As sponsors of the 2026 Global Energy Show, BHER convened an executive roundtable on Coordinating Canada's Energy Workforce: Building Mobility and Talent Supply Chains, which brought together leaders from industry, labour, post-secondary institutions, and government.
One message emerged clearly: Canada's workforce challenge is not only about producing more talent. It's about coordinating the talent we already have.
Participants emphasized the need to:
- Shift from a focus on jobs to a focus on skills, recognizing the transferable capabilities needed across energy sectors.
- Build a more connected talent ecosystem that supports labour mobility and aligns workforce development with future project demand.
- Strengthen the narrative around energy careers to overcome entrenched negative perceptions influencing youth career choices.
- Sustain workforce development and talent pipelines in a cyclical industry by investing in apprenticeships, early-career talent, workforce development partnerships, and other forms of work-integrated learning.
Roundtable participants committed to working together to build a unified industry narrative to improve energy literacy in Canada. Thank you to everyone who contributed their insights, including Honourable Myles McDougall, Alberta's Minister of Advanced Education. BHER will work with roundtable participants, our members, and partners on next steps.
Alongside this work, BHER’s Energy Leadership Table will explore how Canada can build the workforce, innovation capacity, and partnerships required to support energy security, clean growth, major projects, and industrial competitiveness.