Education gap may be widening

New research presented at a recent conference titled Indigenous Issues in Post-Secondary Education: Transitions to the Workplace suggests that the education gap between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Canadians is widening, despite gains in the numbers of Indigenous peoples with university degrees. According to 2 of the researchers, the widening gap could be due to the rapid rate at which non-Indigenous Canadians are furthering their education. As the Indigenous youth population continues to grow, closing the education gap has become a prominent public-policy issue. Other research presented at the conference looked at the fields of work of Indigenous graduates, finding large numbers in health care, education, and the public sector. While this could be positive given that these jobs tend to be secure and well-paid, the researchers noted that it could also indicate barriers to employment in other fields. Globe and Mail | Globe and Mail (infographic) | Conference website (includes links to research papers)