To view the What Works: Supporting Your Client’s Job Search webinar script in French use the google translate feature in the top right corner of your web browser and select French.
What Works: Supporting Your Client’s Job Search
Good Afternoon,
Thank you so much for joining for today’s webinar Support Your Client’s Job Search as part of our What Works Webinar Series!
My name is Michelle Karr and I am joined by my colleague Tashlyn Teskey, and we will be your hosts today.
We are here today to help further equip you for the important process of helping your clients search for a job. In a world of ever-changing and growing careers this can be an exciting task. That said, we understand that a job search can be overwhelming. Knowing this, we have created resources that we hope can be of benefit to you and your clients while they’re looking for a new job or just looking to see what opportunities and supports are available in Windsor-Essex.
——-slide 2Through our time today we hope to talk about:
– Local promising sectors and industry trends- what are in-demand jobs?
– WEjobs
– WEsearch
– Basics of LMI
– Wage information
– LMI in the News
We have a lot of information to cover in a short amount of time, so we will try to keep this webinar moving at a good pace. That said, if you have questions at any time please feel free to use the question/discussion box in the side panel on the right of your screen.
If you have colleagues or staff who would benefit from this webinar then know that we will be posting a recording of the webinar on our website, so it will be available for view in the future. We may reference handouts as well throughout the webinar, you can download all of these in the side panel shown on your screen under handouts.
So without further ado, let’s jump into today’s session!
———-slide 3
To start off, you may or may not be familiar with who Workforce WindsorEssex is and what we do.
Workforce WindsorEssex serves the Windsor-Essex region as the Local Employment Planning Council.
Our mandate is to plan, facilitate and advocate for regional workforce development. Essentially what this means is that we collect information on trends in the labour market and share our findings and resources to help employers, job seekers, educators, and community organizations be more aware of what’s happening and in turn be more successful.
—-slide 4
Promising Sectors/Industry trends
Oftentimes we are approached with inquiries related to in-demand jobs. What are the promising sectors? What industries are currently hiring?
Our current local promising sectors include:
• Construction
• Professional, Scientific and Technical services
• Health Care and Social Assistance
• Manufacturing
• Repair and Maintenance
• Education
We’ll go through each of these sectors in a bit more detail so you can be more aware of exactly which positions are in demand and what the future of these sectors looks like in Windsor-Essex.
—slide 5
So first we have,
• Construction
o As you may know, we have a few large construction projects coming our way, including the Gordie Howe International Bridge and the mega hospital, and eventually high speed rail. For the first project, the bridge, there will be specific roles required, such as iron workers and heavy equipment operators, as well as numerous additional roles that will be required for the full infrastructure needs, such as carpenters for building toll booths or plumbers and HVAC workers to complete the customs offices. Right now there are almost 8000 people working in Construction, with that number expected to grow greatly once these projects are started. It is important to keep in mind that those who work on the bridge project will likely have the skills and experience to work on the mega hospital as well. So right now is a good time to enter this sector because of the consistent work that is expected.
o Jobs: 7,977 in Windsor-Essex
o Top 5 occupations expecting growth:
Construction Trades Labourers
Heavy Equipment Operators
Electricians
Carpenters
Iron Workers
—slide 6
o For those who are interested in this sector we would advise that you take a look at our Help Bridge Your City resources which provide an overview of the occupations that will be needed for the Gordie Howe International Bridge as well as the skills needed for each of the positions and where you can access local training programs.
—slide 7, Our next sector is
• Professional, Scientific and Technical services
o A large part of this sector is the technology industry, which can involve anything from mobile app development to software development to social media or graphic design. It is an everchanging sector, with new jobs such as a social media writer, popping up all the time. We have a number of larger and smaller firms involved in tech in our region, and many community members are employed across the border as well. It is important to keep in mind though that tech workers don’t just work in the technology industry; they work in all sectors. Every other industry uses tech devices, such as electronic cash registers in stores and restaurants, automated equipment on auto assembly lines, or robots in the operating room. While tech workers may not be the person operating each of these machines, they may be responsible for designing the machine or providing maintenance if necessary. This sector does not only include tech workers though, it also includes jobs like engineers, lawyers, and architects.
o Jobs: 4,128 in Windsor-Essex
o Top 5 occupations expecting growth:
Mechanical Engineers
Information Systems Analysts
Biological Engineers
Paralegals
Computer Programmers and Interactive Media Developers
—slide 8
o If you are interested in this sector then you should check out the Windsor-Essex Tech Sector section of our website- here you’ll find our recently released tech report, networking opportunities, videos of local companies and information on learning about tech.
