As part of our ongoing commitment to companionship and communication, Dasha and I are hoping to record at least one of our conversations every month this year as we discuss our marriage and family – from the mundane to the magical.
Content
Content
Recent Blog Posts
Building a Culture of Continuous Learning and Growth in Your Business
In a fast-paced, disruptive and continually evolving business environment, it’s essential that companies remain flexible..
31 Jul 2023
Muraly
Strategies for Stress Management and Burnout Prevention in Business Leadership
Business leadership brings with it a host of personal as well as..
24 Jul 2023
Muraly
Networking Across Industries: How To Connect With Professionals Outside Your Field
Networking is regularly cited as one of the most powerful tools for..
17 Jul 2023
Muraly
Podcast
- All, Business
In this episode, I speak to Geetha Moorthy, Executive Director, the SAAAC Autism Centre.
- 16 Sep 2021
- By #MSTeam
Blog
- All, Business, Education
In a rapidly evolving employment market, having a post-secondary education is often necessary to secure a well-paying job. While traditional universities and colleges are popular choices for many students, career colleges, such as Computek College based in Toronto, offer an alternative path to success. These institutions provide a hands-on, practical education that prepares students for specific careers.
Education for a Career
Career colleges are increasingly stepping up to bridge the skills gap in sectors with labour shortages such as healthcare, IT and business. They provide a flexible approach to education, with courses running from short entry-level programs to longer diploma and degree programs. They also provide short courses to help professionals in different fields gain new knowledge and skills while in post. Most career colleges offer part-time, evening, and weekend classes, which can allow students to work while they study.
In the Canadian job market, career colleges play an important role in meeting the needs of employers and helping students succeed in their chosen careers. They will often have strong connections with employers in specific industries, which can lead to job placement opportunities.
Many colleges have partnerships with local employers, which can lead to internships, placements, and job offers after graduation. This means that students can build valuable industry connections while they are still in school and can often find employment soon after graduation.
A New Era for Career Colleges
After a period where university-level education has been prioritized across the globe’s leading economies, vocational education is coming back into focus. At a time of rapid change, growing labour shortages in key sectors and an aging workforce, there is an increased need for targeted and flexible skills-based training.
Career colleges are likely to play a pivotal role in equipping workers with the skills they need, providing flexible opportunities for people of all ages to acquire new skills, retrain and take up opportunities.
Opportunities for New Arrivals
Career colleges can be particularly beneficial for new immigrants, as they offer practical, career-oriented training that can help immigrants quickly acquire the skills and knowledge needed to enter new fields or advance their careers in Canada.
Many career colleges also offer programs and services specifically designed to support new immigrants. Some career colleges offer language training and cultural integration courses, as well as job placement services and assistance with navigating the Canadian job market.
Stay tuned through our socials and website for the latest information, podcasts, more blogs and upcoming events.
- 19 Jun 2023
- By Muraly
- All, Family, Health
Last year, Statistics Canada released a series of results from the 2021 Census that revealed that Canada is getting older. The working-age population aged from 15 to 64, who produce the bulk of goods and services in the Canadian economy, had reached a turning point. More than 1 in 5 (21.8%) people of working age are now aged 55 to 64. This means that over the next decade, a huge proportion of the workforce will be retiring.
Despite having the third youngest population in the G7 after the US and UK, Canada’s youngest baby boomers will soon be exiting the workforce. These are highly experienced workers, many of whom are in key roles across a number of sectors.
Addressing the Challenges of an Aging Population in Canada’s Healthcare Sector
This presents challenges for employers, especially in sectors such as healthcare. The aging population combined with experienced members of the healthcare workforce retiring means that there could be fewer healthcare workers at a time of increased demand for services.
Squaring this particular circle will be challenging, but doing so also brings with it a range of opportunities. Labour shortages in the healthcare sector are likely to drive up salaries, with government and other agencies stepping in to provide training for people looking to join healthcare professions. This will increase the opportunity for people in careers that may be threatened through artificial intelligence (AI) to retrain for highly skilled, well-rewarded and fulfilling new roles.
