Training participation, 2024

In the 12 months ending in November 2024, 3 in 10 (29.7%) workers
in Canada participated in job-related training outside the formal education
system. In general, employment remains a central driver of participation in
training, as the vast majority of workers (92.5%) did training mostly for job-related
reasons rather than for personal reasons. Participation in job-related training
continues to vary notably based on the educational attainment of workers, as
well as the skill and educational requirements of their position.

Job-related
training offers benefits to workers and businesses in a context of ongoing
societal and technological change. Participation in
job-related training is often driven by job requirements but it can also be an
important benefit accessible only in certain types of jobs. Training helps
workers become more employable and provides skills that can help them take on
more responsibilities with their current employer. For businesses, training can
improve productivity and make workers more confident and motivated in their
jobs.

The training
participation indicator is the share of workers who took part in job-related
non-formal training over the previous 12 months. The concept of non-formal
training refers to any kind of structured training, courses, or seminars taken
outside the formal education system. While many employers cover all costs
associated with job-related training, other forms of training may be
self-funded or sponsored by the federal or provincial governments. Non-formal
training is distinct from informal or on-the-job training—which is not included
in the current analysis. Informal or on-the-job training refers to day-to-day
learning at work based on observations or interactions with colleagues.

Data and
analyses for this indicator are based on a supplement to the Labour Force Survey.
Unless otherwise specified, estimates refer to the 12-month period ending in
November 2024 for workers aged 25 to 64.

Recent trends

The overall
rate of training participation in the 12 months ending in November 2024 (29.7%)
was similar to the rate observed in November 2022 (30.3%).

Higher levels
of educational attainment are associated with higher rates of training participation.
In November 2024, 36.8% of workers with a bachelor’s degree or higher had participated
in training over the previous 12 months, down 2.9 percentage points compared
with November 2022 (39.7%).

In contrast, under
one-fifth of workers with a high school diploma or lower had done training in
the 12 months ending in November 2024 (16.8%), little changed from November
2022 (14.9%).

A
recent snapshot

Participation in job-related training
peaks in the 35 to 44 and 45 to 54 age groups

Rates of
training participation were highest among mid-career to late-career workers
aged 35 to 44 and 45 to 54. In the 12 months ending in November 2024, nearly
one third of workers aged 35 to 44 (32.6%) and 45 to 54 (32.0%) had participated
in training. The training participation rate was slightly lower among workers
aged 25 to 34 (29.5%).

In both
November 2022 (22.9%) and November 2024 (23.1%) workers aged 55 to 64 posted
the lowest training participation rates. Training participation for older
workers was lower for both employees and self-employed workers.^Note 

Occupational groups with high rates of public sector employment had the highest  training participation rates

In November
2024, workers in health occupations, and in education, law and social,
community and government services had the highest rates of training
participation across all occupations. These occupational groups had a high
proportion of workers who were in the public sector,^Note  where training
participation rates are higher. Indeed, 2 in 5 (40.3%) public sector employees
had completed training in the previous 12 months, compared with 26.2% of
private sector employees and 27.7% of self-employed workers.

Nearly half of workers
in health occupations (48.0%) had participated in training during the previous
12 months, 18.3 percentage points higher than the average for all occupations (29.7%).
Among workers in education, law and social, community and government services,
4 in 10 (42.8%) had participated in training over this period.

In contrast,
less than 1 in 5 workers in manufacturing and utilities (16.8%) and sales and
service occupations (19.9%) had participated in job-related training. Workers
in trades, transport, and equipment operators and related occupations (22.3%),
and in natural resources and agriculture and related production occupations
(23.2%) also had lower rates of training participation compared with the
average for all occupations. All four occupational groups had rates of
employment in the public sector that were lower than the national average.

Overall,
training participation rates were highest amongst workers in professional
occupations that typically require a bachelor’s degree or higher (TEER 1)^Note  (42.9%), and
lowest amongst workers in jobs that do not usually require postsecondary
education (TEER 4 and 5) (16.9%).

South Asian and Filipino workers were among the least likely to have participated in training

Certain
population groups face limited access to employment and training opportunities,^{Note  Note}  reinforcing
the systemic barriers they face within the labour market. These barriers^Note  can affect individuals’
employment and career development. As such, information on access to training can
help inform policies aimed at promoting a more inclusive, equitable labour
market.

Rates of
training participation were lowest for South Asian and Filipino workers. About one-fifth
(21.9%) of Filipino workers and South Asian workers (18.7%) had participated in
training in the 12 months ending in November 2024, compared with nearly
one-third (32.4%) of non-racialized and non-Indigenous workers. However,
training participation rates among Black Canadians (30.0%) and Latin American
workers (29.6%) were similar to the rate for non-racialized and non-Indigenous
workers.

First Nations workers living off reserve, Métis workers living in the provinces
and non-Indigenous workers had similar rates of training participation

The training participation
rate was 34.9% among First Nations workers living off-reserve and 31.2% among
Métis workers living in the provinces in the 12 months ending in November 2024.
These rates were similar to the rate observed for non-Indigenous workers
(29.6%).^Note 

Women were more likely to have participated in training than men, due in part to the higher proportion of women with university degrees

Employed women
were 3.2 percentage points more likely than men to have participated in
training (31.4% vs. 28.2%) in the 12 months ending in November 2024.

Overall,
training participation rates were highest amongst those with a bachelor’s
degree or a higher level of education (36.8%), and women were more likely to
have a bachelor’s degree or a higher level of education in comparison to men
(47.4% vs. 39.0%). Further, women with a bachelor’s degree or a higher level of
education were 3.6 percentage points more likely than their male counterparts
to have participated in training (38.5% vs. 34.9%).

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