Projects, Plans & Policies
Strategic Plan
The Board’s first Strategic Planning Report was adopted in February 2009 and revised April 2012.
Human Resources Policy
The Board adopted a Human Resources Policy at their meeting of October 15, 2009.
Bylaw
The Board’s By-Law No. 1 can be found here.
Articles of Incorporation
The Board was incorporated as Workforce Development Board Windsor Essex, a non-profit organization under the Ontario Corporations Act, on March 14, 2008, and given Ontario Corporation Number 1762309. The articles of Incorporation can be found here.
OUR PROJECTS
Labour Market Supply and Demand Analysis
This project seeks to identify and examine the labour market conditions (labour supply and demand) in Windsor-Essex 2012-2013. The project will utilize statistics in combination with informational interviews with local employers and organizations to understand the current labour market within the region. From this information a community action plan will be developed to improve labour market outcomes for the workforce in Windsor-Essex.
WEskills database
The WEskills Database is searchable by keyword and National Occupational Codes. So far, over 800 resumes from primarily displaced workers have been inputted into the database. These resumes provide a regional skills profile that can be used to assist in attracting new businesses to the region, demonstrating that Windsor-Essex has a capable and available workforce.
"Power of Your Potential" Youth Conference
A one-day event connecting disadvantage youth to local employers and service providers. Partnering with the University of Windsor and several local service providers, a series of breakout sessions will assist high-school students from across Windsor-Essex to become more marketable and employable. This year, along with financial literacy and promising sector information, the students will participate in the concept of a “Human Library” featuring local employers as “books.” The students will be able to check out the “books” to interact and learn about real-world experiences and career occupations.
Check out last year's event see "Recapping the Youth-Led 'Power of Your Potential' conference"
Human Resource Manual for Small and Medium-sized Businesses
To assist employers and businesses that are newly locating in Windsor-Essex, WFWE, with the support of Human Resources Professionals Association of Windsor and District and several community partners will develop a collection of resources, tools and HR information. The final manual will be organized into a “toolbox”, which small and medium-sized businesses (SMEs) can utilize if they do not have a dedicated HR individual or department, or to improve current HR practices.
Valuing Our Rising Stars
As a measure to retain young, local talent, WFWE will be investigating the current methods of interaction between our youth and current employers. Previous research has found a gap between available talent and employment in the growing Information and Communication Technology (ICT) sector. With the assistance of local technology accelerator, WEtech Alliance, and the Passport to Prosperity program in Windsor-Essex, WFWE will develop a series of feature articles profiling best practices and innovative youth engagement strategies.
Global Skills Inventory
In partnership with The Windsor Essex County Local Immigration Partnership, WFWE will add 250 resumes of internationally trained individuals to the WEskills Database. With the addition of these resumes, the talents and skills that newcomers and immigrants to Windsor-Essex will be highlighted and showcased.
Peer to Peer HR Support – ICT Sector
WFWE will facilitate a Peer-to-Peer group of small to medium-sized business within the Information and Communication Technology (ICT) sector. Objectives include the identification of skill requirements and resolution of common Human Resource challenges.
See the dates for upcoming Good to Great Teams P2P events
Promising Sectors and Occupations Report Windsor-Essex 2012-2015
This project will produce a print and online report incorporating demographic analysis and employer feedback to identify sectors and occupations in demand in Windsor-Essex between 2012 and 2015. It is the goal of this report to showcase sectors and occupations that are the most promising in order to assist the unemployed, underemployed and employed to make viable training and career decisions. It is also a goal of the report to recognize occupations most likely to experience labour market shortages in the coming three years.
Skill/knowledge profiles will be created in collaboration with local renewable energy employers; an analysis of existing Skill Inventory Database and a knowledge/skills self-assessment available to unemployed, underemployed and employed workers.
A gap analysis will be used to create a "training plan" in collaboration with local educators. Educators will identify existing and planned courses and programs that will assist those interested in opportunities in the sector to secure the additional training they may require. Identification of existing training courses and programs available to address gaps in knowledge and skills of the available workforce.
The goal of the Entrepreneurial Workforce Toolbox is to provide small-to-medium sized business employers, employees and job searchers with the tools and resources to self-assess their current employment practices and apply an entrepreneurial way of thinking as a means to achieve competitive advantage and add more value to the workplace. The project will produce two sets of tools – one for employers and one for employees/job searchers – that encourage a way of working which can be considered creative, innovative and passionate throughout all levels of an organization.
Local Immigration Partnership Council (LIPC) – Stage Three
The LIPC represents a process to examine the whole system of services currently available and considers how the system could be enhanced to facilitate access to service and to promote the long-term settlement and integration of immigrant newcomers into Windsor and Essex County. WFWE also chairs the “Improving Labour Market Outcomes” working group, which will develop specific strategies to promote the benefits of hiring immigrants to small and medium size employers and to integrate immigrants into the Windsor-Essex labour force by leveraging knowledge, skills and experience.
Wise5 - Winning Strategies for Immigrant Entrepreneurship
The Wise5 project will help immigrants create opportunities for entrepreneurship and job creation in Ontario. Building on existing knowledge, primary research into services and supports that work well, and interviews with immigrant entrepreneurs themselves, this project will identify key ingredients to successful business supports in five communities in southwestern Ontario: Hamilton, Kitchener-Waterloo, London, Niagara, and Windsor.
Monthly Local Employer Labour Survey
In partnership with the Human Resources Professionals Association of Windsor & District, this survey captures information on what sectors are doing well and what occupations are in-demand or on a downturn. Based on survey responses and comments, a “Labour Market Facts Sheet” is developed to help human resource professionals and anyone in business looking to recruit or retain talent.
For more information on any of these projects or to contact us on how we we can work with you, send us an email.
