CBJ JANUARY 2026

49 WHAT KEEPS BUSINESS LEADERS UP AT NIGHT? JANUARY 2026 « The Canadian Business Journal 48 Having relevant programs and curricula is only the starting point. We also need to ensure learners have opportunities to apply what they’re learning in workplace settings. Work-integrated learning in the form of apprenticeships, practicums, clinical placements and co-ops give our students opportunities to combine the theory they learn in class with real-life situations. This is great résumé-building experience for students, but also gives employers a chance to test new talent and find the right fit for their business. Yet, our business partners tell us that talented new graduates are only one piece of the workforce puzzle. They also require upskilling for their existing employees who need to stay abreast of change across their operations. Here, we’ve introduced Surge Micro- credentials. These are short, focused courses to accelerate skills development and provide learners with an industry-recognized micro- credential or digital badge. For example, our Small Business Taxes course focuses on the tax obligations of business, including goods and service tax, remittances and exemptions, allowing users to explore various types of business ownership. Our delivery options – real-time sessions with industry professionals or self-paced online offerings – recognize that those at mid-career must often schedule learning around other commitments. When challenges around talent stand in the way of business success, growth and productivity, dealing with societal issues, from climate change to Indigenous reconciliation, becomes much more difficult. We can’t hope to be competitive on the world stage, or, for that matter, maintain our standard of living. That’s why, when business leaders tell me “talent” is keeping them awake at night, I tell them to come by for a closer look at the solutions polytechnics across Canada are implementing every day. Dr. Larry Rosia is President & CEO of Saskatchewan Polytechnic, past Chair of Polytechnics Canada and a Director of the Business-Higher Education Roundtable.