New Credit Archives - Page 3 of 4 - Workforce Planning Board of Grand Erie

October is Manufacturing Month, celebrating industry

by WPBGE | Oct 1, 2021 | Manufacturing Month, Workforce Planning Board Of Grand Erie News

October is Manufacturing Month, celebrating a key industry that provides thousands of jobs in the Grand Erie region.

About 1.7 million people work in manufacturing across Canada, with half of those jobs in Ontario – the country’s manufacturing heartland.

Manufacturing is the No. 1 employer in our area, with about 700 businesses employing 15,000 people in Brantford, Six Nations, New Credit, and the counties of Brant, Haldimand and Norfolk.

Local companies make an amazing array of products, some of which are household names and brands that people buy every day. Think bread, chocolates, chicken nuggets, frozen waffles, hockey sticks, air fresheners, house paint, barbecues, cat litter, drywall, windows, kitchen cabinets, LED lighting – to name a few.

Other products are for special uses or niches. Think truck trailers, forestry equipment, neon signs, cabinetry for grocery stores, playground equipment, vinyl siding, swimming pool liners.

Other products are used as a part of others. Think auto parts, steel, pharmaceutical products, recycled rubber, cement wall panels, building supplies, industrial pumps, plastic hoses.

October will be celebrated as Manufacturing Month in North America, with Oct. 1 marked as Manufacturing Day in many areas.

In the past, manufacturers have thrown open their doors to tours, giving students and other visitors a behind-the-scenes look at what they make and the types of jobs they hire for.

The October Manufacturing Month tours are a way for companies to showcase their products, people and jobs, and to dispel commonly held myths about what it is like to work in manufacturing.

The Workforce Planning Board of Grand Erie has previously organized tours of local manufacturers and has produced a dozen videos about careers at local companies (see the resource section below).

Today’s manufacturing is a lot different than 30 or 50 years ago.

The days of workers standing at a production line, doing mind-numbing repetitive tasks, in a loud, dirty factory are largely past.

Today, production is highly automated, with computers, robots and cutting-edge technology heavily used. Companies value innovation, looking for better ways of doing things and creating new products.

Advanced Manufacturing, which uses new technologies, is a rapidly growing part of the industry.

Manufacturing offers a large variety of jobs, covering dozens of occupations, types of work and skill levels, from entry level positions to the most senior and experienced.

And while men have traditionally made up the bulk of people working in production and skilled trades roles in manufacturing, more women are entering the industry.

TYPES OF JOBS: Jobs can range from machine operator to office staff, packagers, salespeople, welders, millwrights, material handlers, computer programmers, engineers, designers, researchers, chemists, quality control specialists, health and safety experts.

JOB SKILLS: Skills used in manufacturing jobs also vary. Among the skills highly valued by businesses are: problem solving, critical thinking, team work, good communication, attention to detail, customer service and people skills. Learning to work safely is also important. Each occupation may have its own set of technical skills, from operating CNC machines to blueprint reading, programming robots and repairing equipment. And like all businesses, companies need people who are reliable and show up for work on time.

EDUCATION AND TRAINING: Businesses hire people who haven’t finished high school up to PhDs, depending on the role. Many companies offer on-the-job training, apprenticeships, or send workers to specialized training. Many companies provide opportunities for their staff to upgrade their skills and may help pay for their courses.

OPPORTUNITIES: Many companies regularly hire to fill open positions. Some increase their hiring to meet a large order or to fill seasonal demands. Companies like to promote from within, providing opportunities for advancement to employees who demonstrate a strong work ethic, a desire to learn, and a commitment to the business. There may be further opportunities as some older workers retire.

Find Out More

We Make It Here: A dozen videos produced by the Workforce Planning Board of Grand Erie that showcase local companies, the products they make and the people that make them.

Grand Erie Jobs: This online job board is the best source to find local manufacturing jobs, or to learn about specific manufacturing occupations or companies.

Local Training and Education

Skills2Advance: Free job training program that prepares people to work in manufacturing and warehousing in the Grand Erie region.

Skills for Steel: Free job training program to prepare people to work in the steel industry.

Conestoga College: College courses for manufacturing, including skilled trades and manufacturing management, plus continuing education courses.

Fanshawe College, Simcoe/Norfolk Regional Campus: College courses in welding and office administration, plus a number of continuing education courses.

Six Nations Polytechnic: Training for welders and machinists.

Mohawk College: College courses for manufacturing, including skilled trades, engineering and robotics training, plus continuing education courses.

Numerous companies hiring in Grand Erie

by WPBGE | Sep 16, 2021 | Workforce Planning Board Of Grand Erie News

As labour shortages continue across the board, many local employers are making efforts to onboard employees into open positions.

Ferrero and Mott Manufacturing in Brantford are both actively recruiting for various openings.

Ferrero, the global confectionery producer which makes iconic brands such as Nutella, Ferrero Rocher and Kinder, and is one of Brantford largest employers, is looking to attract people to their Brantford operations in positions ranging from electrician and industrial millwright to production supervisor and microbiology lab technician.

