To view the What Works: Teaching Tomorrow’s Workforce webinar script in French use the google translate feature in the top right corner of your web browser and select French.


What Works: Teaching Tomorrow’s Workforce

 

Good Afternoon,

Thank you so much for joining for today’s webinar Teaching Tomorrow’s Workforce 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 role that you have each day- teaching our future workforce. In a world of ever-changing and growing careers this is an exciting task, and one that shouldn’t be taken lightly. That said, we understand the workload that you already have- the curriculum expectations that you need to meet, the unique needs of each of your students, the extra-curricular activities and the everyday unexpected tasks that come with teaching a room full of students. Knowing this, we have created resources that we hope can be seamlessly incorporated to your everyday teaching environment- by formally including elements in lesson plans, to casually having discussions with students on a sports field or band trip. We believe that opportunities for learning can be found everywhere around us- especially when it comes to learning about one’s skill sets and how they can be used meaningfully in our workforce.

-SLIDE 2-

Through our time today we hope to talk about:

  • Our local population
  • Local promising sectors and industry trends- what are in-demand jobs?
  • The Job Demand report and Labour Force Survey- what are these and why are they important
  • Wage information
  • Skills that employers are looking for
  • Experiential Learning
  • Workforce WindsorEssex that will be valuable to you as an educator and to your students

For the first part of this webinar we will be using a slideshow, while the second part of this webinar will involve navigating and using the tools on our website.

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 on the right hand side of your screen.  You’ll notice that there is a handouts section near the discussion box. These handouts will be referred to during the webinar and we have included them to download easily. One of the handouts includes the links that we are referring to throughout the webinar.

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.

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. We are a trusted source for labour market information and intelligence in our region and are  considered a key partner within our region in the areas of Economic Development, Employment Services, Education and Training, and Community Services.

-SLIDE 4-

We’re going to start today with a brief overview of information about our region that may be of interest to you. This information will help to add some further perspective to our overall discussion.  First, let’s take a look at our population. From 2011 to 2016, the population of Windsor-Essex has changed in size as well as age distribution.

[1][2]

 

The population of Windsor-Essex grew from 388,782 to 398,953, which indicates a 2.6% change in population and an increase of 10,171 people. Windsor-Essex has an aging population. Age groups over the age of 55 saw the greatest percentage increases in their groups between 2011 and 2016, with ages 65-74 experiencing the largest increase of 26.3%. This is likely due to an influx of retirees from outside the area. The prime working age population of 25-54 saw an average decrease in population by 3%.

 

-SLIDE 5-

Now let’s see what our after-tax household income looks like. In 2010, the median after-tax household income in Windsor-Essex was $52,855. This grew to $59,274 in 2015.

[3][4]

While this paints a picture of much of the Windsor-Essex population living middle class lifestyles, the reality is different when considering households with children in the Windsor CMA. Statistics Canada found that the Windsor CMA “has the highest rate of children living in low-income households” in Canada, with 24% of children living in a low-income household.[5] As stated by Statistics Canada, “…persons in a household of four had low income if the household’s after-tax income was under $44,266.”[6] Additionally, in November 2017, the number of people collecting disability support payments reached 12,900, which the City of Windsor believed was an all-time high.[7]

 

-SLIDE 6-

We can also take a look at our region’s educational attainment. Overall, the population of Windsor-Essex has a range of educational attainment.

[8]

40% of those in Windsor-Essex aged 25 to 64 have a secondary school diploma or less, while 7% have an apprenticeship or trades certificate or diploma, and 52% have a college or university-level education. Windsor-Essex has a lower level of educational attainment than the Ontario average. There can be a negative effect of 40% of the working aged population having only a high school diploma or less as employers may find it harder to fill skilled positions, and this population may find it difficult to find stable, fairly paid employment.[9]

-SLIDE 7-

1 in 4 people in Windsor-Essex is an immigrant, which refers to a person who is, or has ever been, a landed immigrant or a permanent resident. A total of 85,810 people in Windsor-Essex are immigrants. Of these immigrants, 10,800 are newcomers who settled in Windsor-Essex between 2011 and 2016. A newcomer is an immigrant who has been here for five years or less.[10] Considering the population in Windsor-Essex increased by 10,171 people between 2011 and 2016, Windsor-Essex might have otherwise had a decrease in population without the arrival of newcomers.

