I think we need to inspire young kids.
Through the innovation strategy, the Canadian Space Agency really wants to make a greater investment in inspiring young people and having a presence in various fields. That won't necessarily happen at the college or university level alone; we really need to trigger that shift in young boys and girls before they get to that stage. Obviously, the bigger the critical mass of young people who register for science programs sooner, the bigger our workforce.
One way the agency encourages participation is by giving university students funding to attend international conferences. We help them connect with space professionals around the world. We also provide them with networking support and offer internships to promote continued learning. The support and assistance we provide contributes to their development.
The support is rather targeted, though, so something the federal government could really help with is inspiring young people and getting them interested in these fields as early as possible.