Fall 2022 Co-op – Jr. Policy Analyst – Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada – Remote Work

Student Recruitment Position – Work Description for Jr. Policy Analyst

Upskilling for Industry Initiative Team (Industry Skills Directorate)

Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada, Ottawa

 The Upskilling for Industry Initiative Team (Industry Skills Directorate) at Innovation, Science and Economic Development (ISED) is looking for a student at the graduate level for the Fall 2022. This position requires the ability to work remotely, from home, due to COVID-19 restrictions.

Background

Global and domestic workforce trends are accelerating. The continued rise of automation, digital technologies, and artificial intelligence, the shift towards a net-zero economy, and changes in employee demographics, among other trends, have created significant gaps between the skills demanded by employers and the supply of the existing workforce. While many Canadians who became unemployed during the COVID-19 pandemic have returned to their previous jobs, for some, shifts in the economy mean that their positions no longer exist.

A lack of knowledge of the skills in demand may also hinder the job transition of workers. To address these systemic gaps, Budget 2021 announced the new Upskilling for Industry Initiative (UII), a $250M industry-driven program over three years dedicated to upskilling and redeploying workers, especially those from underrepresented groups who were hardest hit during the pandemic, so they can secure new and better jobs, in high growth industry sectors. The initiative is currently looking to select one or a limited number of lead recipient(s) to enter into a three-year contribution agreement(s) of up to $250 million.

Our team mandate is to facilitate the implementation of the UII at the national level, which is why the next few months will be vital for our program success. While we held a well received call for applications over the spring 2022, we will dedicate our efforts, over the summer, to selecting prime program recipients and ensuring that UII has an inclusive, pan-sectoral and pan-Canadian reach. During the fall 2022, we will be looking at maximizing the initiative’s impact for Canadian businesses and workers by negotiating the terms of key contribution agreements with selected recipients. Do you want to know more about our initiative? Read our readily available Applicant guide!

Description of Duties

The UII team is a new and dynamic team working to deliver a novel and innovative upskilling program. The successful candidate will work closely with analysts in the team by gathering and analysing economic and social intelligence to help advance the UII, and ultimately advance Canada’s talent and skills ecosystem and address the skills needs of employers in high-growth industry sectors.

Duties and responsibilities could include:

• Advancing the negotiations of contribution agreements
  • Preparing briefing materials;
  • Contributing policy advice to inform government upskilling programming;
  • Supporting the development of key performance measurement tools;
  • Assessing the potential impacts of policies on diverse groups of women and men by considering factors such as: age, education, language, geography, culture and income (gender-based analysis plus – GBA+); and,
  • Identifying and monitoring industrial shifts, priorities and skills challenges for employers as well as skills gaps for mature workers; and,
  • Liaising with other government departments and internal stakeholders.
• Analysing economic, employment and skills related information, such as:
• Understanding the latest impact that technological change, automation, and other driving forces are having on industry skills needs;
• Undertaking policy research on the upskilling of mature workers; and,
• Attending events, seminars and webinars, to brief senior management on emerging skills and upskilling issues.

Essential skills and competencies required:

• Excellent oral and written communication skills
• Ability to work horizontally as a member of a project team
• Time management and the capacity to work under tight timelines
• Flexibility to approach new challenges and priorities
• Ability to manage multiple projects at once
• English language proficiency (oral and written)
• Ability to interpret and explain complex material
• Intellectually curious and creative

Asset Criteria (not essential for employment)

• Bilingual (French)
• Experience interpreting quantitative models (academic or professional)
• Experience in information management
• Experience in performance measurement

 Conditions of Employment

• Proof of Canadian citizenship
• Ability to obtain a Reliability Clearance

The Public Service is committed to building a skilled, diverse workforce reflective of Canadian society. As a result, it promotes employment equity and encourages candidates to indicate voluntarily on their application if they self-identify as a member of one or more of the designated groups (woman, Aboriginal person, person with a disability or member of a visible minority group).

 

To apply please send resume & cover letter to studnet_jobs@cbu.ca