The new blueprint for workforce planning in the AI era

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Bridging skills gaps 

Industries globally are in the grip of rapid technological transformations. AI is disrupting nearly every industry, with Goldman Sachs estimating that roughly two-thirds of current jobs are exposed to some degree to AI automation, and nearly a quarter could be directly substituted by generative AI. 

Across OECD countries, skills mismatches are also growing. Canada faces acute shortages in sectors like technology, healthcare, and skilled trades, where demographic shifts and an aging population amplify challenges. The situation in Europe paints a similar picture: over 40% of people lack basic digital skills, leaving the union grappling with a disconnected workforce.

Business leaders now openly questioning whether traditional training can keep up with demand. “In the context of today’s AI-fueled accelerated disruption, many business leaders feel learning is too slow to respond to the volume, variety, and velocity of skills needs,” says Chantal Steen, Senior Director in Gartner’s HR Practice. 

The global workforce is struggling to move in sync with all this change, while policies lag and corporate learning initiatives fail to match the pace of this dynamic market. 

What is needed is a data-driven approach that leverages labour market insights to create adaptive career pathways, bridging skill gaps and driving productivity.

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Why data-driven pathways matter

A data-rich ecosystem that combines public labour market data, individual skills insights, and career pathways has the potential to align individual talent with opportunity on a national scale. Such an ecosystem would provide meaningful career direction while aligning with future workforce needs.

McKinsey’s 2024 report, Labor Markets: Tight in Advanced Economies, highlights that OECD economies, such as Canada’s, face constrained labour markets where supply and demand are out of sync. Traditional employment services lack the dynamic, data-driven methods to bridge this gap.

For policymakers, data-driven ecosystems can offer a way to anticipate labour shortages, adjust educational priorities, and foster economic stability. For businesses, it reduces recruitment costs and improves employee retention by precisely matching candidates to roles that fit their skills. For individuals, these pathways provide clarity while navigating complex career paths, empowering them to make informed choices about where they’re headed and how to get there. 

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The challenge of fragmented data

The vision of an integrated career ecosystem is compelling, but data fragmentation presents a significant barrier. Currently, employment data exists in silos. Public labour trends, individual skills, and career pathway data rarely exist within a single, cohesive system.

A report by McKinsey underscores this issue, noting that labour markets across OECD countries struggle to align talent with demand due to data fragmentation. For example, Canada relies on decentralized data sources that are informative but disconnected, leaving it to job seekers and employers to identify and address skills shortages using incomplete data.

A more unified approach is necessary. To create an adaptive employment ecosystem, the public and private sectors must work together to combine labour market data, individual skills information, and pathway insights into a single, dynamic solution. 

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Building an adaptive employment ecosystem

We need an adaptive employment ecosystem that can support immediate job placement and long-term career development.

Thrive plays a key role in building this vision. Our platform bridges gaps in Canada’s labour market through tools that empower job seekers and employers with meaningful insights. Each tool leverages public, proprietary, and aggregated skills data, all with a singular focus: empowering job seekers to move their careers forward.

• SkillsID & Capability Mapping: When a job seeker uploads a resume to Thrive, the SkillsID tool parses for skills and qualifications. This data is used to construct personalized career roadmaps with a deep understanding of potential fit and growth.

• Career Path Explorer: We connect job seekers to real-time market trends based on up-to-date job listings and demand data. The Career Path Explorer reveals in-demand skills, skills gaps, upskilling recommendations, and potential career paths, guiding individuals to opportunities with long-term potential. 

• AI Resume Builder & AI Resumes Tailoring: Great resumes take time, or at least they used to. Thrive offers an AI-enabled resume builder and AI resume tailoring tool to help job seekers save time and enhance the relevance of their applications. 

• Talent Exchange & Employer Job Matching: Moving beyond simple keyword matching, Thrive’s data-driven matching tool ensures a genuine fit between candidates and roles. Employers can search for specific combinations of skills and qualifications to ensure an ideal fit. 

Through these tools, Thrive is building an integrated, adaptive employment ecosystem. Each component connects critical elements of the job market, providing a framework that brings clarity, opportunity, and alignment to Canada’s workforce. 

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Empowering Ontario’s Job Seekers

The Ontario Digital Employment Services Project, part of Ontario’s Employment Services Transformation initiative, is a landmark effort to modernize public employment services. Led by a consortium including Deloitte and Serco, with Thrive as the primary technology partner, it equips public employment providers with advanced digital tools to better support job seekers.

Since launching in October 2023, the project, the largest of its kind in twenty years, has demonstrated impressive results using our data-driven approach. 

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• 60,000+ case-managed and self-directed jobseeker accounts annually
• Integration with 3rd party and Government Case-Management Systems 
• Support for Over 60 Employment Service Providers
• Extensive Labor Market & Skills Ontology

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These results highlight Thrive’s commitment to transforming public employment services through innovative, data-driven solutions. If you want to transform your employment services, enhance workforce development, and deliver better outcomes for job seekers, Thrive Career Wellness Platform is your ideal partner. 

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Broad, real-world benefits

A fully realized data-driven ecosystem offers tangible benefits across the board. For the government, data insights allow policymakers to align education and training with economic needs, helping create a resilient workforce that can adapt to future demands. For private sector organizations, data-driven matching reduces recruitment cycles, enabling companies to fill roles faster and adjust to skill shortages proactively. For job seekers, access to personalized, data-driven career pathways allows them to pursue immediate job opportunities while planning for long-term growth, strengthening overall workforce resilience and adaptability. 

Data-driven career pathways have the power to transform Canada’s workforce. By integrating fragmented, siloed data and adopting a unified employment ecosystem, we can effectively bridge gaps, empower individuals, and boost productivity. This approach paves the way for a more resilient economy where individuals find purpose, businesses find talent, and economies prosper.

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Ready to empower your workforce for the future?

At Thrive, we recognize that bridging skill gaps requires more than policy. It requires practical solutions. Our digital-first platform enables Government Employment Services and Workforce Development Ecosystems with transformational digital delivery models for job seekers, employers and service providers. Jobseekers are supported with AI-driven job matching and career navigation tools that help them enter the labour market faster and more effectively. 

With proven success in helping job seekers land positions faster, Thrive is positioned to support businesses and government agencies in building a more robust, inclusive workforce. Together, we can unlock Canada's full potential.