S5 Ep. 05 - Learning from One Another: Skills, Training, and Workforce Development in Northern Communities

The Future Skills Podcast

The Future Skills Podcast
S5 Ep. 05 - Learning from One Another: Skills, Training, and Workforce Development in Northern Communities
Sep 17, 2025 Season 5 Episode 5
The Conference Board of Canada

In this episode of the Future Skills Podcast, host Jeremy Strachan explores the complex and evolving landscape of skills development and workforce training in Northern and Indigenous communities. Amanda Thompson from The Conference Board of Canada shares insights from the Learning from One Another project, a multi-year initiative examining labour market trends and training strategies across Yukon, Nunavut, and Northern Ontario. We also hear from Kris Mullaly of the Qikiqtani Inuit Association, who discusses the Q-STEP program and Tuttarvik—community-driven initiatives that are empowering Inuit youth through culturally grounded training and employment supports. Finally, Xina Cowan of EntrepreNorth highlights how entrepreneurship is creating new pathways for economic resilience and self-determination across the North.

Guests

Amanda Thompson, Lead Research Associate, The Conference Board of Canada

Kris Mullaly, Program Manager, Qikiqtani Inuit Association

Xina Cowan, Co-Director, Skills Council of Canada

Episode Artwork S5 Ep. 05 - Learning from One Another: Skills, Training, and Workforce Development in Northern Communities 26:13 Episode Artwork S5 Ep. 04 - Pathways to Self-Employment for Neurodivergent Canadians 30:01 Episode Artwork S5 Ep. 03: AI in the Workplace and the Skills that Matter Most 28:22 Episode Artwork S5 Ep. 02: Leveraging the Skills of Newcomers 29:07 Episode Artwork S5 Ep. 01 - What Quality of Work Means in a Changing Labour Market 25:26 Episode Artwork S4 Ep. 07: Labour Market Data & Disruption—Insights from FSC @ Cannexus25 13:06 Episode Artwork S4 Ep. 06: Neurodivergent student experiences in post-secondary education 11:58 Episode Artwork S4 Ep. 05: Insights from Magnet Network Live 27:48 Episode Artwork S4 Ep. 04: Empowering Futures: Supporting Black Talent in the Canadian Labour Market 43:06 Episode Artwork S4 Ep. 03: Canada’s Productivity Puzzle: The Skills Connection 33:08 Episode Artwork S4 Ep. 02: Educating for Sustainability—Green Skills in Canada 31:46 Episode Artwork S4 Ep. 01: Educational AI—Unlocking Potential in Post-Secondary Institutions 37:02 Episode Artwork S3 Ep. 05: Indigenous Youth Entering the Labour Market 28:48 Episode Artwork S3 Ep. 04: Neurodiversity 26:33 Episode Artwork S3 Ep. 03: Les femmes en entrepreneuriat 44:31 Episode Artwork S3 Ep. 02: L’intégration des nouveaux arrivants au Canada : l’exemple du Nouveau-Brunswick 26:25 Episode Artwork S3 Ep. 01: Comprendre les pénuries de main-d’œuvre au Canada 25:25 Episode Artwork S2 Ep. 06: Skills for the Digital Economy 28:53 Episode Artwork S2 Ep. 05: Skills for the Clean Economy 26:07 Episode Artwork S2 Ep. 04: Putting Microcredentials into Practice 25:27 Episode Artwork S2 Ep. 03: Supporting the Future of Small Business and Entrepreneurs through Skills Development 29:55 Episode Artwork S2 Ep. 02: Adapting to Change—The Case of Canada’s Hospitality & Tourism Industry 19:51 Episode Artwork S2 Ep. 01: Youth Employment and Skills Training for an Inclusive Recovery 21:41 Episode Artwork Ep. 06: Gig Economy and Independent Workers 38:52 Episode Artwork Ep. 05: Bridging the Gap Between Education and Work—WIL 32:06