The Toronto Sector Skills Academy was a Metcalf Inclusive Local Economies initiative from 2016 to 2020.

The Toronto Sector Skills Academy (TSSA) was a year-long fellowship for workforce leaders focused on improving our regional workforce system to create employment opportunities for low-income workers while supporting business competitiveness in specific industry sectors and occupations. The TSSA was developed in partnership with the Aspen Institute’s Economic Opportunities Program and built on Aspen’s long-standing commitment to workforce development and capacity building. In 2015, the Metcalf Foundation with the support of The Counselling Foundation of Canada, replicated, designed and delivered the TSSA.

As a year-long fellowship program, fellows representing the government, community, and nonprofit sectors attended twelve days of retreats and workshops. Participants worked with peers from a variety of organizations, learned from experts in the field, strengthened existing and created new partnerships, and engaged in experiential learning with practical applications. The TSSA focused on building a better understanding of our workforce system, and explored organizational strategies and partnerships.