It will also create opportunities for skilled migrant workers from growing populations across the world to come to Canada, enjoy great careers, contribute to Canadian society and build new lives.
A Moment of Transition for the Canadian Economy
At the same time as large numbers of people are getting ready to retire, AI is being rolled out across different industries. This is likely to lead to more streamlined and efficient operations, lessening the need for some routine roles and freeing up workers for more creative and human-centered tasks.
Fewer workers may well be needed at precisely the time when the working-age population is shrinking. There is a certain serendipity to that but it doesn’t mean we should rest on our laurels. Automation has the potential to create new opportunities, and an aging population will need new products and services to meet their needs. For example, businesses could develop new technologies to help older adults stay connected with their families and communities or create new healthcare products that are tailored to the needs of the aging population.
At a policy level, the government may wish to incentivize young families, making it easier for people to start families, enjoy a good quality of life and plan effectively. Opportunities for intergenerational collaboration, and finding ways to harness the knowledge, skills and experience of older and retired workers could create new ways of working and a more flexible understanding of retirement.
Implications and Opportunities for New Workers
Even with technological innovation, flexible retirement and family-friendly policies, it’s still likely that Canada will have an increased need for new workers from parts of the world with a growing population.
Competition between countries for highly skilled workers is also likely to increase, meaning that Canada will need to take a look at the quality of its offer in terms of financial rewards, career opportunities and quality of life. With its welcoming culture and established community links, Canada will have some key advantages in attracting the brightest and the best.
Stay tuned through our socials and website for the latest information, podcasts, more blogs and upcoming events.
- 12 Jun 2023
- By Muraly
- All, Business
Ensuring you have a reliable pipeline of future talent in your organization is key to future success. While the principle may be clear, turning it into a reality can be more difficult. The unpredictable human element can often make identifying and developing talent for your organization feel like something of a lottery. While some variables cannot be anticipated, there are ways to spot the people who may develop into successful leaders.
So how do you go about identifying the next generation of leaders in your organization?
Born or Made?
While a minority of great leaders will exhibit exemplary leadership qualities from the beginning of their careers, their aptitude is something that they will need to develop over time. To achieve this they will usually need a combination of the right attitude and a willingness to work hard. While some people may have a range of skills that could be utilized in a leadership role, they perhaps lack the drive to develop them. This is where training and mentorship play a pivotal role.
Identifying who has both the talent and the drive to get there is a critical skill that current business leaders need to develop to ensure the future sustainability of their organization.
Key Traits of Potential Leaders
While there is no one way to be an effective leader, successful leaders will often share several key traits. These include:
A Desire to Achieve
Firstly, your successful leaders of the future will exhibit a clear drive to achieve. In practical terms, this will mean clear ideas of what achieving will mean in career terms and how that translates into tangible goals. Are their goals credible and do they coalesce with your own organizational goals and requirements? You will also want to see what practical steps the individual takes to achieve those goals, such as accessing training or mentoring that can help them gain the necessary skills.
Flexibility
Great leaders tend to be flexible. They are open to new ideas and can respond quickly to developing situations. In an age of technological disruption, this quality will be crucial to the future success of any organization. While the exact architecture of the future marketplace is difficult to predict, ensuring you have people in place with insight and a willingness to act will be key.
Openness
An open, inquiring mind supports flexibility and adaptive leadership. At a time of rapid change existing and emerging leaders need to be constantly learning. They should seek out new developments, try to understand trends and be able to identify opportunities.
Communication
Communication is perhaps the most important aspect of effective leadership. Being able to communicate ideas and plans, inspire and motivate others and defuse conflict solutions is a must for the modern workplace. Effective communication is a skill that can be developed over time, and would-be leaders should prioritize acquiring advanced communication skills as part of their development strategy.
Empathy
Successful leaders understand human nature and how to get the best out of people. They empathize with the challenges, goals and dreams of people in their team and can relate on a human level. Because they care, they inspire loyalty and a desire among their team to work harder for shared goals.
Effective leadership means keeping informed. Stay tuned through our socials and website for the latest information, podcasts, more blogs and upcoming events.
- 5 Jun 2023
- By Muraly