Technical Service Council

The Technical Service Council was set up to combat the "brain drain" of Canadian engineers to the United States, when over 20% of the graduating classes were emigrating. Ireland, India, New Zealand and even Switzerland have had similar problems.

In 1927, Canadian industry financed the council, whose directors concluded that a non-profit employment service that was free to graduates might minimize emigration. The service survived the Depression, played a part in recruiting scientists and engineers for war work, pioneered outplacement and expanded to include other professional occupations. It financed major studies of the supply of and demand for engineers and offered free-job-hunting courses to professionals.

Although started in Toronto, the Council eventually had offices in Montreal, Winnipeg, Calgary, Edmonton and Vancouver before becoming bankrupt in 1994. It may have reduced the brain drain during its first 20 or 25 years, but it's not possible to judge its later record.