2021 Canadians to Watch

CHOSEN BECAUSE:

Lauren Tedesco is on the front lines of the “war for talent” in Canadian manufacturing. Her mission is to position the auto sector as one of the global leaders in technology and mobility by attracting and training the workforce of the future.

Tedesco, 36, is the first female vice-president in the Automotive Parts Manufacturers’ Association’s 70-year history. She oversees the workforce-development programs and policy for the auto-supplier sector.

She is currently building the first industrywide digital learning program, designed to address the shortage of skilled trades. The program is set to launch this year and will offer courses in areas such as health and safety, lean manufacturing, quality assurance and leadership. The aim is to allow established workers to gain skills at their own pace, with the program forecast to train as many as 5,000 workers in the first year.

IN HER OWN WORDS:

“I joke it’s the Netflix of training. You go online and pick your courses. There are assignments to complete, and then there’s an algorithm — you took these types of courses; here are other ones you might be interested in. So there’s a push on the platform to move people along so they can look at the career-development piece rather than just training in the role that they’re currently in. With upskilling, training and being able to attract new talent, people can really be thoughtful about what the future of their company looks like, the future of the industry looks like and be a bit more strategic, which ultimately makes us more competitive as an auto sector.”