—slide 9, Next we will look at the
• Health Care and Social Assistance sector
o This sector is currently experiencing what is known as a Silver tsunami as we witness an increase in retirements in certain occupations as well as increased demand for health care services. When most people think of this sector, they first think of doctors and nurses, however there are many “behind the scenes” jobs that are involved in this sector as well, including maintenance, counselling, and culinary positions. With the increase in needed support for our aging population and those requiring mental health services, the need for support workers, such as social workers, counsellors, and homecare providers is increasing as well.
o Jobs: 20,353 in Windsor-Essex
o Top 5 occupations expecting growth:
Registered Nurses
Nurse Aides, Orderlies and Patient Service Associates
Food Counter Attendants and Kitchen Helpers
Social and Community Service Workers
Nursing Coordinators and Supervisors
—slide 10
• Manufacturing
o People often feel that Manufacturing is dark, dirty and dangerous- making it an unappealing sector to work in. Though that may have been the case many decades ago, technological advancements have made these facilities much safer, cleaner, and more innovative places to work. With the implementation of robotics and automation into their processes, a whole new set of jobs have opened up in this sector with new jobs being created all the time. It is also important to keep in mind that while the auto industry plays the largest role in this sector, there are also facilities that are producing food products, pharmaceutical materials, and furniture.
o Jobs: 30,685 in Windsor-Essex
o Top 5 occupations expecting growth:
Labourers in Metal Fabrication
Machining Tool Operators
Industrial Engineering and Manufacturing Technologists and Technicians
Plastic Products Assemblers, Finishers and Inspectors
Metal Products Machine Operators
—slide 11
• Repair and Maintenance
o We live in a car driven area, exemplified by our large manufacturing industry, so there will always be a need for repairs, particularly a high demand for truck and trailer repair. While most mechanics specialize in small automobiles, there is a huge need for those that are trained and certified to work with large tractor-trailers and heavy equipment, such as tractors. Without these mechanics, the transportation and agriculture industries can suffer simply due to a lack of working equipment. Specialized cleaners are also in demand. If you think about the inside of your car, imagine the inside of a tractor-trailer and the materials they are carrying (hazardous materials, food, seeds, etc.). The trailers need to be cleaned before carrying anything new.
o Jobs: 2,014 in Windsor-Essex
o Top 5 occupations expecting growth:
Welders and Related Machine Operators
Automotive Service Technicians, Truck and Bus Mechanics and Mechanical Repairers
Specialized Cleaners
Labourers in Metal Fabrication
Contractors and Supervisors of Mechanic Trades
—slide 12, and our last sector may be a surprise for some people but it is,
• Education
o Retirements in this sector, and an increase in our population due to immigration is driving up enrollment. French speaking staff also continues to be a demand in this sector. It is important to keep in mind that this sector is not just made up of teachers, but like in healthcare there are many people working behind the scenes, including maintenance and janitorial staff, teaching assistants, and support workers.
o Jobs: 14,062 in Windsor-Essex
o Top 5 occupations expecting growth:
Elementary and Secondary School Teacher Assistants
Post-Secondary Teaching and Research Assistants
Secondary and Elementary School Teachers and Educational Counsellors
Janitors, Care Takers and Building Superintendents
Elementary School and Kindergarten Teachers
—slide 13
Now that we have given you a broader overview of the sectors that are in-demand, we are going to take a closer look at specific jobs that are in-demand, many of which are involved in multiple sectors.
Top 76 In Demand Jobs ***webpage
One of our more recent projects is our Top 76 In-Demand Jobs List. After meeting with employers and discussing the jobs that they are consistently in need of and by scanning through online job postings we created a list of the top in-demand jobs.
All of the jobs have a full career profile. ***select restaurant manager profile In each profile is the job description, job duties, local median wage and salaries, needed skills, working conditions, possible career pathways, and local training opportunities. The training opportunities are all from local schools, including formal post-secondary institutions and short-term training programs. Looking at the possible pathways for each career can also benefit those that are unaware of how to gain experience for a certain job. For example, if you want to become a restaurant supervisor but don’t have any experience in the restaurant business, you may consider becoming a server at a restaurant or a cashier at a fast food restaurant. Looking at a career pathway will also show you how you can move forward in your current career. Maybe you are currently a receptionist for a transportation company but you want to progress through the company. Looking at the map associated with a receptionist will show you your potential next steps that over time may eventually lead to a management or executive position within the company. Reviewing these profiles will let you learn more about jobs that you may have an interest in. Or maybe you are open to different job possibilities and want to learn about which jobs will have the highest chance of employment.
All of the jobs are from different sectors, including: Agriculture, Construction, Manufacturing, Information and Communication Technology, Finance and Retail, Service, Tourism and Hospitality, Healthcare, and Transportation.
