What's New

Video highlights opportunities in Manufacturing

Mark — Thu, 17 May 2012 09:31:39 -0400

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This video features information about Manufacturing in Canada, along with insights into the many exciting career opportunities in the field.

Manufacturing remains Canada's largest business sector and will require 400,000 workers in the next 15 years. The nature of manufacturing is also changing, with companies using increasingly sophisticated technology and requiring more highly skilled employees.

This is 1 of 4 videos on sectors of the economy which offer opportunities for business and career growth.

The videos are designed to provide useful information for job seekers, students, educators and others about potential careers and jobs.

The videos were produced by the Workforce Planning Board of Grand Erie, in partnership with several other workforce planning boards in southern Ontario, Passport to Prosperity, and School College Work Initiative, Grand River Region.

Video highlights opportunities in Health & Wellness

Mark — Thu, 17 May 2012 09:06:46 -0400

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This video features information about the Health and Wellness industry in Canada, along with insights into the many exciting career opportunities in the field.

An aging population, an older halth-care workforce, and a shift to community based health services, means there is great potential for job growth in this area. There are also numerous occupations available, such as nurses, personal support workers, dental hygienists, homecare workers, pharmacy assistants, massage therapists, lab technicians.

This is 1 of 4 videos on sectors of the economy which offer opportunities for business and career growth.

The videos are designed to provide useful information for job seekers, students, educators and others about potential careers and jobs.

Video highlights "Green and Clean" opportunities

Mark — Wed, 16 May 2012 15:58:10 -0400

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This video features information about the “Green and Clean” sector, including insights into the many careers available in this growing part of the economy.

The video emphasizes that there are dozens – if not hundreds – of green jobs in a diverse range of industries. It also includes footage of a plant in Aylmer, Ont., that uses locally grown corn to produce ethanol.

This is 1 of 4 videos on sectors in our economy which offer opportunities for business and career growth.

The videos are designed to provide useful information for job seekers, students, educators and others about potential careers and jobs.

Video highlights opportunities in Tourism & Hospitality industry

Mark — Wed, 16 May 2012 15:12:55 -0400

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This video features information about the Hospitality and Tourism industry in Canada, along with insights into the many exciting career opportunities in the field.

The video features an interview with Clark Hoskin, Manager of Tourism and Economic Development for Norfolk County.

This is 1 of 4 videos on sectors of the economy which offer opportunities for business and career growth.

The videos are designed to provide useful information for job seekers, students, educators and others about potential careers and jobs.

April unemployment dips in Brantford-Brant

Mark — Fri, 11 May 2012 14:19:50 -0400

The ranks of employed residents in Brantford-Brant continues to grow, according to new figures released by Statistics Canada and BrantJobs.

Since January, 1,600 more people have been listed as employed locally, climbing from 65,000 in January to 66,600 in April. During the same time period, the community's population has grown by ony 200 people.

The growing number of employed residents contributed to April's unemployment rate falling to 8.5%, down from 8.8% in March (all figures are based on a three-month moving average).

"We're seeing a slow and steady increase in the number of people who are employed. This is a positive start to the year," said Jill Halyk, executive director of the Workforce Planning Board.

Halyk noted that eight new companies have opened in Brantford since January, creating more than 100 jobs.

For more details, read our News Release.

trey anthony on Embracing Change

Mark — Fri, 11 May 2012 09:27:24 -0400

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Canadian award-winning playwright and comedian trey anthony received a standing ovation when she gave a talk to about 120 people attending the Mentoring Skilled Newcomers celebration May 1.

anthony, who has been called 'Canada's Oprah', delivered a funny and inspiring talk. The creator of the hit play and TV sitcom 'da Kink in My Hair, described how she overcame skeptics and barriers to become a successful actor.

anthony described her own journey of turning no's into yeses and encouraged the audience to follow their dreams, and work hard to achieve them. During her talk, held at Laurier Brantford, she also encourage people to embrace change instead of fearing it.

Earlier in the evening, the Mentoring Skilled Newcomers program celebrated the success of its mentors and mentees. Both mentees and mentors were presented with certificates of appreciation. The program, which matches skilled newcomers with professionals in their fields, has connected almost 30 newcomers with mentors.

Mentoring Skilled Newcomers is a program of the Workforce Planning Board of Grand Erie, with funding from Citizenship and Immigration Canada-Multiculturalism Program.

For more information on the program, go HERE.

Managing stress in the workplace

Mark — Tue, 08 May 2012 10:36:02 -0400

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About 50 people got tips on managing stress in the workplace at seminars presented by the Haldimand-Norfolk Health Unit, in partnership with the Workforce Planning Board of Grand Erie.

Jean Montgomery, a public speaker and active volunteer from Waterford, talked about identifying, understanding and coping with stress. She also talked about the importance of living an active, balanced life, at home and at work.

Laura Tousaw, a registered dietitian with the H-N Health Unit, talked about how to handle stress through nutrition and healthy eating. Tips include taking breaks to have lunch, not eating at your desk, having a workplace wellness committeee, and following Canada's healthy food guide.

