Follow the Cannexus Conference on Twitter at @cannexus or with the hashtag #Cannexus. 

To obtain a media pass, to arrange interviews or for further information please email nikita@sppublicrelations.com   

About CERIC / Additional Information 

Toronto-based CERIC is the only charitable organization of its kind in Canada that is focused on career development education and research in order to increase the economic and social well-being of Canadians. It funds projects to develop innovative resources that build the knowledge and skills of diverse career professionals; annually hosts Cannexus, Canada’s largest bilingual career development conference; and publishes the country’s only peer-reviewed academic journal, the Canadian Journal of Career Development. www.ceric.ca  

Cannexus keynotes kick off with Dr. James Makokis, Canada’s two-spirit, diversity, Indigenous health and First Nation expert who along with his partner is a former Amazing Race Canada winner. Next up is economist, futurist and future of work expert Linda Nazareth. She is the author of the forthcoming book Working it Out: How to be Ready for the Redefined World of Work. Cannexus closes with Tareq Hadhad, the Syrian refugee and entrepreneurial success story who founded Peace by Chocolate.  

At Cannexus, the Future Skills Centre will offer a dedicated half-day of programming that explores the evolving labour market in Canada. Drawing from emerging research and pilot project insights, these special sessions that include the Government of Nova Scotia as well as Walmart will address the role of the career development sector and of employers in addressing current and future workforce needs. 

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The Great Reshuffle: Canadian study reveals 81 per cent of Canadian executives having difficulty filling positions and confirm industry-wide skills gap

CERIC uncovers keen insights on top challenges Canadian businesses face during ever-evolving pandemic and how career development can increase Canada’s economic growth

TORONTO, ON (February 1, 2022) — There is a vaccine to champion recruitment and retention in the wake of “The Great Reshuffle.” It’s called career development.

A national survey [i] recently conducted by Environics for CERIC — a Canadian charitable organization that advances education and research in career counselling and career development — reveals that the majority of Canadian executives (81 per cent) are having difficulty finding people with the right skill set to fill positions and 78 per cent agree there is a skills gap in their respective industry.

“The ongoing pandemic and underlying economic uncertainty have Canadian executives experiencing significant difficulties and pain points including recruiting, hiring and retaining talent,” says André Raymond, CRHA, Laval University and Chair of the Board of Directors, CERIC. “Canadian businesses can play a significant role in addressing these shifting labour challenges by investing in career development that will address the skills shortage, contribute to economic growth and demonstrate their commitment to build a strong future skilled workforce.”

CERIC surveyed 500 Canadian executives in more than 11 industries including service, retail, hospitality, construction and manufacturing. The survey reveals keen insights into Canadian organizations’ current views on skills and talent gaps in the labour market; hiring underrepresented groups as part of equity, diversity and inclusion strategies; and the importance of investing in career development. The survey also provides comparability to CERIC’s 2013 survey to track differences within the past eight years.

Top Challenges for Canadian Businesses

Since 2013, executives are less concerned about the state of the economy, regulation & red tape and keeping up with technology. In this fluid pandemic landscape and underlying uncertainty, the challenge of finding young & skilled talent has increased in the past eight years. The top five challenges faced by employers are:

  1. A shortage of skilled workers (75 per cent vs 68 per cent in 2013)
  2. Finding young workers (66 per cent vs 51 per cent in 2013)
  3. Supply chain issues (70 per cent)
  4. General state of the economy (69 per cent vs 77 per cent in 2013)
  5. Regulation and red tape (52 per cent vs 63 per cent in 2013)

While employers in Ontario were the least likely to experience a shortage of skilled workers in 2013, they are now the most likely (81 per cent in 2021 vs 59 per cent in 2013), followed by executives in Quebec (76 per cent vs 77 per cent in 2013) and the Prairies (76 per cent vs 69 per cent in 2013).

Recruiting & Retaining Talent

Eighty-one per cent of Canadian executives are having difficulty finding people with the right skill set to fill positions in their companies — up from 70 per cent in 2013. Additional difficulties include:

  • Finding reliable candidates with the right work ethic (29 per cent)
  • Competitive job market in their respective industry (23 per cent)

While the importance of resumes has not deviated significantly since 2013, executives are finding a potential employee’s online footprint to be increasingly important (63 per cent vs 52 per cent in 2013).

Despite the growing importance of equity, diversity and inclusion, there has been a modest increase in the proportion of executives putting effort into customizing their recruitment approaches to attract and reach members of underrepresented groups (51 per cent vs 46 per cent in 2013).

“Compared to the pre-pandemic era, Canadian executives are now facing increased competition to recruit talent and one-third of executives find retaining employees to be more difficult compared to two years ago,” says Candy Ho, inaugural Assistant Professor, Integrative Career and Capstone Learning, University of the Fraser Valley and Vice-Chair, CERIC. “To compete, it’s imperative for employers to take strategic actions and find ways to differentiate the value proposition they offer to current and prospective workers.”