Mott Manufacturing, which produces laboratory equipment at their 225, 000 square foot facility in Brantford, is seeking to fill openings that include assemblers, machine operators and MIG/TIG Welder.

Several employers have held job fairs in recent weeks including Stubbe’s Precast in Brant County who boasted offers on the spot for general labourers at their onsite job fair September 11th and the Brant Community Healthcare System held a nursing career fair September 15th.

Apotex Pharmachem in Brantford, who are looking to hire chemical operators and chemists, are holding a job fair in partnership with St. Leonard’s Community Services on September 29th. Those interested in applying for positions with Apotex can register through this link www.calendly.com/apotex-job-fair or learn more by contacting employerservices@st-leonards.com.

Other employers with the top number of job opportunities shown on Grand Erie Jobs include the well-known regional steel manufacturer Stelco Canada, who are hiring production operators among other positions for their Nanticoke and Hamilton locations. The Norfolk General Hospital is experiencing a dire shortage of medical staff and is hiring for over 40 full-time and part-time positions (RPN, RN and lab positions).

Both the Brant Haldimand Norfolk Catholic District School Board and Grand Erie District School Board have been advertising open positions. Norfolk County has shown a recruitment surge the past month with 26 full-time and part-time positions posted and other top employers hiring include BGI Retail, Swiss Chalet, Lowe’s, VON and Mississaugas of the Credit First Nation.

Job search site had busy 1st year

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

Job search site Grand Erie Jobs had a busy first year, with 26,000 jobs listed from 5,000 businesses.

The region’s job market saw many ups and downs due to the pandemic during Grand Erie Jobs’ first year, July 1, 2020 to June 30, 2021, but local businesses were on the lookout for employees throughout the year.

July 2020 saw about 1,700 postings on the job search site, with increased numbers in the following months until postings dipped to 1,200 in December. Things rebounded steadily in 2021, with June setting a new monthly high for job postings with 2,900. July has maintained that high.

The ups and down show COVID-19’s impact: businesses opening, closing, reopening, re-closing for short stints.

About 5,000 businesses and organizations of all sizes and types in Brantford, Six Nations, New Credit, and the counties of Haldimand, Norfolk and Brant, advertised job openings during Grand Erie Jobs’ first year.

Grand Erie Jobs has become the largest, most comprehensive job search site in the area, and that benefits job seekers and employers.

Top Skills Requested

Many of the top skills employers were looking for involved the ability to work with people and deal with problems: customer service, attention to detail, organization, interpersonal skills, problem solving and time management. Many employers were also looking for management and sales related experience.

Job applicants could improve their hiring chances by demonstrating that they have these skills and experience.

Top jobs advertised by job title on Grand Erie Jobs: Material Handler, General Labourer, General Farm Labourer, Customer Service Representative, Personal Support Worker, Forklift Operator and Sales Associate.

But there were hundreds of different occupations listed, everything from Sales Manager to Pharmacist, University Lecturer, Carpenter, Dental Assistant, Transport Truck Driver and Tax Arrears Collector.

Employers in every sector of the economy, from Construction to Health Care to Manufacturing, were looking to hire at some point.

Top Companies Hiring

The Brant County Healthcare System, which operates Brantford General Hospital and The Willett Urgent Care Centre in Paris, was the No. 1 advertiser of jobs that appeared on Grand Erie Jobs. The hospital system employs more than 2,000 people.

Other top public-sector employers included: Grand Erie District School Board, Brant Haldimand Norfolk Catholic District School Board, Norfolk County, Six Nations of the Grand River Elected Band Council, Norfolk General Hospital and Wilfrid Laurier University.

Top private-sectors employers included Lowe’s, VON Canada, Aspire Bakeries (formerly known as ARYZTA), VG Meats and DHL Supply Chain.

Job openings in certain fields were particularly hard to fill. This was true for jobs in agriculture, in industrial and construction trades, and for home support workers.

The large majority of jobs advertised over the last year on Grand Erie Jobs, 86% or better, were full-time, permanent positions. This dispels a commonly heard complaint that employers only want to hire people part-time or on short-term contracts.

Labour Shortage

There are reports from across Canada that there’s a labour shortage as businesses struggle to find people to fill positions.

There are some signs of that in the Grand Erie region. There are also signs that fewer people are using free employment services offered by Employment Ontario agencies.

Some workers are sitting on the sidelines and taking a wait-and-see approach to the job market, due to uncertainty over the pandemic.

In some cases, people are taking a pause while they consider their next moves: Do they want to go back to the same job? Do they want to switch careers? Do they want to go into training or back to school?

Employment Ontario agencies can help people answer these questions.

It is expected that more people will get back into the job market in the Fall, after school resumes. Some residents may be hesitant to commit to a job until they know with more certainty that in-class learning will be available for their children.

When people are ready to get back into the job market, the Grand Erie Jobs will be an essential tool they can use.

