Statistics Canada said Friday the economy lost 63,000 jobs while the unemployment rate edged up to 8.6 percent compared with 8.5 percent in November.

A report prepared by The Conference Board of Canada found that the industry is significantly lacking in skills such as critical thinking and emotional intelligence that are essential for closing communication gaps among workers from different generations and varying backgrounds.

A report by Statistics Canada looked at apprenticeship completion rates between 2008 and 2016. It found that those apprentices who trained in higher-paying trades and those training in fields relating to their trades were most likely to complete their programs.

The goal of the program is to encourage children to share their visions of inclusive communities. Winning participants will earn funding for not only their own educations, but also for their communities and their schools.

The 17-member board now includes three representatives from the construction sector.