“Career development is an essential strategy for recruiting, developing and retaining productive and satisfied employees,” adds Ho. “This approach can address major challenges that employers face today. From finding underrepresented talent to providing career coaching to employees, companies can positively build a stronger workforce and contribute to Canada’s economic growth.”

Take a Hard Look at Soft Skills

Executives who have experienced more difficulty in employee retention (72 per cent) more often identify a skills gap in their industry (42 per cent) and are finding it increasingly more difficult to recruit people with the soft skills they deem important (40 per cent). While positive attitude and good communication skills continue to be seen as the two most important soft skills for prospective employers, the importance of reliability and dependability has increased by more than 100 per cent:

  1. Positive attitude (29 per cent vs 36 per cent in 2013)
  2. Communication skills (22 per cent vs 29 per cent in 2013)
  3. Reliability and dependability (21 per cent vs 9 per cent in 2013)
  4. Strong work ethic (18 per cent vs 23 per cent in 2013)
  5. Teamwork skills (16 per cent vs 25 per cent in 2013)

Many career development experts suggest soft skills are gaining the upper hand over hard skills. Occupations requiring good social skills are becoming more common and have even been described as critical for the future of work. The survey revealed executives are most likely to hire someone with soft skills who is a good fit and provide training (78 per cent).

The federal government has also taken action to prioritize soft skills with Employment and Social Development Canada (ESDC) looking at ways of improving the Essential Skills Framework. In 2021, they released the Skills for Success [ii] which includes communication; creativity & innovation; problem solving; and adaptability, to name a few.

“Employers are increasingly looking for candidates with hybrid skills, which are a combination of soft and hard skills,” says Ho. “Canadians have the opportunity to develop and implement skills that might set them apart from other candidates. These new skills will also make them more effective at their current jobs and let them quickly adapt to changing industries and apply their skills and talents toward a fulfilling career.”

Investing in Career Development to Close the Skills Gap

While 73 per cent agree employers have a responsibility to provide career management programs for employees, only 27 per cent provide these programs and 45 per cent were unaware of career development professionals before this survey.

“Canadian executives have the unique opportunity to help Canadians take charge of their career by investing in development strategies that help employees identify personal strengths and clarify career goals that can positively contribute to job satisfaction,” says Raymond. “Working with a career professional can support organizations to build strategies that meet company needs and improve employee engagement, which ultimately leads to increased productivity, positive relationships, job clarity and a supportive work environment.”

Cannexus Conference – January 24-26, 2022

The findings from this Canadian survey were released during an industry expert panel discussion at Cannexus, Canada’s largest bilingual career development conference. More than 1,700 career development professionals participated in this virtual conference that included more than 150 sessions on the latest research, policy and practices in career and workforce development.

About CERIC

CERIC is a charitable organization that advances education and research in career counselling and career development, in order to increase the economic and social well-being of Canadians. It funds projects to develop innovative resources that build the knowledge and skills of diverse career professionals; annually hosts Cannexus; and publishes the country’s only peer-reviewed academic journal in the field, Canadian Journal of Career Development. For more information, visit www.ceric.ca

To arrange an interview with a CERIC board member and industry expert or for more information, please contact: Sonia Prashar or Bronlynn Carrington at spPR Inc. soniaprashar@sppublicrelations.com I bronlynncarrington@sppublicrelations.com

[i] From November 18 – December 17, 2021, Environics conducted a national telephone survey among 501 randomly selected Canadian businesses. Interviews were conducted with senior level employees with awareness of, and responsibility for hiring, training and career development within the organization. Quotas were monitored to ensure that a minimum number of interviews were conducted within each region of Canada. The sample was designed to conduct interviews with senior staff of businesses across Canada, of various sizes, location (urban, rural and suburban), and industries. The margin of error is ± 4.4 percentage points, at the standard 95% confidence level.

[ii] https://careerwise.ceric.ca/2021/06/28/what-you-need-to-know-about-canadas-new-skills-for-success-framework/#.YdiPK2jMLIU
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Canadians experiencing high degree of career regret, new national survey finds

Career professionals report their clients felt pressured into choosing careers they didn’t want to pursue

Toronto, Jan. 27, 2020 – More than 7 in 10 Canadians who see a career counsellor or coach say they wish they had made different career decisions earlier in their lives, according to a national survey of 1,300+ career service professionals undertaken by CERIC. The results are being released at Cannexus, Canada’s largest career development conference, which will be held Jan. 27-29 at the Shaw Centre in Ottawa.