Participants received copies of the Workforce Planning Board's booklet Healthy Work-Life Balance: A Guide for Employers. The health unit was one of several local organizations that was involved in the booklet's development.

The seminars were held in Caledonia and Simcoe.

Trip to Skills Canada Ontario competition a success

Mark — Mon, 07 May 2012 15:58:19 -0400

Brandon Cartmel (above left), of Tollgate Technological Skills Centre in Brantford competes in the Skills Canada Ontario technological skills competition at Waterloo's RIM Park. More than 800 high school students from Grand Erie visited the event. At right: Workforce Planning Board director Jake Francis of Carrier Centers trucks in Brantford volunteered at the event.

Photos: Jaymie Nelson, Workforce Planning Board

More than 800 students from Grand Erie high schools got an up-close look at dozens of potential careers during a trip to the Skills Canada Ontario event in Waterloo.

Grade 9 and 10 students from both the Grand Erie District School Board and the Brant Haldimand Norfolk Catholic District School Board were bused to the competition.

Students even got to watch a few fellow students from Grand Erie, including Brandon Cartmel of Tollgate Technological Skills Centre (pictured) compete in the event.

Several directors of the Workforce Planning Board of Grand Erie also volunteered at the event: Jake Francis of Carrier Centers trucks, Clarke Hurley of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers, Colleen Vandaele of Kelly Services. Other directors attending were Mark Miletich, Jan Tyrrell and Graham Carroll.

"It was a fun day for everyone involved," said Jaymie Nelson, project co-ordinator with the Workforce Planning Board of Grand Erie. "Students got to see a lot of different trades in action. They got to meet a lot of employers and learn what education and skills they need to move into interesting careers."

Help us build a leading edge workforce

Mark — Tue, 17 Apr 2012 16:22:16 -0400

Building a leading edge workforce in Grand Erie takes a community-wide effort.

The Workforce Planning Board is inviting community members from all walks of life to get involved in building the workforce we need to succeed for today and tomorrow.

Read more about our community's strategies for 2012-13 by reading our April newsletter.

Click on the newsletter at left to read:

You'll find information on the state of the local economy and workforce, as well as strategies and actions designed to address challenges.

Read what community members had to say on how to build a leading edge workforce.

The next step is to think about how you or your organization/business can get involved to help carry out strategies identified in the 2012 Local Labour Market Plan.

We would love to hear from you.

Some local firms hired in March: survey

Mark — Tue, 10 Apr 2012 14:44:30 -0400

A large majority -- 77% -- of firms surveyed by the Workforce Plannng Board reported that their staffing level stayed the same in March.

However, of those that changed staffing levels, more firms hired than let go staff.

Twenty-one companies and organizations reported they added 99 jobs during the month, while only 6 firms said they cut 15 jobs. The net gain was 84 jobs.

Hiring was particularly strong among manufacturers participating in the survey. Among the jobs added: shipper/receiver, machine operators, packers, welders, general labourer and sales.

The numbers are the result of a voluntary survey the Workforce Planning Board conducts each month to get a snapshot of the local labour market and economy.

March's survey was based on the participation of 101 firms across Grand Erie, including Brantford, Brant, Haldimand and Norfolk.

The numbers come at a time when Brantford-Brant's unemployment rate climbed to 8.8% from 8.2% and Norfolk's unemployment rate climbed to 7.7%. Both figures are based on a sample of residents.

March unemployment rate jumps in Brantford-Brant, Norfolk

Mark — Thu, 05 Apr 2012 13:38:48 -0400

Brantford-Brant saw strong demand for construction and landscape workers in March but the overall unemployment rate jumped.

Brantford-Brant’s unemployment rate climbed to 8.8 per cent in March, up from 8.2% in February, according to Statistics Canada numbers released Thursday by BrantJobs.

Norfolk's unemployment rate jumped to 7.7%, up from 5.9% last December.

Meanwhile, Canada’s unemployment rate fell to 7.2%, as some 82,000 jobs – mostly full time – were added last month. Ontario’s unemployment also fell, to 7.4%.

“The local job market continues to experience challenges, but we are not seeing company closures like we did a couple of years ago,” said Jill Halyk, executive director of the Workforce Planning Board of Grand Erie. “We have to continue growing opportunities by supporting innovation and technology in our local businesses and by encouraging entrepreneurs.

The Workforce Planning Board’s own monthly survey of Grand Erie employers shows some growth in hiring. While 78% of the 92 employers who participated reported their staffing level was unchanged in March, most of the remainder were in a hiring mode. Twenty-one participating employers reported hiring 77 people, while 4 firms eliminated 11 positions.

To read the Workforce Planning Board's news release on March's unemployment rate, click HERE.

Progress report on 2011 strategies

Mark — Wed, 04 Apr 2012 13:50:41 -0400

What have the communities of Grand Erie achieved in the last year?

Lots, especially when talking about the local labour market.

Many of those achievements are outlined in a new report called 2011 Local Labour Market Plan Update: Communities at Work.

