Future Talent Institute
Future Talent Institute
Connecting education, talent and industry
The Future Talent Institute (FTI) connects IBU with the changing needs of the workforce. Through employer research, labour market insight and industry collaboration, the FTI identifies emerging skills and capabilities that help inform IBU curriculum and the student experience.
That insight moves beyond the university. Through professional development, skills-based workshops and industry events, the FTI helps organizations build the capabilities their people and workplaces need.
That insight helps IBU keep education relevant and employers develop the talent they need.
development.
Our research reveals a growing talent gap.
Pipeline
53%
of employers were neutral or dissatisfied with the quality and readiness of
available talent.
talent
72%
of employers identified competition for skilled talent as a major challenge.
and AI
68%
of employers identified AI and digital transformation as both a challenge and
an opportunity.
What employers are looking for
capabilities and higher-order thinking.
Technical + Digital
Human Capabilities
Higher-order Thinking
From insight to action
Informing the IBU Experience
Making Capability Visible
Developing today's workforce
Sharing workforce intelligence
The Future Talent Institute team
Dr. Weingarten is a respected Canadian higher education leader and policy thinker. He has served as President and Vice-Chancellor of the University of Calgary, President and CEO of the Higher Education Quality Council of Ontario, Principal of the Michener Institute of Education at UHN, and Provost and Vice-President Academic at McMaster University. He currently serves as a Senior Fellow at the C.D. Howe Institute.
Widely recognized for his research and thought leadership on the future of post-secondary education, Dr. Weingarten has long challenged institutions to close the gap between education and employment to keep pace with a changing economy. He is well positioned to lead the FTI in delivering innovative training and upskilling models that meet employer and economic requirements.
Gina Jeneroux is Strategic Advisor and Professor of Practice, Future Work and Skills. At IBU’s Future Talent Institute, she led Skills, Verified: the research that founded the Future Talent Institute on what employers actually need from Canada’s workforce right now.
She has spent more than 30 years in the financial services and learning industries, working across business leadership, human-centred design and skills development, and has led teams to more than 20 global industry awards. She holds an MBA in Financial Services from Dalhousie University. She has been an active member of the World Economic Forum’s Reskilling Revolution since 2020, sits on the board of the Students Commission of Canada, and serves on executive advisory boards across learning, technology and professional networks.
Gina Jeneroux is Strategic Advisor and Professor of Practice, Future Work and Skills. At IBU’s Future Talent Institute, she led Skills, Verified: the research that founded the Future Talent Institute on what employers actually need from Canada’s workforce right now.
She has spent more than 30 years in the financial services and learning industries, working across business leadership, human-centred design and skills development, and has led teams to more than 20 global industry awards. She holds an MBA in Financial Services from Dalhousie University. She has been an active member of the World Economic Forum’s Reskilling Revolution since 2020, sits on the board of the Students Commission of Canada, and serves on executive advisory boards across learning, technology and professional networks.
An automotive manufacturing executive turned entrepreneur, Julien Papon is passionate about teaching and coaching IBU students, helping them build the skills and capabilities the industry values and preparing them to succeed in their careers. Leveraging his engineering and business background, Julien has been instrumental in developing the intellectual property that stands behind IBU’s ability to measure competence against the key skills and capabilities outlined in the IBU Signal.
Courses and Events
The FTI co-designs short courses and workshops around the specific skills employers need to train, upskill and re-tool their workforce.
An Evening with the Kanata North Business Association and FTI, October 8
An intimate, invite-only event to determine the Technology Park’s priorities with regards to upskilling and career development, to drive the economic growth Ottawa and Canada need.