Richard Smale is currently enrolled in a Master’s program in Work & Society at McMaster University. His research interests are labour law, trade unions and occupational health and safety, particularly in relation to class inequality, Canadian politics and social justice. 

Originally from the Okanagan, located in the interior of British Columbia, Richard relocated to Ontario nine years ago and has since completed a Bachelor’s Degree from the University of Toronto (2013) as well as a Postgraduate Certificate in Human Resources Management from George Brown College (2014). Beyond his academic career, Richard’s professional experience has largely been in Human Resources, primarily working within the recruitment and selection function for the Ontario public sector.

For his Master’s thesis, Richard hopes to further examine the application of the human capital theory to the millennial generation as well as how social mobility barriers translate into labour force accessibility and impact life chances.