The Skills Gap, Attribute Development, and the Future of Work 

Todd Harrison, Future Design School 

Track: Learning architecture/ Volet: L’architecture de l’apprentissage 

Type: One-hour Innovative Topic Discussion 

We are in the midst of a skills revolution: more and more employers and postsecondary institutions are  actively seeking candidates who can demonstrate future ready attributes like critical thinking, empathy,  and problem solving — and are shifting their recruitment and evaluation practices accordingly. As the  skills gap continues to widen, the clear message emerging on a global level is that shifting to an attribute 

based approach to education is an urgent and pressing concern — that there is literally no time to lose. This  discussion will unpack the key, future ready attributes identified by top Canadian employers and the  World Economic Forum, and prompt participants to share their successes and challenges in implementing  an attribute-based approach to learning across their school communities. 

Learning Objectives: 

Through this topic discussion, participants will: - Understand the importance of supporting Canadian  students as they develop key attributes - Assess the current state of attribute development and  measurement in their learning community - Share successes and challenges with one another - Identify  next steps that drive toward action