Research and Innovation is a main pillar that supports our mandate. Through NLWIC’s research, NLWIC-funded research projects, and research collaborations and initiatives, we work to inspire innovative approaches to address Newfoundland and Labrador’s labour market challenges, opportunities and best practices. Our research projects focus on projects across a broad range of areas, including youth employability, workforce dynamics, skills trade training models, particularly around topics related to underrepresented groups.
Explore our current applied research and innovation projects or access our past research initiatives aimed at addressing key challenges and issues to benefit the labour market in NL.
NLWIC-led Research
NLWIC’s current research initiatives are about fostering innovation and collaborations in workforce development through meaningful partnerships on a provincial, national, and international stage.
Collaborative Research
At the NL Workforce Innovation Centre (NLWIC), we enjoy collaborating to innovate workforce development throughout Newfoundland and Labrador, and beyond. We believe this is key to driving innovative solutions in workforce development.
NLWIC-funded Research Projects
The NL Workforce Innovation Centre (NLWIC) funded applied research projects aimed at addressing labor market challenges and enhancing workforce outcomes in Newfoundland and Labrador. These projects are divided into regional and provincial scopes, with ten projects in each category. The funded research covers various sectors, including social enterprise, immigration, technology, and specific underrepresented groups.
Impact of Research
NLWIC’s research positively impacts Newfoundland and Labrador\’s workforce by developing and sharing innovative models for employability, employment, and entrepreneurship, particularly for underrepresented groups. Our research informs policy and practice, leading to tangible improvements in workforce development. Ultimately, the goal is to address labor market challenges, enhance skills, and foster sustainable employment across the province.
Key impacts and areas of focus on:
- Enhancing employability: Research is used to test and scale programs and services which develop essential skills, helping to create a more work-ready labor supply.
- Supporting underrepresented groups: Projects specifically target groups such as youth, Indigenous peoples, immigrants, persons with disabilities, and women to address their unique barriers to employment.
- Improving training and services: NLWIC collaborates on applied research projects to assess the effectiveness of workforce development programs, from initial training to long-term employment outcomes.
- Fostering innovation: Research findings are shared through a Best Practices Repository, Powered by Magnet, and a Community of Practice to encourage the replication and scaling of successful, innovative models across the province.
- Informing policy: The research produced provides evidence-based to address policy and program issues and support the growth of applied research and innovation for workforce development in Newfoundland and Labrador.
- Addressing specific labor market needs: Project research is designed to be practical and responsive to specific needs, such as the impact of mobile technology on digital literacy and employment attachment, or the analysis of training options for marginalized youth.
Get Involved – Collaborate with us
We welcome collaboration with labour market stakeholders to innovate workforce development throughout NL and beyond. Join us in our goal to innovate workforce development in Newfoundland and Labrador. Together, we can make a difference. If you are a business, community group, not-for profit organization, or labour market stakeholder, we invite you to get in touch with us to see how we can help with your research project. For inquiries, please Contact Us.