Tourism Grand Erie

by WPBGE | Jun 8, 2021 | Workforce Planning Board Of Grand Erie News

Before the Covid-19 Pandemic, Canada’s Tourism Industry accounted for $105 billion in total economic activity and 1.8 million jobs, half of which were held by people under the age of 35.

Tourism is a dynamic and vastly diverse industry, comprised of innovative travel, hospitality, accommodations, as well as various cultural and recreational businesses in every region of the country, including the Grand Erie region.

While the past year has placed a heavy toll on tourism, the support of local patrons has provided opportunities to kick-start recovery. In 2020, there were 13,666 jobs in the tourism industry in Grand Erie (13% decline from 2019) with Brantford employing the largest number of tourism positions (6,500) followed by Norfolk (3,602) and Haldimand Counties (1,795). (Source: EMSI Analyst)

Between December 2019 and December 2020, the local tourism sector lost 18 businesses. The total number of tourism businesses in Grand Erie as of December 2020 is 2851, of which 1297 have employees. Notably, 1,245 tourism businesses in the region employ 5-99 people and 14 employ 100-199. (Source: EMSI Analyst)

Some of the top tourism businesses in the region include personal care services and recreation businesses.

Completion of training for the tourism industry has been on the rise in our region in the recent past. In 2018, 222 people completed hospitality administration and management programs in Grand Erie, which is up from 108 in 2016. (Source: EMSI Analyst)

Over the course of the pandemic, tourism operators have worked to implement high standards of health and safety protocols and have often dedicated much time and resources on adapting premises, training staff and changing processes to ensure a safe and welcoming environment when they are given the go-ahead to reopen.

While there are currently still restrictions in place, there are great destinations, attractions and local businesses across Brantford, Six Nations, New Credit and the counties of Brant, Haldimand and Norfolk to keep in mind for when measures are lifted. Below are some highlights of our region’s tourism destinations that you can plan now, to explore later.

Haldimand County

Visiting Haldimand County is a rural retreat with plentiful fishing opportunities and an abundance of cycling and hiking trails. In Haldimand County’s towns and hamlets, there is an atmosphere of small-town charm, with unique attractions, quaint shops, cultural and historic sites, and a range of accommodations and restaurants.

Six Nations of the Grand River

Located alongside the picturesque waters of the Grand River, Six Nations is a community everyone should experience. Visitors can explore its unique history, culture, events, attractions, businesses and a variety of experiences unmatched by any other community throughout the nation.

Norfolk County

Norfolk County’s wineries, breweries and farm markets highlight Norfolk County’s status as Ontario’s Garden. Some of its popular destinations are the towns along Lake Erie, with warm sandy beaches in Port Dover, Turkey Point and Long Point. Back roads provide scenic cycling routes and attractions include live theatre, boat cruises, tasty food in port towns. Abundant outdoor adventures include eco tourism, fishing, birding, star-gazing, and camping.

County of Brant

“Rich In Culture, Adventurous In Nature” – from paddling the Grand River to exploring parks and trails and visiting beautiful and vibrant small towns, the County of Brant has tons of charm to offer local residents and visitors once it is ready to reopen and welcome explorers.

Brantford

In Brantford, you can explore world-class entertainment options, shop at unique boutiques, taste your way through the city, and brush up on your local history at one of the city’s many museums and galleries.

While COVID-19 has had an undeniable impact on the tourism sector in our region, Grand Erie Jobs data indicates that many businesses within this sector are continuing to hire for top tourism positions, including retail salespersons, cashiers, store shelf stockers, retail sales supervisors and retail and wholesale trade managers.

Work-Life balance survey launched

by WPBGE | May 19, 2021 | Press Release

A new Workforce Planning Board survey is asking local residents about challenges they face achieving a healthy work-life balance.

The Navigating Work-Life Balance in Grand Erie survey is aimed at adults in Brantford, Six Nations, New Credit, and the counties of Brant, Haldimand and Norfolk.

Executive Director Danette Dalton said the pandemic has drawn additional attention to the subject of work-life balance, especially with more people working from home and students of all ages taking online classes.

“It can be tricky balancing work life and home life at any time, especially with so many demands on our time,” Dalton said. “We want to hear directly from individuals so we can better understand what factors are causing stress and imbalance in the lives of workers.”

Dalton said work-life balance can be impacted by many things: money, job insecurity, shift work, family responsibilities, physical and mental health, and more.

The survey will provide information that could be used by individuals to make changes in their lives, or to identify supports workers may need from employers or community organizations, she said.

“Employees, employers, families and the community all benefit by supporting healthy work-life balance. There’s a large return on investment for everyone.”

The Workforce Planning Board hopes to have at least 500 surveys completed over the next few months. All information collected is confidential.

People who complete the survey are eligible for weekly prizes that promote a healthy lifestyle. Prizes include a Fitbit, child and youth bikes, and gift cards for community businesses.

The Workforce Planning Board thanks community partners for their support.