The career professionals surveyed report that they often hear from the students and adults they advise that they would go back and change their career choices if they could. They report that among their clients:

  • 71.7% say “I wish I had understood myself better and chosen a career that is aligned with my values”
  • 66.5% say “I wish I hadn’t been pressured into pursuing a career I didn’t want to pursue”
  • 61% say “I wish I hadn’t played it safe and let fear prevent me from taking a different career direction”
  • 58.8% say “I wish I hadn’t narrowed my options so soon and been able to explore other careers”

The findings point to the need for Canadians to have better career development skills, starting at a young age and continuing throughout their lives, says John Horn, chair of the board of CERIC, a national charity focused on research and education in career development. These skills include the ability to identify what to learn for the jobs of the future and how to develop the emotional resilience to navigate change – and not be limited by other people’s expectations or our own doubts.

“We all want to have work that makes us spring out of bed in the morning – that feeds our souls and allows us to create the life we want for ourselves and our families,” says Horn.

Canadians want to balance their search for a career they are passionate about with economic realities, say career counsellors surveyed. Their clients are evenly divided, with 45.3% anxious about making the “right” career decision and 49.4% concerned about their ability to find decent-paying work. Of note, only 3.2% of career professionals report that their clients are fearful of AI/automation and what that means for their job prospects, which differs from would be expected given the level of public discussion around technology displacing workers.

Career professionals also identified a number of persistent myths about career development that are constraining people’s ability to find rewarding careers – foremost among them that the vast majority think career guidance ends in Grade 12:

  • 85.2% agree that most Canadians don’t know that career guidance is available beyond high school
  • 82.1% agree that most Canadians think that careers are linear, moving from post-secondary to a job in your field
  • 79.3% agree that most Canadians believe that choosing a career means deciding what to do for the rest of your life
  • 51.2% agree that most Canadians feel that if they only follow their passion, they will land their dream job

Canadians at every age should know that there are professionals they can turn to for career support, says Horn. While teachers, parents and managers all have a role to play, professional career guidance is available, often for free in post-secondary career centres and community agencies, as well as from fee-based, private-sector career coaches.

“Canadians need to take charge of their career development to make the most of their talent and potential – there are professionals who can help,” Horn says. “Working with a career professional can help people identify personal strengths, clarify career goals and build the strategies to pursue a satisfying life.”

To arrange an interview, obtain a media pass for the Cannexus conference or for more information, please contact:

Sharon Ferriss
Senior Director, Marketing & Communications, CERIC
sharon@ceric.ca | 647.466.0564

About CERIC

CERIC is a charitable organization that advances education and research in career counselling and career development, in order to increase the economic and social well-being of Canadians. It funds projects to develop innovative resources that build the knowledge and skills of diverse career professionals; annually hosts Cannexus, Canada’s largest bilingual career development conference; and publishes the country’s only peer-reviewed academic journal, Canadian Journal of Career Development. www.ceric.ca

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Media Advisory – New rules of career engagement being written at Cannexus 2019, Canada’s largest career conference

Ottawa, Jan. 16, 2019 – There is a new work order and 1,200 career development professionals from across the country will converge in Ottawa from Jan. 28-30 to tackle how to help Canadians navigate it. The largest conference of its kind in Canada, Cannexus 2019 will explore the disruption that is changing how we define work, find jobs, develop skills and succeed in the labour market.

What: Cannexus National Career Development Conference

When: January 28-30, 2019, 8:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.

Where: Shaw Centre, 55 Colonel By Dr., Ottawa

John Horn, chair of the board of directors of CERIC, the organizer of Cannexus (who also leads organizational development and learning at Vancity Credit Union) will be at the conference and available –  along with other career development experts –  to discuss workforce trends:

  • Studies predict that by 2020 nearly half of Canadians will be self-employed in the gig economy. So, how can we help people avoid underemployment and precarious work?
  • Despite some missteps, there are hopes that artificial intelligence can overcome bias in hiring and help traditionally marginalized groups in the labour market avoid discrimination
  • Combatting ageism in the workforce, as Statistics Canada shows more Canadians than ever aged 55 and over delaying retirement
  • At a time when 80% of resumes are rejected in fewer than 11 seconds, jobseekers are adopting creative job search and personal branding strategies to stand out
  • With employers like Shopify valuing abilities over academic credentials, there is a move toward just-in-time, self-directed, one-size-fits-one micro training to build skills and stay relevant
  • The growing role of work-integrated learning (e.g., co-ops, internships, entrepreneurship) in preparing post-secondary graduates to be career-ready and not “generation jobless”
  • How the opportunity to work is increasingly being recognized as a significant factor in positive mental health, and what career management skills can do to increase overall well-being (the final day of the conference, Jan. 30, coincides with Bell Let’s Talk Day)

Keynotes at Cannexus kick off with Deborah Saucier, President of Edmonton-based MacEwan University. Saucier contends that though public anxiety is high over so-called “useless” degrees – those that don’t lead directly to jobs but lead to the devaluation of arts degrees in favour of STEM – the “soft” skills that are developed during any degree stand remarkably strong against disruption.