*** select chef blog In addition to viewing the career profiles, you can read about people who are currently working in each of the jobs in our Workforce Profile Blogs. While scrolling through the list of job profiles you will see a red link to each of the blogs that have been done so far. Reading through these blogs will give you a better view of what the job entails, past work experiences that may help you succeed in that job, and what the workplace actually looks like.
For a more visual and interactive view of these jobs, check out WEexplore!
—slide 14
Wejobs
If you have clients that find themselves overwhelmed by all the different job posting sites out there or you are looking for a job for a client, we have a service called WEjobs. WEjobs is a service that provides subscribers with an almost daily list of all of the job opportunities in Windsor-Essex. Our WEskills department searches through many local employer websites and job search engines to provide local residents with up to date and accurate information.
*** show where to sign up To sign up to receive these emails, go to workforcewindsoressex.com and click the job seekers tab. At the bottom of the list you will see “Sign Up for Job Postings”. Just fill out the form with your name and email and check the box to receive information on job postings and job fairs.
**show sample email
Once you are signed up you start receiving emails with compiled lists of job postings from local employers. You also receive emails about local training opportunities and local job fairs. Receiving these email can save you time when you are looking for opportunities with your clients or just want a quick look at what is available in Windsor-Essex.
—slide 15
Wesearch
If your client is unsure of what other services are available to them, they may benefit from using the WEsearch tool. This tool provides a path to services or resources that they may be looking for based on their needs. When starting on the main page of WEsearch, you select the type of information that you are looking for. You continue to select the best answer that aligns with their needs until they find the service that best fits what they’re looking for. For example, **example of search**
This tool can be used to find support for businesses, services to help those looking for employment or looking to upgrade their skills, or finding information about apprenticeship or the local labour market.
—slide 16
Your Job Search (and Job Fair Guide)
Your client may be struggling to find employment right now if they are facing different barriers. Barriers to employment can differ for everyone. Barriers to employment that they may be facing could include a lack of transportation, limited access to childcare, or a lack of Canadian work experience. If you need tips to help them overcome these barriers, and others, you and your client will benefit from reading “Your Job Search”. ***open pdf on site This guide highlights various ways to overcome different barriers. In the guide, there are specific tips for recent post-secondary graduates, people on Ontario Works, people who are underemployed, and newcomers.
Some of the tips included are:
-Talk about gaps on your resume in positive ways: maybe you stayed home to take care of a child and through that experience you were able to improve your time management, organization, and planning skills, patience
-Volunteer or a job shadow with someone in a job that you would like to do: this will help you better understand the workplace culture of that organization and of Canada if you are new to the country
-Look into upgrading your computer skills if you are planning to work on working in an office environment
– Complete work placements while in school to improve your transition into work after graduation
The guide also contains tips on how to use labour market information in your job search as well as tips for how to be successful when attending job fairs- including what needs to be done before going to a job fair, on the way to the job fair, while at the job fair and after the job fair.
—slide 17
***WEmap demo
If you or your clients want a broader view of where all of the job opportunities are located, you can use the WEmap tool. When you open this tool you see many of these colored circles. Each circle represents a postal code area and the more colors the circle has the more employers are hiring in that area. You can also have the circles show the variety of occupations or the skill level required by the posting in each postal code area. For those that use public transportation, you can also include the bus routes of local transit. This can be extra helpful for clients that live near a certain route and want to see what opportunities are available for them along this route. While you can’t directly apply for these positions, you can search for job postings on each of these employer websites or on job search engines now that you know which employers are currently hiring.
—slide 18
Basics of LMI
Now we are going to delve a bit deeper into what labour market information, or LMI, is. Labour market information is any information related to workforce trends, occupations, and career exploration. Essentially everything in this webinar is a piece of labour market information. This includes average wages of local jobs, news articles of businesses opening, statistics on the employment and unemployment rates, and much more. While some of this information may seem unnecessary to you when helping your clients search for jobs, it can actually be very useful.
• For example, knowing the average wage of a job they are interviewing for will ensure that they are receiving a competitive wage, and know what they can potentially negotiate for if necessary.
• Knowing about new businesses opening may give them a head start on which businesses to approach when looking for new opportunities. They can apply for a position or meet with the owners before they open so that they can start right when they open.
• Knowing the current unemployment rate will let you and your client know how many other people in the region are looking for work. While this number may be discouraging if the unemployment rate is high, meaning more competition for jobs, it can help to make sure that they are aware of the level of competition and start thinking about more unique ways to approach employers so that they can stand out from other candidates.
• Being aware of labour market information just makes you more aware of what is happening in the region and helps you better prepare clients for their job search.
To find LMI like this and more, visit workforcewindsoressex.com/local-lmi to view different reports, such as the labour force survey results, educational attainment in the region, and migration trends. If you don’t see what you are looking for you can submit a custom data request by clicking on the right side panel.
***open job demand report When you select the job demand report for instance, it will show you the most commonly posted jobs, as well as their local median salary (so what the most common salary offered is). It also shows you which industries are posting the most opportunities and in which municipalities are most jobs coming from.
***open quarterly survey When viewing our quarterly employer bulletin, you can see the hiring needs of local employers. This bulletin shows what positions they have hired for in the last 3 months and which positions were hard to fill. If you have clients that do not have a preference for their next job, looking at the hard to fill positions can be an opportunity for them to potentially enter a position quickly. Or if you have a client with experience or training in one of these positions, this can be motivation for them to continue working towards that position. These bulletins also show the expected changes in various industries, including whether companies are expecting to grow or downsize.
Labour Force Survey
Another one of our monthly reports is the Labour Force Survey Results. In this report is monthly-based data for the Windsor census metropolitan area, or Windsor CMA, which includes the municipality of Windsor, Lakeshore, LaSalle, Tecumseh, and Amherstburg. The information included in the review is from the monthly labour force survey that is put out by Statistics Canada. The report reviews the number of people in the labour force, the unemployment rate, the employment rate, and the participation rate. All of this information is also shown over the last year. The number of people in the labour force represents the number of people that are currently working or are looking for work. The unemployment rate is the percentage of people in the labour force that are not currently working. In February that number was 4.9%, representing 8,500 people. The employment rate is the number of people in the labour force that are currently working, which was 57.5% representing 165,500 people. The participation rate is the number of people in the Windsor CMA that are working or looking for work out of the population of those over the age of 15. Currently the participation rate is 60.4% which means that almost 40% of the population over the age of 15 are not working or looking for work. Some of the people captured in this 40% are retirees, students, persons with disabilities, stay at home parents, and others.
This report can be used to highlight trends in the labour market. Knowing the trends of the employment or unemployment rate will let you know whether there may be an increase or decrease in the number of clients requiring your services.
To view this report, go to workforcewindsoressex.com and click resources for job seekers. Scroll until you see labour force survey results and select the tile. On this page you will find a link to view and download the most current report, as well reports from past months.
This report and the Job Demand Report are both available in a pdf format as well as in an interactive Google Data document which allows you to filter or sort tables and graphs in different ways. It also allows you to download the raw data of each section individually by clicking on the dots in the top right corner of each chart.
—slide 17
Wage information
A specific piece of labour market information that can be helpful in your client’s job search is a review of wages paid locally for various occupations. When looking at workforcewindsoressex.com/wages you can see a chart of occupations that are sorted by their national occupation classification code or NOC code. Looking at the median wage for a job that your client is interested in will give you an idea of what they can ask for when negotiating wages for a new job. It may also help to provide a practical view of a job your client is interested in if you feel that they have unrealistic expectations of the job. If you are unsure of the NOC code for the occupation you are looking for, you can search the job on **NOC CODE SITE**.
Looking at the wages chart can give you and your client a better idea of what the starting wage of a job may be and what that wage can become over time as you gain experience. Looking at the column for the 25th percentile wage shows what the lowest wage offered for that job is locally. The 75th percentile wage shows what the highest wage offered locally is for that job. The median wage shows what the most common wage for that job is. It is important to keep in mind that those receiving higher wages may have many years of experience in that job and are unlikely to be provided to someone entering the job without prior experience in the company or in the role. However, having specific qualifications for the job or prior experience in the role or company can be a reason to negotiate offered wages with a future employer.
It may also help to go through the wages of various jobs with your client as it provides a more realistic view of what they will be paid for different positions. For example, maybe they thought that Tool and Die workers made very little money. But in reality they make ***. This will make sure that they are not over estimating the salary of a certain job and know the reality before they begin specific training or obtain a job that is not sufficient enough to sustain their lifestyle.
Another resource that can give you and your clients an inclination as to which jobs they would like to seek or which jobs they feel they are well trained for is the Skills Matrix. The skills matrix lists many in-demand jobs and sorts them by their required level of education or training. It also identifies the foundational, technical, or soft skills that are needed to succeed in the job. Your clients can use this tool to either identify the skills they need to further develop to succeed in a certain job or see what jobs align with their current skills level.
—slide 19
Local Interest
For those of you that want to keep up to date on current events related to the local labour market, you can visit workforcewindsoressex.com/LMI. On this page you will find recent news articles that cover various labour market issues, including the opening and closing of businesses, workforce trends, and new resources and services that can support local workers and job seekers. Being aware of what is happening in the region will allow you to better serve your clients.
—slide 19
Conclusion
• Identify quick resources to review
• Other webinars that may be relevant
• Upcoming event launches, in-person website walk through with CERIC
