Abstract:

As Canada anticipates a growing demand for skilled professionals across diverse industry sectors over the next two decades, a key driver of this demand is the aging Canadian labour force, which is projected to see five million retirees by 2035, coupled with minimal growth in the national birth rate. In light of this, the strategic immigration of highly qualified internationally-trained professionals (ITPs) plays a pivotal role in sustaining Canada's economic prosperity. However, there are three primary obstacles hindering the employment of ITPs by Canadian employers:
1. Limited familiarity of ITPs with Canadian workplace practices.
2. Canadian employers' challenges in assessing the relevance of ITPs' work and educational experiences obtained abroad.
3. ITPs' lack of experience working in a conventional Canadian team or matrix-based work environment.

These barriers result in significant underemployment for these highly skilled professionals who have chosen to immigrate to Canada. To address these challenges, this research focuses on assessing the impact of experiential learning opportunities with a specific focus on 21st Century Skills such as growth mindset, creative problem-solving, effective team building, and emotional intelligence. The study aims to enhance ITPs' self-awareness and employability while facilitating a smoother transition into the Canadian labour market.

The 21st Century Skills model was implemented in small group experiential learning workshops involving over 500 ITPs enrolled in government-funded bridging programs across a range of industry sectors, including finance, marketing, human resources, information technology, engineering, healthcare, and supply chain management. Participants were asked to evaluate the impact of this learning experience, with assessments conducted between 6 to 18 months after their program participation to measure its long-term effectiveness in their respective workplaces.

This research demonstrates that the 21st Century Skills model, as explored in this study, aligns seamlessly with the current skill requirements of Canadian employers, a notion validated by the World Economic Forum (WEF, August 2023). These skills are of significant value to employers and are set to become increasingly crucial for job seekers and employees as the nature of work continues to evolve rapidly. The study showcases that these skills can be acquired through short learning experiences, providing ITPs with a competitive edge in their job search process. Furthermore, the findings reveal that these newfound skills and insights empower participants to effectively navigate the intricacies of their new workplace, even after a substantial period following their initial learning experience.

The results underscore the significance of integrating 21st Century Skills into future programs designed for ITPs and similar initiatives aimed at fostering economic integration. These practices are not only scalable but also repeatable. Additionally, it is recommended that future research investigates the applicability of this learning model to other high-risk and underrepresented groups in the labour market.

References:
[1] World Economic Forum. (2023, August). Polish up on these skills to prepare for the workplaces of the future [Video]. LinkedIn. https://www.linkedin.com/feed/update/urn:li:activity:7089971607347048448/

Keywords:

21st Century Skills, Job Market Transition, New Immigrants, Internationally Trained Professionals, Future of Work, Employment Barriers, Experiential Learning.