Canadian HR Reporter

26 www.hrreporter.com S P O N S O R E D "We really need to deploy a workforce that can commercialize on our innovations to ensure that we can meet our full economic potential." And while the COVID-19 pandemic has left the country in a very challenging situation, the global demand for cleantech and environmental services Growing industry Cleantech is a subset of the green economy, which is a larger umbrella covering the very low-carbon, resource- efficient economy, he says. "Cleantech is any technological process, product or service that provides any improvement in performance, reduction in cost, minimization of negative environmental impacts and more efficient use of natural resources. So, it is a subset of the larger green economy." The industries with the highest rates of cleantech use within Canada include pipeline transportation, rail and water transportation, utilities and oil and gas extraction. In 2008, cleantech was a global $880-billion industry and by 2015, it had grown significantly to $1.2 trillion. That's expected to more than double by 2022 to a $2.5-trillion sector, says Nilsen, while also providing economic opportunity for Canada's natural resources, energy, manufacturing and agriculture sectors. " There really is a tremendous opportunity for us to invest in this sector and for Canada to really make sure that we get a bigger piece of that revenue pie that comes from it and develop a workforce around it." Canada ranks number one worldwide when it comes to research, development and innovation, but it's number 16 on the list when it comes to revenue generation, he says. There is so much potential for the cleantech industry in Canada, but obstacles such as a lack of investment, commercialization and labour are holding the sector back. A paradigm shift is needed, by capitalizing on the country's strong innovation and providing proper training and education JOB CREATION, COMMERCIALIZATION KEY TO CANADA BECOMING LEADER IN CLEANTECH SECTOR makes the sector uniquely positioned to help relaunch the economy, says Nilsen. "It really is a huge opportunity. And in order to rebound from the recession that COVID-19 is springing on us, I think workforce development decisions and training investments and business decisions need to be grounded in solid research." "There is a tremendous opportunity for us to invest in this sector and for Canada to make sure that we get a bigger piece of the revenue pie that comes from it and develop a workforce around it." in 1874, two Canadian inventors filed a patent application for an electric light bulb. Two years later, they sold the patent to Thomas Edison, who became known as the inventor of the light bulb. It's this kind of mindset that Canada must overcome if the country is to become a market leader in the clean technology (cleantech) sector, according to Kevin Nilsen, president and CEO of ECO Canada in Calgary. "Canada has what it takes to capture a big slice of that global innovation opportunity, but we are falling short. We're great at generating these ideas and developing them into promising technologies, but we're really behind other countries in getting those ideas to market," he says. "Honestly, I think it is a paradigm shift that we need to make. We can't just be satisfied with coming up with great ideas, we have to capitalize on them… It's thinking about, 'OK, how do we make these ideas profitable? How do we develop a workforce around them?'" Canada is missing out on job creation and business opportunities, and it's about ensuring investment is made in the commercialization and development of the workforce, says Nilsen. "It seems like Canada is really great at building foundations for houses, but we need to finish that house and actually live in it. That is the next step, and that's why we're lagging behind." W O R K F O R C E P L A N N I N G BACK

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