Today, an estimated 860,000 young people are currently not in education, employment, or training. Unemployment among young people can lead to decreased earning potential, mental health challenges, social division and lowered economic productivity. Research shows that these conditions are exacerbated for young people who face barriers. Barriers can be attitudinal, structural, historic, social and environmental, based on age, ethnicity, disability, economic status, nationality, race, sexual orientation and transgender status, etc. 

At the same time, 59 per cent of Canadian businesses say they can’t find qualified employees to fill vacancies. A third of those businesses say that's because prospective hires don’t have soft skills such as dependability, flexibility and a willingness to learn. Despite significant investment in postsecondary education, Canadian graduates consistently lack the professional skills employers are looking for. 

Over the next decade, millions of young people will enter the workforce and they’ll need important soft skills like critical thinking, social perceptiveness, and complex problem solving to remain competitive and resilient in the labour market. 

At The King's Trust Canada, we are addressing these challenges head-on by working with leading Canadian employers, community partners, and educational institutions to advance our mission of helping 100,000 young people increase their employability. By enhancing the skills of our nation's young people -- especially those facing barriers -- we play an integral role in strengthening Canada's workforce, promoting equity and fostering sustainable economic growth.