Many Canadians feel ill prepared for career change: Survey

VICTORIA – A survey found nearly half of those questioned plan to make a career change in the next five years but many feel they’re not prepared.

The Ipsos survey, conducted for Royal Roads University in Victoria, found 45 per cent of the more than one-thousand employed people questioned are eyeing a new career.

The survey found that 29 per cent of those asked don’t feel their current skill set leaves them ready for a new line of work.

An overwhelming majority of those surveyed said they recognize the importance of life-long learning, but 61 per cent said they don’t anticipate furthering their education to upgrade skills.

The survey also found a significant portion of those questioned are worried about losing their jobs due to a downturn in the economy, with the greatest level of concern in Alberta.

Ipsos questioned 1,004 people for the survey last month. It’s considered accurate to within 3.5 percentage points, 19 times out of 20.