2017-18 Projects

Precarious Employment Report

Many people believe that a large share of jobs in the Brantford area are precarious and that the number is growing. We undertook a study of the Brantford census metropolitan area to determine if this was correct. Our report began by defining precarious employment and vulnerable workers. Looking at key data indicators, we compared Brantford to the province to better understand where precarious jobs were and who in the workforce was most at risk. We put together some recommendations with community partners to address some of the challenges.

Tourism in Grand Erie

Tourism is an economic driver across the Grand Erie region. Communities have recognized this region’s various attractors and have developed strategic plans with tourism as a key priority. We used local data and employer outreach to identify viable tourism career opportunities, the training needed and if it is local.  We also looked at how businesses are attracting and retaining workers to understand what supports they may need.

Demand for Welders in Manufacturing

Local manufacturers report a shortage of skilled professional welders. The industry’s demand for welders has trended upward since 2010, doubling the number of jobs in Brant and by a third in Haldimand-Norfolk. However, employers continue to struggle with finding the workers they need. This study looks into why this is occurring and sets out to strategically recommend long term solutions.

Filling a need in Warehousing

The transportation and warehousing strategic plan is a workforce intervention focused on building a pipeline of talented workers, addressing skill gaps, and creating meaningful career pathways for a wide range of workers in these sectors.