Immigrants are well-educated, with 70% possessing a minimum of a high school diploma, and 47% possessing a post-secondary education.[11]

 

-SLIDE 8-

Between 2011 and 2016, Windsor-Essex saw a net migration of 4,144 people. However, there was a net out-migration of the working aged population (aged 18 to 44 years old) of -1,283 people.

Migration by Age Cohort – Windsor-Essex: 2011 – 2016 26

Age Group In-migrants Out-migrants Net-migrants
0-17 10,990 7,765 3,225
18-24 6,701 7,043 -342
25-44 18,919 19,860 -941
45-64 8,721 7,232 1,489
65+ 3,249 2,536 713
Total 48,580 44,436 4,144

 

These are individuals who are likely looking for employment opportunities elsewhere. Positively, the net migration of young people aged 0 to 17 was very high at 3,225 migrants, which, if these young people can be retained in the community, will help provide an available labour force in the future. Furthermore, the scale of movement is notable, as close to 100,000 people moved in or out of Windsor-Essex during the five-year period.[12]

-SLIDE 9-

From 2014-2015, the top regions for net migration into Windsor-Essex were[13]:

Region Net-Gain #
Foreign 1,873
Peel 147
Brant 60
Durham 54
Joliette 50

 

From 2014-2015, the top region for net-migration out of Windsor-Essex were[14]:

Region Net-Loss #
Middlesex (London region) -286
Greater Vancouver -143
Division No. 11 (Edmonton region) -141
Ottawa -116
Division No. 6 (Calgary region) -114

 

As seen above, the majority of those who migrate into Windsor-Essex are from outside of Canada.

As we’ve gone through these data sets you may have been able to connect the dots on how this information relates to your role. As an educator, you may be educating students from low income families. The support that you provide them may help them in breaking the cycle of poverty. You may be teaching students who are new to Canada- your support for them will help them to acquire the education and skills that are needed for them to one day enter the workforce successfully. As a region, we want to see young talent staying in our area. You have the opportunity to expose your students to the amazing work that is being done in our region to encourage them to stay local long term. You may be teaching students from families where the highest level of education has traditionally been high school- and your student will be the first one to pursue education or training outside of the high school learning environment. Our hope is that the information we equip you with today can help you in doing all of the above. We know it’s no small feat- which is why we’re here to help.

-SLIDE 10-

Oftentimes 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

Let’s go through a few highlights for each of those sectors:

-SLIDE 11-

  • Construction
    • 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.
    • Jobs: 7,977 in Windsor-Essex
    • Top 5 occupations expecting growth:
      • Construction Trades Labourers
      • Heavy Equipment Operators
      • Electricians
      • Carpenters
      • Iron Workers

-SLIDE 12-

 

  • If your students are interested in this sector we would advise that they take a look at our Help Build Your City resources which provide an overview of the occupations that will be needed for the Gordie Howe International Bridge. This resource is included in the handout section.

-SLIDE 13-

 

  • Professional, Scientific and Technical services
    • 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.
    • Jobs: 4,128 in Windsor-Essex
    • Top 5 occupations expecting growth:
      • Mechanical Engineers
      • Information Systems Analysts
      • Biological Engineers
      • Paralegals
      • Computer Programmers and Interactive Media Developers

-SLIDE 14-

 

  • If your students are interested in this sector then we would advise that they check out the Windsor-Essex Tech Sector section of our website- here you’ll find our soon to be released tech report, networking opportunities, videos of local companies and information on learning about tech.

