Hundreds of area residents took part in the Grand Erie Job Fair & Skills Exploration Event, held entirely online Oct. 6.

People who attended the online job fair were able to meet and chat with 45 different exhibitors, the majority of whom were employers. Attendees learned about their businesses, job openings and skill requirements. In many cases, participants could submit resumes or apply for jobs. Several post-secondary schools and trades associations were also on hand to talk about their training and education programs.

The keynote speaker for the event was Mandy Rennehan, a Canadian success story known for promoting the trades as just as good as white-collar careers. Jon Callegher of Job Talks spoke about the 5 Secrets of the Trades, including that people who work in the trades are happier and have a high level of job satisfaction. Not to mention great wages and other pluses.

There were also panel discussions featuring local business owners, tradespeople and educators: one on the building/construction trades, a business panel, and another on Skills for Agriculture.

The job fair was aimed at residents from the communities of Brantford, Brant, Haldimand, Norfolk, Six Nations and New Credit. They could access the event on their computers, tablets and smartphones.

The day-long online event took place on vFairs, a virtual event platform that uses advanced 3D technology to create a live event experience complete with exhibitor booths in a hall and an auditorium. 

The event’s goal was to connect job seekers and people considering new careers with employers, as well as promote the message that there are tremendous opportunities to work in a variety of trades, especially since the Grand Erie region and Canada have a skilled trades shortage.

People who registered for the event can access speakers and webinars by signing back into vFairs.

Videos of the webinars are available here and on YouTube.

Construction/Building Trades Video

Business Panel Video

Skills for Agriculture Video

The COVID-19 pandemic and the ensuing lockdowns shocked businesses and the workforce across the Grand Erie area in an unprecedented manner starting in March 2020.

In the following months, as businesses began to contemplate, prepare, and execute plans to reopen, community organizations looked to identify interventions required to address the needs of the labour market in the immediate future.

The results of a survey of businesses paints a picture of the challenges and opportunities facing employers as they navigate the road to recovery from COVID-19.

Read Road to Recovery: COVID-19 Business Insights Survey.

The Grand Erie COVID-19 Recovery Task Force, created by the Workforce Planning Board recognized the need for evidence-based decision making and strong actions driven by and for the community. The group examined the needs of businesses within the communities of Six Nations, New Credit, City of Brantford, and Brant, Haldimand, and Norfolk counties.

Survey questions were developed to assess the impact of the pandemic on local employers and evaluate the demand for various strategies and solutions to address their emerging needs.

The survey was conducted online between July 6, 2020 to Aug. 14, 2020 and engaged 195 businesses across various sectors within the Grand Erie region.

This report dives into the results of the survey, revealing critical shifts in the business landscape and noting differences by sector and business size. Key findings include:

·       Significant decrease in demand for goods and services among one-third of businesses

·       Wide-spread concerns about access to PPE in the short and medium term

·       High levels of interest in skills training to support recent shifts in skills-in-demand

·       Challenges with hiring in the current atmosphere

The findings of this survey are intended to provide residents, businesses, and government leaders across Grand Erie with the knowledge they need to make informed action plans as we travel on the road to recovery.