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English-Language Vocational and Technical Training in Québec

2022 - 08 - 29

Contributors

Executive Summary
Sithandazile Kuzviwanza, Director of Policy & Research, PERT

Morgan Gagnon, Policy Researcher, PERT

Nicholas Salter, Executive Director, PERT

Chad Walcott, Director of Engagement & Communications, PERT

Maria J. De Las Salas, Communications and Engagement Specialist, PERT

Andrea Eidinger, Ph.D., Consultant

 

 In recent years, there has been a renewed interest in the role of vocational and technical training in meeting urgent labour market needs, as well as the broader economic and social benefits it provides to individuals and societies. Vocational and technical training (VTT), which aims to equip students with hands-on skills for direct entry into the labour market, is offered at the secondary and college level in Québec. The majority of Québec’s VTT programs are offered in French and primarily serve the French-speaking majority in Québec, who represent 85.3% of the province’s population. There is a smaller ecosystem of English-language VTT programs, which are offered primarily to Québec’s English speakers, who account for 13.8% of the population.

English speakers in Québec have historically had low rates of participation in vocational training programs and occupations. Available data indicates that roughly 6.2% of English speakers in Québec have a vocational education diploma, compared to 13.2% of French speakers. In addition, English speakers face an unemployment rate of 8.9%, which is two percentage points higher than the unemployment rate of French speakers (6.9%). English-language VTT programs can therefore be leveraged to increase the level of vocational and technical competencies that English speakers have, particularly to enter in-demand sectors such as healthcare, construction, and informational technology.

However, findability, awareness, and uptake of English-language VTT programs are a challenge. This report aims to address some of these challenges by mapping the existing offer of English-language VTT programs in Québec, as well as surveying the current issues in the VTT system.

For over three decades, the English-language VTT system has enabled English speakers in Québec to acquire the skills necessary for long-term success in the labour market. Lower participation in VTT among English speakers highlights the need to better understand how English speakers access VTT. This report seeks to contribute to this goal, as well as empower individuals, educational institutions, and policymakers to develop better solutions that increase English speakers’ access to VTT careers in Québec.

Key Findings:

  • English speakers pursue vocational education at half the rate of French speakers: 6.2% of English speakers in Québec have a vocational education diploma, compared to 13.2% of French speakers. 
  • Diverse and effective English-language VTT programming is important in Québec because the province is currently experiencing labour shortages in the wake of COVID-19, and English speakers are an underexplored target demographic.
  • English-language VTT is important for English speakers themselves because it helps to mitigate unemployment, which English speakers experience at higher rates than French speakers. 
  • English-language vocational programming is tethered to French-language learning opportunities, and often prepares English speakers to enter bilingual or predominantly French workspaces. 
  • More than half of all English-language VTT programs offered in Québec (approximately 54%) are located on the island of Montréal.
  • Flexibility to respond to labour market demands is essential to functional and effective VTT programming. As such, vocational centres need to be empowered to respond more efficiently and organically to fluctuations in the labour market.