Experiential Learning and Pathways to Employment
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EXPERIENTIAL LEARNING AND PATHWAYS TO EMPLOYMENT FOR CANADIAN YOUTH Report of the Standing Committee on Human Resources, Skills and Social Development and the Status of Persons with Disabilities Bryan May, Chair OCTOBER 2018 42nd PARLIAMENT, 1st SESSION Published under the authority of the Speaker of the House of Commons SPEAKER’S PERMISSION The proceedings of the House of Commons and its Committees are hereby made available to provide greater public access. The parliamentary privilege of the House of Commons to control the publication and broadcast of the proceedings of the House of Commons and its Committees is nonetheless reserved. All copyrights therein are also reserved. Reproduction of the proceedings of the House of Commons and its Committees, in whole or in part and in any medium, is hereby permitted provided that the reproduction is accurate and is not presented as official. 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For greater certainty, this permission does not affect the prohibition against impeaching or questioning the proceedings of the House of Commons in courts or otherwise. The House of Commons retains the right and privilege to find users in contempt of Parliament if a reproduction or use is not in accordance with this permission. Also available on the House of Commons website at the following address: www.ourcommons.ca EXPERIENTIAL LEARNING AND PATHWAYS TO EMPLOYMENT FOR CANADIAN YOUTH Report of the Standing Committee on Human Resources, Skills and Social Development and the Status of Persons with Disabilities Bryan May Chair OCTOBER 2018 42nd PARLIAMENT, 1st SESSION NOTICE TO READER Reports from committee presented to the House of Commons Presenting a report to the House is the way a committee makes public its findings and recommendations on a particular topic. Substantive reports on a subject-matter study usually contain a synopsis of the testimony heard, the recommendations made by the committee, as well as the reasons for those recommendations. STANDING COMMITTEE ON HUMAN RESOURCES, SKILLS AND SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT AND THE STATUS OF PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES CHAIR Bryan May VICE-CHAIRS John Barlow Brigitte Sansoucy MEMBERS Rodger Cuzner* Wayne Long Ramesh Sangha Kerry Diotte Robert J. Morrissey Adam Vaughan* Rosemarie Falk Sherry Romanado* Kate Young* Gordie Hogg Dan Ruimy OTHER MEMBERS OF PARLIAMENT WHO PARTICIPATED Hon. Steven Blaney James Maloney Yves Robillard Pierre Breton Rémi Massé Karine Trudel Mona Fortier Ken McDonald Karen Vecchio Richard Hébert Joyce Murray Mark Warawa Hon. Peter Kent Rob Nicholson Hon. Alice Wong Stéphane Lauzon Alexander Nuttall Jean Yip Ron Liepert Michel Picard Salma Zahid * Non-voting member, pursuant to Standing Order 104(5) iii CLERK OF THE COMMITTEE Stephanie Feldman LIBRARY OF PARLIAMENT Parliamentary Information and Research Service Elizabeth Cahill Isabelle Lafontaine-Émond Mayra Perez-Leclerc iv THE STANDING COMMITTEE ON HUMAN RESOURCES, SKILLS AND SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT AND THE STATUS OF PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES has the honour to present its TWELFTH REPORT Pursuant to its mandate under Standing Order 108(2), the Committee has studied experiential learning and pathways to employment for Canadian youth and has agreed to report the following: v TABLE OF CONTENTS LIST OF RECOMMENDATIONS ................................................................................................................. 1 EXPERIENTIAL LEARNING AND PATHWAYS TO EMPLOYMENT FOR CANADIAN YOUTH ......................................................................................................................................................... 7 INTRODUCTION ............................................................................................................................... 7 CHAPTER 1: BACKGROUND INFORMATION ........................................................................ 9 Overview of Experiential Learning .................................................................................... 9 The Federal Government’s Role in Training ............................................................... 11 The Federal Government’s Youth Employment Strategy ............................... 13 CHAPTER 2: YOUTH UNEMPLOYMENT AND UNDEREMPLOYMENT AND THE IMPORTANCE OF BETTER LABOUR MARKET INFORMATION .................................. 14 Youth Unemployment .......................................................................................................... 14 Youth Underemployment ................................................................................................... 15 Underutilization of Skills ............................................................................................. 16 Underutilization of Labour ......................................................................................... 18 Labour Shortages ................................................................................................................... 19 Mismatch Between Chosen Education and Available Jobs: The Importance of Better Labour Market Information ............................................................................ 20 Committee Observations and Recommendations ............................................. 22 CHAPTER 3: TYPES OF EXPERIENTIAL LEARNING AND BROAD MEASURES NEEDED TO SUPPORT IT ........................................................................................................... 24 Co-op Programs and Work-integrated Learning in post-secondary education .................................................................................................................................. 25 A National Strategy for Work-integrated Learning ........................................... 27 A Common Typology ..................................................................................................... 28 Evaluation of Work-integrated Learning .............................................................. 28 Strengthening Ties with Industry ............................................................................ 29 Experiences in Canada and Abroad ......................................................................... 29 Federal Government Programs and Initiatives ......................................................... 29 vii Student Work Placement Program (Student Work-Integrated Learning Program) ........................................................................................................ 30 Public Service Commission of Canada Student Programs .............................. 31 Canada Summer Jobs Program ................................................................................. 32 Committee Observations and Recommendations ............................................. 34 Examples of Promising Practices in Co-op and Work-Integrated Learning Programs................................................................................................................................... 36 Mitacs .................................................................................................................................. 36 Shopify’s Dev Degree program .................................................................................. 36 Riipen Platform ............................................................................................................... 37 Committee Observations and Recommendation ............................................... 38 Apprenticeships ..................................................................................................................... 38 Lack of information and social recognition .......................................................... 39 Importance of industry involvement and supports required ....................... 42 Federal government programs and initiatives ................................................... 44 Financial assistance for apprentices ................................................................ 44 Union Training and Innovation Program....................................................... 45 Pre-Apprenticeship Program ............................................................................. 45 Support for the Red Seal Program .................................................................... 46 Initiatives by Other Organizations ........................................................................... 46 Committee Observations and Recommendation ............................................... 47 Volunteerism and Internships .......................................................................................... 47 Youth Volunteerism......................................................................................................