Future Skills Centre Grants $15M for Growth and Stability of Canadian Jobs

The Future Skills Centre (FSC) has announced an investment of $15 million towards the growth, innovation, and stability of the Canadian labour market to help maintain, create, and transform jobs across the country in line with the government’s ongoing COVID-19 support.

Eligible applications can receive up to $25,000 investments, while large scale projects with potential for exceptional impact can receive funding of up to $2.5 million, with potential for further government funding.

Shock-Proofing the Future of Work: Skills Innovation Challenge (SIC) is an FSC program that aims to boost skills innovation across all industries by supporting projects that will discover ways to promote resilience and find new ways forward in the face of social and economic shock caused by unprecedented times such as the COVID-19 pandemic.

How Will FSC Funding Help the Canadian Job Market?

The FSC-SIC government funding program will prioritize regions, areas, and populations where disruption from the pandemic has hit the hardest and appears to be the most long-lasting. With various sectors including health care, technology, and agriculture facing significant demand for workers with new skills, the Skills Innovation Challenge (SIC) encourages individuals and organizations alike to seek and explore opportunities that can accelerate skills training and help to navigate an evolving Canadian job market.

“Skills development is an essential component of a strategy for post-pandemic recovery and building a better future for millions of Canadian workers. We are accelerating investments in groups, sectors, and regions where challenges are deepest, and opportunities are emerging so we can support people now while learning lessons that can be scaled for future success.”

– Pedro Barata, Executive Director of the Future Skills Centre

In essence, to fight against the social and economic shock that has emerged from the pandemic, the FSC-SIC funding will help all industries in need to overcome challenges and plant seeds in strengthening the present and future success of Canadian jobs in every sector.

Program Overview: Skills Innovation Challenge (SIC)

SIC funding aims to support three levels of the skills ecosystem:

• Support for individuals: to help inform training and career paths for workers, especially those who face barriers based on geography, background, or experience.
• Support for organizations: to adopt new technologies and expand the understanding of a new health and safety environment, policy development and program delivery for large and small businesses, government, educational institutions, and service delivery organizations.
• Systems change: to promote innovative approaches to policy and program development and re-engineering of processes in large and small businesses, government, educational institutions, or service delivery organizations.

Applicant Eligibility:

• Legally incorporated not-for-profit organizations, including not-for-profit social enterprises and registered charities;
• Publicly funded post-secondary institutions;
• Industry associations;
• Professional associations;
• Indigenous organizations that are a legal entity;
• Municipalities or district social services administration boards;
• For-profit organizations (provided the project is undertaken at cost, with no mark-ups or profit incorporated); and
• Individual persons.

The FSC-SIC program is accepting applications until September 1, 2020

Activity Eligibility:

• Research: Conduct research to understand the new skills reality and generate responsive solutions.
• Networks: Foster networks and partnerships to engage communities in skills development opportunities, especially organizations and populations facing barriers, and ensure dissemination and uptake of promising practices.
• Pilots: Conceive, develop, test, and scale new models for individual or sector-based skills development pilots that demonstrably break from current approaches.

Learn More About the FSC-SIC Funding Program

The Future Skills Centre welcomes proposals at any stage of the innovation process, including early stage innovation for projects that aim to help the research and development of skilled training across Canada.

If you are interested in applying for the FSC Skills Innovation Challenge funding program, please get in touch with a member of the Mentors Works team and we will assist you from start to finish in the government funding application process.

Stay up to date with government funding updates by signing up for the Weekly Mentor Works Funding E-Newsletter and receive funding news right to your mailbox every Monday.