As the province rebuilds from the pandemic, it will need highly skilled talent in high-growth fields, such as STEM and health care, to meet the demands of employers, fill critical skills gaps in an ever-evolving labour market and create Ontario-made solutions to solve complex challenges and attract investment.
Ontario’s universities remain committed to providing learners of all backgrounds with access to high-demand programs, including reskilling and upskilling opportunities to ensure the province has a highly skilled workforce in high-growth fields to navigate change, drive innovation and remain competitive on the global stage.
Access to micro-credentials and continuing education programs will support life-long career success and ensure Ontarians of all backgrounds can continue to contribute meaningfully to Ontario’s economic growth and prosperity. Learn more about how universities are helping students and workers access these types of programs.
A strong workforce that can fill the skills gap for the jobs of today and tomorrow are key ingredients for Ontario’s economic recovery, particularly in high-growth fields such as STEM and health care. Learn more about how universities are developing highly skilled talent in these fields to fill critical labour shortages and drive Ontario-made solutions.
Resilient and adaptable talent will help Ontario navigate the shifting economies of today and tomorrow. Learn more about how universities are helping ensure the province has highly skilled talent in high-growth fields to drive innovation, rebuild our health-care system, attract investment and compete globally.
As the needs of the job market and employers continue to evolve, Ontario’s universities are helping build a strong talent pipeline and innovative Ontario-made solutions that will help fuel economic growth.
Ontario’s universities are leading the development of a highly skilled workforce by increasing spaces in high-demand fields, such as health care, engineering and computer science, and graduating students with the hard and soft skills employers are demanding.
Universities are also partnering with local communities and employers to help retain top talent across the province through increased access to reskilling and upskilling opportunities, such as micro-credential, short-duration and continuing education programs, that support life-long learning throughout their careers.
According to Ontario’s universities enrolment data, universities have increased enrollment in STEM programs by 52%, including 98% in math and physical sciences, 58% increase in engineering and applied science and 33% in agriculture and bioscience at Ontario’s universities between 2010 and 2020.
They offer more than 3,500 continuing education courses and have entered into more than 660 industry partnerships that help fill local, regional and provincial skills shortages.
The latest applications data as of January 2022 indicates that Ontario secondary school applications have increased by more than 11% over the last two years, including nearly 19% in biological and biomedical sciences, more than 13% in engineering and more than 41% in computer and informational science.
More than 120,000 students were enrolled in these programs at universities in 2020-21 – an increase of 27 per cent since 2017-18.
In Partnering to Drive Ontario’s Recovery through Talent and Innovation, we outline how, as Ontario looks to rebuild and recover from COVID-19, Ontario’s universities are at the forefront of rebuilding a world-class health-care system; developing job-ready graduates; driving regional economic development; and creating solutions to Ontario’s challenges.
Browse through reports and related materials to find out about Ontario universities' role in everything ranging from university graduate employment to family medicine and community transformation.
