Your Career Guide
Goldy Hyder
President and CEO of the Business Council of Canada
Goldy Hyder, President and CEO of the Business Council of Canada, discusses how businesses, educators, and governments can work together to close skills gaps, create opportunities, and prepare Canadians for a changing economy.
What do you see as the biggest opportunities and challenges shaping the future of work in Canada?
The world is being reshaped by technology, geopolitical uncertainty, and economic disruption, and that creates both challenges and opportunities for Canada. Our opportunity is to become more competitive, resilient, and prosperous by investing in innovation, talent, and growth. The challenge is making sure Canada can adapt quickly enough to attract investment, create good jobs, and raise living standards.
What role do businesses have in preparing Canadians for the jobs and skills needed in the future economy?
Businesses must be part of the solution to resolving workforce challenges. Employers have valuable insights into the skills that will be needed most in the years ahead. They can also invest in skills and provide opportunities for lifelong learning. This helps Canadians adapt to a changing economy.
How can businesses, educators, and governments work together to build a more competitive and resilient workforce?
We need to move from talking about the skills gap to actually closing it. That starts with better alignment.
No single sector can do this alone. We need better alignment between education, training, and labour market demand so Canadians have the skills employers need and everyone who wants to work has a pathway to opportunity. Done well, that gives us a stronger foundation for an economic immigration system that fills critical gaps and supports growth. Collaboration and execution are what matter most.
What gives you optimism about Canada’s future workforce, and what advice would you share with Canadians looking to thrive in a changing world of work?
Canada has extraordinary strengths: talented people, strong institutions, and enormous economic potential. If we embrace change and work together, we can emerge from this period of uncertainty stronger than before. My advice to Canadians is simple: stay adaptable, keep learning, and see change as an opportunity rather than a threat.
