grand erie jobs Archives - Page 7 of 12 - Workforce Planning Board of Grand Erie

Jobless rate drops in Brantford & Norfolk

by WPBGE | Jan 11, 2022 | Press Release, Workforce Planning Board Of Grand Erie News

December 2021 employment numbers saw the Brantford area jobless rate drop after a short-term jump the month before.

Brantford’s unemployment rate last month was 7.2%, down from November’s 7.6% but identical to October’s figure, according to results of a Statistics Canada survey conducted Dec. 5 to 11.

November’s unemployment figure had jumped after 500 people joined the labour force, only some of whom found work. The same number of people left the labour force in December, resulting in numbers stabilizing.

In Norfolk, the jobless rate fell over the last 3 months to 7.8%, even though overall employment dipped.

Employment rose by 55,000 across Canada in December, resulting in a drop in the monthly national unemployment rate to 5.9%. Ontario saw the bulk of the job gains and its monthly rate fell to 6% – the lowest since February 2020, pre-pandemic.

“The number of employed people in the Brantford area has been fairly consistent over the last six months,” said Danette Dalton, the Workforce Planning Board’s executive director. “This coincides with a period of stability with the pandemic and few restrictions on businesses.”

Dalton said it will be interesting to see what impact restrictions re-applied in January will have on job numbers. “If we can get the latest pandemic wave under control, affects on the labour force will hopefully be minor and short lived,” she said.

December 2021 employment data shows that full-time employment increased for Brantford residents in the 25 to 44 age group, with the gains shared between men and women. Meanwhile, fewer men and women in the 45+ age group worked in December. Since December 2020, the 45+ age group has seen the largest increase in full time employment.

Employment grew in retail in December, in line with the holiday shopping season. This helped offset a drop in the number of people working in manufacturing, an industry that has seen several months of employment declines.

There were about 2,400 new job postings in December on Grand Erie Jobs, the Workforce Planning Board’s community job board. That was down from about 3,200 in November.

Visit Statistics Canada’s website to read its news release on November 2021 employment in Canada and Ontario.

Happy New Year 2022 from WPBGE

by WPBGE | Jan 5, 2022 | Workforce Planning Board Of Grand Erie News

From our Board of Directors and staff:

The Workforce Planning Board of Grand Erie wishes everyone a happy and healthy New Year.

The year 2022 starts with a strong sense of déjà vu.

Resilience was a key buzz word last year and it will remain important again this year.

As we come up to 2 years of dealing with a global COVID-19 pandemic, we’ll need to be resilient as our communities continue progress towards a recovery.

Workers and businesses have adapted well to change, again and again, coping with the many ups and downs: lockdowns, new workplace safety rules, working from home, layoffs, and business closures.

Job market rebounds

Despite all the changes and challenges, the local economy and job market largely rebounded in 2021. Overall employment returned later in the year to pre-pandemic levels. Many businesses had trouble filling job openings. Labour shortages are expected to continue this year and beyond.

Some residents and businesses have yet to land firmly back on their feet. They will need additional support moving forward. Fortunately, our communities have lots of services that can help.

The Workforce Planning Board looks forward to continuing to serve the communities of Brantford, Six Nations of the Grand River, Mississaugas of the Credit First Nation, Brant, Haldimand and Norfolk.

Our goal, as always, is to help individuals, businesses and our communities to thrive. Our vision for this year and for the future is to help build a “skilled, resilient workforce contributing to dynamic communities.”

2021 highlights

During 2021, we’re proud that several important community-building projects moved forward.

Highlights included:

Grand Erie Jobs: We expanded our popular jobs portal. We now have 8 tools to assist local job seekers and businesses. It is now easier for job seekers to find jobs, learn what occupations are in demand, and research businesses. We produced how-to videos demonstrating each of the tools. Visit Grand Erie Jobs and our YouTube channel.
Work-Life Balance Study: We heard from 500+ residents about their experiences trying to achieve a balance between their work and home lives. The study has given us insights into issues such as burnout, workplace stress, challenges working from home, and more. Our study contains a number of recommendations to improve things. See highlights from the study.
Workforce Strategy: We worked on a strategy that will help give youth the soft and hard skills that are needed for the future of work. The main goals are to educate parents, teachers and youth about local businesses and make them aware of available job opportunities and the skills needed for the future of work. Work continues on implementing this strategy in 2022.
Skills2Advance: We trained dozens of residents for new jobs and careers in manufacturing and warehousing, helping meet the strong demand from companies for Material Handlers. It’s satisfying to see Skills2Advance graduates achieving success. Visit Skills2Advance.
Marketing: We put extra emphasis on outreach and marketing, so that more people can know about the many resources and services we provide the community. We published stories and social media posts celebrating essential workers and interesting businesses.
Job fairs and recruitment: We worked with community partners and businesses on events that helped recruit new people.

We plan on an equally busy 2022.

Workforce Gateway

This month, we will be launching a new online tool called Workforce Gateway. It is a one-stop source for information about workforce, business, education and community services. Users will be able to access information about services near them by answering a few simple questions.

There will be helpful information about dozens of subjects, such as:

Where to find an employment counsellor that can help with a job search or career planning
Where to find information about government loans and grants to start or grow a businesses
Where to find transit routes, schools or daycares in relation to the location of jobs
Where to look for financial assistance to help pay for college or university
Where individuals and businesses can find information about apprenticeships and skilled trades

We look forward in 2022 to using our expertise and energy to build a stronger community that benefits all.

Employment steady but jobless rate jumps

by WPBGE | Dec 3, 2021 | Press Release, Workforce Planning Board Of Grand Erie News

November 2021 employment held firm in Brantford, but for the second straight month the local jobless rate jumped as more people entered the job market.