The final keynote features former Governor General the Right Honourable David Johnston in conversation with one of his five daughters, Alex Johnston, about the role of trust in building a better Canada for all.

Among the more than 200 presenters at the conference are:

  • Wendy Cukier, Academic Director and Professor, Diversity, Ryerson University
  • Jake Hirsch-Allen, Learning Solutions for Higher Education Lead, LinkedIn
  • Steven Tobin, Executive Director, Labour Market Information Council
  • Nancy Wilson, CEO, Canadian Women’s Chamber of Commerce
  • Lauren Shanahan, Director of Talent Attraction, SSENSE
  • Madeleine Barker, Senior Director, Strategic Workforce Initiatives, RBC
  • Jocelyne Voisin, Director General of Youth and Skills Innovation, Employment and Social Development Canada
  • Shaun Thorson, CEO, Skills Canada
  • Jan Basso, Assistant Vice-President, Experiential Learning & Career Development, Wilfrid Laurier University
  • Kofi Hope, Founding Executive Director, CEE Centre for Young Black Professionals

The full agenda for the conference is available at: https://cannexus.ca/cannexus19-schedule/. Follow the Cannexus National Career Development Conference on Twitter at @cannexus or with the hashtag: #Cannexus19.

About CERIC

CERIC is a charitable organization that advances education and research in career counselling and career development, in order to increase the economic and social well-being of Canadians. It funds projects to develop innovative resources that build the knowledge and skills of diverse career professionals; annually hosts Cannexus, Canada’s largest bilingual career development conference; and publishes the country’s only peer-reviewed academic journal, Canadian Journal of Career Development. www.ceric.ca

To obtain a media pass, to arrange interviews or for further information:

Sharon Ferriss
Director, Marketing, CERIC
sharon@ceric.ca | 647.466.0564

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New guide helps Canadian educators meet the needs of refugee students

Ottawa, Jan. 22, 2018 – Canadian educators now have a new resource to help refugee and newcomer youth. Launched today, the guide will enable schools to deliver more culturally responsive career guidance and better integrate the growing number of newcomer and refugee students who have lived through the trauma of war, family separation and loss. It was released at the Cannexus National Career Development Conference in Ottawa where more than 1,000 career educators and counsellors have gathered.

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Media Advisory – Canada’s largest career development conference prepares the workforce for ‘jobs of the future’

Ottawa, Jan. 10, 2018 – The Cannexus National Career Development Conference will bring 1,000 career development professionals together in Ottawa from Jan. 22-24, 2018 to explore the skills and strategies required by the workforce of tomorrow. The biggest annual event in the country for professionals working in career counselling, employment and workforce development comes as Canada takes on the 2018 G7 Presidency and focuses on “Preparing for jobs of the future.”

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New Career Management for Small Business Playbook helps to retain and develop talent

Ottawa, Jan. 23, 2017 – The Canadian Education and Research Institute for Counselling (CERIC) will today launch a new publication to help the more than 4 in 5 small-and medium-sized enterprises who worry about engaging and developing the talent to grow their businesses. Entitled Retain and Gain: Career Management for Small Business, this action-oriented Playbook enables small business owners and entrepreneurs to use career management as a strategic lever for stronger company performance.

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Media Advisory – Work and employment trends to be explored at Canada’s largest career development conference in Ottawa

Ottawa, Jan. 16, 2017 – More than 900 career development professionals will gather in Ottawa next week for the 11th annual Cannexus National Career Development Conference. The biggest event in the country for professionals working in career counselling, employment and workforce development takes place Jan. 23-25, 2017. Delegates will explore the latest research and advance the conversations around important topics in the field.

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Canada Company and the Canadian Education and Research Institute for Counselling (CERIC) announce the launch of Military to Civilian Employment: A Career Practitioner’s Guide

TORONTO, Jan. 25, 2016 /CNW/ – Canada Company, the leader in Military Employment Transition, has partnered with the Canadian Education and Research Institute for Counselling (CERIC) to provide the over 100,000 Canadian career service professionals with the tools they need to help Veterans transitioning into civilian careers.

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Canada’s biggest conference for career professionals comes to Ottawa to examine job, workforce trends

Ottawa, Jan. 18, 2016 – More than 800 career development professionals will gather in Ottawa from Jan. 25-27, 2016 for the Cannexus National Career Development Conference. Celebrating its 10th anniversary, the event is Canada’s largest for career professionals to explore the latest research and hot topics in career counselling, employment and workforce development.

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