HOW ARTIFICAL INTELLIGENCE (AI) TOOLS ARE BEING INTEGRATED INTO WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT IN CANADA
dmh associates and CareerChatUK have been commissioned by Magnet, a Centre of Innovation
Focused on the Future of Work housed Toronto Metropolitan University (TMU), to conduct research into the use of AI technology and how AI tools are being integrated into workforce development with a focus on their application by career development practitioners (CDPs) in Canada. This work is in association with colleagues from the Canadian Career Development Foundation (CCDF), Ottawa, Ontario.
This study, commencing in October 2025 until 31st March 2026, will explore emerging practices, implementation strategies, and ethical considerations—particularly in relation to supporting vulnerable populations such as newcomers, racialised communities, people with disabilities, Indigenous communities, and those facing multiple barriers to employment. To contextualise Canadian practices, the project will also examine international developments in jurisdictions such as the United States, United Kingdom, and Australia.
The research project comprises:
• A review of academic and grey literature on the use of AI in workforce development, with attention to ethical, equity, and implementation considerations in both Canada and international jurisdictions (Percy & Hughes -UK)
• A national survey of Canadian CDPs to gather perspectives on AI use, challenges, opportunities, and support needs. Outreach channels may include CCDF, Magnet, FSC, and CERIC (Hughes & Percy – UK)
• Follow-up interviews with Canadian practitioners, organisational leaders, and international experts to deepen insights into promising practices and implementation strategies (CCDF – Canada)
• Research brief summarising early insights from literature review and international scan; launch of national practitioner survey (Percy & Hughes – UK)
• A publicly available research brief (UK & Canada teams)
• An integration of survey results, interview findings and global comparisons (UK & Canada teams)
To find out more: email: [email protected] or [email protected]