The 14-page Workforce Planning Board of Grand Erie report details what progress has been made in key areas over the last year, since the WPBGE released its Local Labour Market Plan for 2011.

Among the progress items:

Support for agriculture
Support for tourism
Support for specialty trade contractors
Support for laid-off workers
Support for education
Support for small and medium sized businesses
Support for manufacturing

This report updates the status of those actions, and on the many other activities underway within Brantford, Brant, Haldimand and Norfolk.

To get up to date on activities, click on the report.

Building a Leading Edge Workforce

Mark — Thu, 29 Mar 2012 16:28:57 -0400

How to build a leading edge workforce is the theme of this year's Local Labour Market Plan, published by the Workforce Planning Board of Grand Erie.

The document's title, Building a Leading Edge Workforce . . . Together, refers to the need for everyone to work together to build a more prosperous Grand Erie: individuals and community leaders from education, government, business, service providers and organizations.

The 2012 Local Labour Market Plan was developed after extensive community consultations from Brantford, Brant, Haldimand, Norfolk, Six Nations and New Credit.

The report contains 5 core recommendations to build on our communities' potential:

Develop collaborative partnerships to strengthen future growth and prosperity
Foster innovation through creative idea generation
Develop a well-balanced workforce with a postive attitude
Develop inter-generational dialogue and youth engagement strategies
Increase awareness of employment and training programs and services

Building a Leading Edge Workforce also outlines actions to move these recommendations forward.

Hire the Best: New HR published

Mark — Thu, 29 Mar 2012 14:07:52 -0400

The Workforce Planning Board of Grand Erie has published a new "Human Resource Tool Kit" for automotive repair and maintenance businesses to help them Hire the Best employees.

Hire the Best is a step-by-step guide designed to help businesses to find, train and keep the best employees.

The tool kit was created in response to a need identified by business owners, who told us how difficult it is to hire and retain workers with both the technical and essential skills essential for business success.

There's also information on apprenticeships and related tax credits. Hiring an apprentice today ensures a skilled workforce for tomorrow.

Hire the Best is a free resource.

Click on the report at right to download a copy.

Or contact our office to get a hard copy.

What the community had to say

Mark — Wed, 15 Feb 2012 14:26:46 -0500

The Workforce Planning Board of Grand Erie held 3 "community conversations" in early 2012 with organizations interested in labour market planning.

The sessions were a key element in the community consultations that will inform the Workfore Planning Board's Labour Market Plan for 2012-13.

Sessions were held in Norfolk, Brantford and Six Nations, with a total of 73 participants from across the Grand Erie region.

Participants were asked to talk about these 3 questions:

What does a leading-edge workfore look like?
How can we, as a community, utilize our resources, capacity and strengths to create sustainable employment opportunities for a leading edge workforce?
What does our community have going for it?

The ideas participants came up with were then collected into themes.

A report on the community conversations is now avaible. Click on the report cover to read.

Read about our Education Works Champions

Mark — Tue, 14 Feb 2012 11:56:52 -0500

Nineteen inspirational stories about 19 amazing people.

That's what we got when the Education Works Alliance asked the community for nominations of Education Works Champions: positive role models who show the value of education and training.

Our champions range in age from 19 to 60 and come from across Grand Erie: Brantford, Paris, Six Nations, Jarvis, Simcoe, Nanticoke, Waterford.

Many of these Champions have had to overcome huge hurdles to achieve their goals: lack of money, job losses, family issues, personal challenges, lack of self-confidence, even fear of going back to school.

But these Champions show that anything is possible -- and that Education Works.

The Champions' stories also show that there are a lot of helpful, caring people, organizatins and educational facilities in our community, ready to assist people every step of the way to achieve their potential.

New guide for employers shows value of healthy workplaces

Mark — Thu, 19 Jan 2012 16:35:00 -0500

Healthy workplaces.

Healthy work-life balance.

These are more than just vague concepts. Having a healthy workplace and promoting healthy work-life balance to employees can save businesses money.

That's one of the points made loud and clear in a new booklet, Healthy Work-Life Balance: A Guide for Employers, published by the Workforce Planning Board of Grand Erie.

The 20-page booklet shows there's cost savings to businesses that invest in healthy employees and workplaces: higher staff morale, job satisfaction and productivity; lower health claims costs, fewer sick days, less workplace conflict.

The booklet outlines strategies to help employers and employees, and lists local organizations that offer support, services and resources, most of which are free.

Healthy Work-Life Balance was developed with support from these local organizations, all of whom offer services.

Brant County Health Unit
Haldimand-Norfolk Health Unit
Grand River Community Health Centre
Haldimand-Norfolk REACH
Family Counselling Centre of Brant
Brant County branch, Canadian Mental Health Association
Haldimand-Norfolk branch, Canadian Mental Health Association

Local workplaces interested in the booklet or learning more about it, are asked to contact the Workforce Planning Board. A representative will visit your business, provide a free copy of the booklet and talk to you about strategies for your workplace.

Please contact us by phone or email to arrange a short visit.