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How SkillLab Can Help You Find Your Next Career With AI

As technology advances, we see an increasing amount of people wanting to learn more about themselves through the objective lens of tech. For the last year, Iron & Earth has been employing artificial intelligence as the next tool for career counseling through a collaboration with the Dutch company SkillLab.

SkillLab is a platform that uses artificial intelligence to identify and match people's skills with jobs and education. Skills can be imported from any type of lived experience, including volunteering, caretaking, housework, and other forms of labor that are often undervalued and unpaid. SkillLab recognizes that stay at home parents have excellent project management and conflict resolution skills, and that athletes have incredible teamwork and strategy skills. By breaking down both experiences and jobs into the building blocks of skills, AI can map out transitions and career matches that often surprise people with just how much they are qualified for.

Iron & Earth began employing SkillLab through our Net Zero Pathways (NZP) program in 2023 as one of the tools offered to participants to understand their options and opportunities. These participants underwent a one week training program with Iron & Earth Trainers, followed by a 6-week experiential learning opportunity with local net-zero employers, including wrap-around support and wage subsidies. Participants walked away with new skills, new work experience, and sometimes even a new job offer. 

In addition, Iron & Earth also utilized this program in our Mentorship program - training our Mentors in SkillLab so that they can employ this program with their Mentees in their sessions to help identify their career opportunities and guide them through transition to the green economy. In these one-on-one sessions, Mentees have the opportunity to ask questions and receive customized guidance and support. 

Positive feedback from our participants has highlighted the program’s usefulness in many areas of their career search from identifying possible career options, to tailoring a resume and cover letter for their specific skills. One of our participants mentioned that:

“SkillLab has made it easier for me to write cover letters by helping me to better understand how my academic, work, volunteer and other life experiences contribute to my unique skillset and set me apart in the workforce”

In addition, our Trainers and Mentors have an easier time understanding the experiences and skills of our participants through the admin portal, making for smoother conversations. One of our staff members shared that:

“Being able to see a participant's skills laid out in a singular webpage, with direct data links to potential careers and how they overlap, brings a scientific and analytical perspective to what is often an emotional and personal conversation. This blend of science and art is the key to finding someone a career path that they find fulfilling and exciting.” 

If you haven’t had the pleasure of trying out SkillLab yet, you can access the platform directly on our website, or book a meeting with a Mentor for a more guided experience. 

Iron & Earth was founded within Treaty 6 Territory and within the Métis homelands and Métis Nation of Alberta Region 4. We acknowledge this land as the traditional territories of many First Nations, including the Nehiyaw (Cree), Denesuliné (Dene), Nakota Sioux (Stoney), Anishinaabe (Saulteaux), and Niitsitapi (Blackfoot).

Iron & Earth acknowledges that our work takes place on the traditional, ancestral, and unceded territories of Indigenous Peoples across Canada. We recognize the ongoing impacts of colonialism and the deep connection that Indigenous communities have with the land, water, and environment. Our commitment to a Just Transition is informed by Indigenous land stewardship principles. We are dedicated to fostering partnerships with Indigenous communities, respecting their sovereignty, and learning from their knowledge and traditions. We strive to ensure that our initiatives are inclusive and support community-driven climate solutions, contributing to a sustainable and equitable future for all. We honor the diverse histories, languages, and cultures of Indigenous Peoples and commit to continuing our journey of learning and reconciliation as we work together toward a thriving green economy.