Career Readiness

Future Skills Instructor Program  –   Work-integrated Learning  –  Micro-credentials

Actua’s Future Skills Program is a national initiative that invests in the skill development and career readiness of undergraduate student instructors and high school student interns employed by the Actua network each year. This program focuses on enhancing leadership opportunities and competency of these student employees, resulting in an increase in their ability to recognize and articulate their skills and prepare them for entry into the workforce.  

Actua’s instructors are predominantly undergraduate students in STEM studies. They form the backbone of Actua’s for-youth-by-youth model, inspiring all youth from grades K-12 to achieve their potential through engagement in STEM. Through employment with Actua, instructors gain invaluable employability and leadership skills as they launch their careers in STEM. 

In addition to instructors, hundreds of high school students are hired as interns to assist in the delivery of STEM programs across Canada. They too benefit from training and valued work experience that build leadership and other employability skills that give them a leg-up on their early career advancement. 

The Future Skills Instructor experience develops key transferable employability skills including teamwork andcollaboration, communication, social intelligence, adaptability and flexibility, and innovation and creativity. Instructors also become stronger advocates for equity, diversity and inclusion in STEM through participation in the program. Participants receive approximately 40 hours of job-related training through the program, as well as a combination of online training modules and locally developed learning.

Work-integrated learning provides hands-on learning opportunities within a real-world setting. As part of their employment with an Actua Network Member, post-secondary and high school students  may also be offered career development opportunities that put their academic learning to the test and allow them to develop the practical and real-world skills needed to land a job in an emerging STEM field. This includes opportunities with industry partners such as professional mentoring, career days, internships and more. These experiences give students a competitive edge when entering the workforce by helping them develop their professional identities and professional networks while gaining skills relevant to the current job market.

Micro-credentials are an emerging and significant part of the education landscape. Actua is piloting micro-credentials to youth and educators participating in our programs so they can be recognized for a specific skill or competency. These verified and stackable micro-credentials complement traditional training and education and are a remarkable addition to any resume.