The city’s November unemployment rate was estimated at 7.6%, up from 7.2% in October, based on a Statistics Canada survey of residents conducted Nov. 7 to 13.

The spike in the jobless rate was due to an additional 500 people entering the labour force, not because of overall job losses, since Brantford’s employment rate held steady at 61.7% in November.

Across Canada, employment grew by an impressive 154,000, dropping the national monthly jobless rate to 6%. Almost half of the job gains took place in Ontario, which added 68,000 jobs and saw its unemployment rate shrink to 6.4% – the lowest since pre-pandemic February 2020.

Labour force swells

Brantford’s labour force has swelled by 1,300 people since September, while the number of people working has remained unchanged.

“It is considered a good sign when people join or rejoin the labour force,” said Workforce Plannng Board Executive Director Danette Dalton. “But it could take time for these new job seekers to find work that matches their skills and experience.”

November 2021 employment grew locally in several industries, led by retail trade, which has seen job gains of 1,600 since September. These gains have been offset by job losses in other industries, particularly in manufacturing.

Job losses have been more pronounced for young workers ages 15 – 24, but the figures suggest that many left full-time work over the last couple of months to go to school.

Top in-demand jobs

Over the last several months, employment has fallen for males 45 years and older, but has increased for males 25 to 44. Employment for females has been steadier, except for fewer women ages 15 to 24 working, partly due to some returning to school. Enrolment in post-secondary is higher among females.

There were about 3,200 new jobs listed in November on Grand Erie Jobs job board. The No. 1 job posted was material handler, followed by general farm worker. Many farmers start trying to recruit workers in the autumn for work starting next spring.

Other top in-demand jobs include retail salespersons, home support workers, cooks, customer service representatives, nurses and retail managers.

Visit Statistics Canada’s website to read its news release on November 2021 employment in Canada and Ontario.

Seasons Retirement Community in Brantford hiring

by WPBGE | Nov 10, 2021 | Workforce Planning Board Of Grand Erie News

About Seasons: Established in 2009, Seasons is a Canadian company that owns and operates senior retirement communities in Ontario and Alberta. Driven by their corporate vision to “Connect, Care, Change,” Seasons’ management team has developed a culture that is dedicated to providing residents with superior customer service. They want their residents to feel proud to call Seasons home and to know they are surrounded by people who genuinely care.

Where they are located: 55 Diana Avenue, Brantford. Set in a quiet, residential neighbourhood in the west end of Brantford, surrounded by landscaped gardens, Seasons Brantford is a short drive to local shopping, restaurants and city amenities. The community includes townhomes and suites with patios as an option for independent living.

Values: Seasons believes that every team member plays an important role in the overall happiness of their residents. They strive to foster a culture of growth and support for their team members. There are numerous examples of service team members who have been with Seasons since they opened and many who have moved upwards to different opportunities in the company as they further their career goals.

Seasons strives for service excellence and hires individuals who are committed to building meaningful relationships with residents, team members and visitors. Keen attention to details, going the extra mile and putting a little “wow” into everything they do is the Seasons way. They offer job training and skill development that helps their employees prepare for advancement.

Rated as one of Canada’s Best Managed Companies, Seasons is honoured to be among the best-in-class Canadian-owned and managed companies demonstrating leadership in strategy, capabilities and innovation, culture and commitment, and financials to achieve sustainable growth. Seasons was also certified as a Great Place to Work® in 2021 for a second consecutive year. This includes being recognized as one of the Best Workplaces in Healthcare.

Whether you are interested in care, dining services, recreation, sales, business or environmental management, Service Team Member and Service Team Leader level positions are available at various Seasons Retirement Communities right now!

Apply today: https://www.seasonsretirement.com/company/careers/

Also visit Grand Erie Jobs – the biggest career and job site in our region.

Brantford jobless rate jumped in October

by WPBGE | Nov 9, 2021 | Press Release, Workforce Planning Board Of Grand Erie News

October 2021 employment remained steady in Brantford, but the jobless rate still climbed significantly as more people entered the job market.

October’s unemployment rate rose to 7.2%, more than a percentage point higher than September’s 6.1%, according to estimates released by Statistics Canada, based on a survey of residents conducted earlier in the month.

By comparison, Ontario’s monthly unemployment rate declined to 7% in October, while Canada’s national rate fell to 6.7%.

In Brantford Brant, the numbers may not be as negative as they first appear, according to a news release from the Workforce Planning Board of Grand Erie.

Almost the same number of people were employed in October as the month before. There was also an influx of about 800 people entering or re-entering the labour force, leading to the highest level of participation in months.

But the October 2021 employment numbers suggest that not all those who entered the labour force were able to find suitable jobs.

“There are some positive numbers and our hope is that the jump in unemployment is only a temporary spike,” said Danette Dalton, the organization’s executive director. “People who have just started looking for work may be taking more time to find a job they like, or they may be looking to change careers.”

Dalton said there is a lot of help in the community for people looking to change careers. People can talk to job counsellors at Employment Ontario agencies and they can explore occupations and careers online by using Grand Erie Jobs.

“Besides listing about 1,900 current jobs on its job board, Grand Erie Jobs shows people what occupations are in highest demand locally, local wage rates and which local companies hire regularly,” she said.

Employment grew in more than half of industry sectors, led by job gains in professional services, construction and retail. Those gains were offset by fewer people working in sectors such as manufacturing, public administration and agriculture.

Fewer people in the 15 – 24 age group, which includes many post-secondary students, worked in October. But employment grew for both men and women in the core 25 – 54 age group. Participation in the labour force by this age group increased for the first time since March.

Visit Statistics Canada’s website to read its news release on October 2021 employment in Canada and Ontario.

Jobless rate drops in Brantford & Norfolk