Applied research is an important way that Canada’s polytechnics support small- and mid-sized businesses that lack internal R&D resources. This four-page brief includes annual statistics gathered from our member institutions and provides ideas for how to maximize the impact of applied research in Canada.
Canada’s 13 leading polytechnic institutions are the post-secondary destination of more than 402,500 for-credit students each year, all of whom are looking for a pragmatic, industry-focused education that positions them for speedy entry into the labour market. This brief provides high-level, collective statistics gathered annually from our members.
Polytechnic alumni are a powerful and diverse community – now more than 2.4 million strong – of successful innovators, creators and leaders. From improving healthcare to addressing climate change, they are confronting some of the biggest challenges across Canada and around the globe.
What makes polytechnic alumni so great? They have the skills and motivation to drive the future. They’ve received hands-on training on the latest technology in their fields, ensuring they have both the competence and confidence to hit the workforce at full speed. They established employer networks and gained relevant experience during their studies, propelling them to take the labour market by storm.
In this publication, we highlight just a few inspiring examples of polytechnic graduates who are tackling some of the greatest challenges of our time, including how they are:
• Building a healthier Canada
• Contributing to a net-zero future
• Growing the skilled trades workforce
• Showcasing international citizenship
• Strengthening Canada’s healthcare system
• Creating a more inclusive society
The Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s Calls to Action provide a roadmap to reconciliation and the revitalization of relationships between Canada, Canadians, and Indigenous Peoples and communities. Within the Calls to Action, education is a prominent theme.
Polytechnics recognize their role in the healing journey between Indigenous and non-Indigenous peoples. While acknowledging they have much to learn on the path to reconciliation, these institutions have made an ongoing commitment to addressing the history and legacy of colonialism in education. This is a long-term commitment.
In this publication, learn how Canada’s polytechnics have attempted to reflect on and embed the diverse knowledge and culture of Indigenous Peoples in:
• Institutional frameworks & plans
• Campus spaces & symbols
• Pathways to post-secondary education
• Cultural supports on campus
• Partnerships with Indigenous communities
• Teaching & learning programs
The critical role of Canada’s frontline workforce has never been more apparent than during the COVID-19 pandemic. In industries like healthcare and emergency response, technology, agriculture and construction, Canadians rely on the essential workers who keep the country fed, functioning, safe and healthy. When it comes to developing the skills of Canada’s frontline workforce, polytechnics are the post-secondary institutions feeding this talent pipeline.
Preparing Canada’s frontline workforce is no easy task. Training essential workers requires developing a combination of skills, techniques and knowledge that prepare students to respond to dynamic workplace realities. An applied, hands-on approach to learning that is aligned with sector-specific needs includes workplace experience, simulation, virtual and augmented reality, and practice.
In this publication, learn more about the credentials, programs and professional development opportunities that contribute talent to our frontlines by:
Report after report on the future of work speaks to the skills that set humans apart, including dynamic problem-solving, teamwork and adaptability. The challenge is to develop the workforce we need today while empowering learners with the skills to succeed tomorrow. Canada’s polytechnics are ideally positioned to lead the charge. Among Canada’s post-secondary institutions, polytechnics have proven themselves to be adaptable, agile and well-connected to industry. They deliver up-to-date and in-demand skills across sectors and to all age groups. They support hands-on, applied and technology-enabled classroom and workplace learning. Best of all, they have the unique ability to pivot quickly as the ground shifts.
In this brief, learn how polytechnics are creating a work-ready talent pipeline that is prepared to take on the future of work, featuring:
The global climate emergency represents one of those rare occasions when the interests of youth, business and politics converge. Even as the social and economic impacts of climate change are increasingly apparent, questions persist about how to move forward and from where leadership will come.
At the intersection of talent development and business innovation, Canada’s polytechnics are well-positioned to address environmental sustainability in three important ways:
Applied research refers to an exceptionally broad range of supports delivered in response to industry demand. Polytechnic institutions across Canada mobilize state-of-the-art facilities, equipment and expertise to deliver solutions for partners across industrial and social sectors, often with the help of student talent. As a result, institutions have a flexible and agile applied research infrastructure that adapts to the unique requirements of a partner and their project. In most cases, intellectual property is retained by the business partner, creating an environment that amplifies the incentive for creative engagement and supports ongoing collaboration.
In this brief, we highlight a number of the projects underway and expertise available at our member institutions. Together, they showcase:
Canada’s workforce is facing two distinct pressure points – an aging workforce and the emergence of disruptive technology. As new technologies become pervasive, the current workforce and recent graduates alike must develop new and in-demand skills to stay relevant in the labour market. As the pace at which Canadians are retiring also increases, the talent pipeline must become more efficient, with qualified workers ready to fill looming vacancies. While these issues are affecting the workforce broadly, the skilled trades are facing these dual challenges faster than most.
In this compendium of stories and examples from across our institutions, we identify the four ingredients of excellence in skilled trades training:
