2017-2018 Community Labour Market Plan Outlines Workforce Opportunties
DETAILED PLAN SHARES HOW GOVERNMENT, INDUSTRY, EDUCATION, CAN GROW WORKFORCE
For Immediate Release
May 9, 2018
Windsor, ON – Workforce WindsorEssex, the region’s Local Employment Planning Council (LEPC), has launched the 2017-18 Community Labour Market Plan (CLMP), which provides a detailed analysis of labour market statistics and offers practical advice on how to grow the workforce.
The 61 page, data-rich report matches 10 challenges with 10 opportunities, providing partners in government, industry, employment services, training and education, insight into how each challenge can be overcome.
Some key challenges include the age and education of our workforce, as well as the overall participation rate. Other challenges dig deeper into gender, migration, and income issues that prevent greater participation in the labour market.
Our region’s focus should be on growing the available supply of workers through efforts that:
- Offer more flexible work arrangements to attract those who are not working and not looking for work. For many in this group, full-time employment is undesirable. Employers should consider micro or part-time employment to hire qualified older workers, youth and/or persons with disabilities.
- Develop new short-term training programs to help people who lack training enter in-demand jobs.
- Provide newcomers with an opportunity to prove their education and skills while gaining Canadian work experience.
- Ensure that childcare services are available, affordable and located closer to large employment centres.
- Direct more young people and newcomers into apprenticeships and a very rewarding career in the skilled trades.
The CLMP provides an update on the local labour market, including information on demographics, the labour force, Employment Ontario services, and industry in Windsor-Essex, following a detailed review and analysis of available data from Statistics Canada, Employment Ontario, Emsi Analyst, TalentNeuron, as well as employer surveys and consultations conducted by Workforce WindsorEssex.
QUOTES:
“The Community Labour Market Plan is a critical document for communities who want to develop their workforce. The challenges and opportunities presented in the report are unique to our region and can only be realized when government, industry, employment services, training and education stakeholders commit to addressing them. Our focus should be to increase the supply of talent by tapping into the non-participating workforce, utilizing the skills of immigrants in our region, and developing innovative short-term training solutions for people wishing to upskill.”
- Michelle Suchiu, Executive Director, Workforce WindsorEssex
“The Community Labour Market Plan is the region’s action plan when it comes to the challenges our communities experience when developing their workforce. A number of positive opportunities are highlighted in the report that provide valuable insight to partners and industry on how to overcome these challenges and grow the workforce with the available supply of workers. On behalf of WE EDC I congratulate Workforce WindsorEssex on providing the Community Labour Market Plan that examines and brings to the forefront the region’s workforce challenges and opportunities.”
- Stephen MacKenzie, President/CEO, WindsorEssex Economic Development Corporation
quick links
- In 2017, Workforce WindsorEssex launched WEsearch to make the process of researching business funding opportunities, employment services, and upgrading programs easier than ever. It can be accessed here: workforcewindsoressex.com/wesearch.
- The 2017-18 Community Labour Market Plan can be accessed at workforcewindsoressex.com/17-18-clmp
- May 7th to 11th, 2018, is National Econmic Development Week (#EconDevWeek) across Canada and the United States. It was created by the International Economic Development Council in 2016 in order to increase awareness of local programs that create jobs, advance career development opportunities and increase the quality of life. This is the first year Windsor-Essex is participating in this bi-national campaign.
- In April 2018, Workforce WindsorEssex launched WEexplore to help people find, research and apply for in-demand jobs more easily. It can be accessed here: workforcewindsoressex.com/weexplore
- In 2017, Workforce WindsorEssex launched WEsearch to make the process of researching business funding opportunities, employment services, and upgrading programs easier than ever. It can be accessed here: workforcewindsoressex.com/wesearch.
- Also in 2017, Workforce WindsorEssex launched WEmap to make the process of researching job postings by geographic area and by bus route quickly. It can be accessed here: workforcewindsoressex.com/wemap.
- To learn more about the Local Employment Planning Council and view our current and past projects visit workforcewindsoressex.com/lepc
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Media Contact:
Justin Falconer
Sr. Manager of Public Affairs & LEPC Lead
Workforce WindsorEssex
226-674-3220 ext 854
jfalconer@workforcewindsoressex.com