-SLIDE 15-

  • Health Care and Social Assistance
    • 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.
    • Jobs: 20,353 in Windsor-Essex
    • 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 16-

  • Manufacturing
    • Students often feel as though Manufacturing is dark, dirty and dangerous- and they really don’t want to go there. That’s why each October we take hundreds of students out to tour local manufacturing companies to learn more about what manufacturing actually is. These students discover that robotics and technology have really changed what manufacturing looks like and the types of jobs that are associated with it. They also discover that manufacturing is not limited to the automotive world. In fact, our favourite example of this comes from a local company called Radix Inc. that is known for creating the system of lasers that is used to do quality control of gummy bears.
    • Jobs: 30,685 in Windsor-Essex
    • 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 17-

  • Repair and Maintenance
    • 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 trailor 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-trailors 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-trailor and the materials they are carrying (hazardous materials, food, seeds, ). The trailors need to be cleaned before carrying anything new.
    • Jobs: 2,014 in Windsor-Essex
    • 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 18-

  • Education
    • Retirements in this sector, and an increase in our population due to immigration is driving up enrollment. French continues to be a demand in this sector. There are many roles to consider when looking at Education.
    • Jobs: 14,062 in Windsor-Essex
    • 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
  • One final area that we love to discuss is Entrepreneurship. In our region is comprised of a large proportion of small businesses and we have many supports to help them, including supports for students still in school. An example of one of these supports is Summer Company- which is hosted by the Small Business Centre.

-SLIDE 21- Go to Top 76 In Demand Jobs webpage: https://www.workforcewindsoressex.com/top-jobs/

  • 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.
  • Stay tuned for the launch of our WEexplore tool on April 12th, 2018. This tool will provide a more encompassing and interactive view of all the career pathways that are shown within the career profiles. Information from the career profiles, including job description, skills, and salary information for each in-demand job will be featured as well.

 

-SLIDE 22-

Go to WEnav page: https://www.workforcewindsoressex.com/wenav/

Your students may or may not know the career path they’d like to take one day. If you’re looking for additional teaching resources that can be incorporated into your everyday lessons, we’d encourage you to check out WEnav. WEnav is a free, online career counselling program. We developed it a few years ago through funding from the Ontario Trillium Foundation. It has been presented throughout the province, and used in many different areas in Canada. This 6 section curriculum covers topics such as: Career Navigation and Exploring Careers, Self- Knowledge, Relevant Skills, Looking Ahead, and Developing and Action Plan. It is a completely modifiable curriculum- meaning that materials are available in Word and fillable PDF form, so that materials can be adjusted as you require for the unique group of students you are working with and materials can be completed on a computer if your classroom has access to a lab. Powerpoint presentations are included, and slides can be added or removed as needed. Materials are all available in French and in English, and additional resource pages with local labour market updates and links to LMI news are easily at your and your students’ fingertips.

Go to Career Navigation Page for Elementary Educators:  https://www.workforcewindsoressex.com/elementary-educators/

If you are an elementary educator you may be interested in our Career Navigation Page for Elementary Educators. This page has modified WEnav resources for you to use with your students, including curriculum connections for sector based activities.

 

 

Go to LMI Hub (SLIDE 23) https://www.workforcewindsoressex.com/local-lmi/

Two resources that may be of additional assistance to you if you’d like to more deeply understand job trends are the Job Demand Report and the Labour Force Survey, both of which can be accessed at our website.

The Job Demand Report provides a monthly overview of:

  • the number of job postings
  • top 5 employers by job posting
  • postings by municipality
  • job type
  • technical and skills by number of postings
  • experience and education
  • top sectors
  • top occupations by job posting

 

The Labour Force Survey provides updated charts that give an overview of the:

  • Unemployment Rate
  • Employment Rate
  • Labour Force

 

-SLIDE 24- Wage information**open wage link https://www.workforcewindsoressex.com/wages/

  • A specific piece of labour market information that can be helpful in your students’ career exploration 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. If you don’t know the NOC code for a specific job, we have provided a link to the NOC code site on your resources handout. Additionally, you can search the job title right above the wages table. Looking at the median wage for a job that you are interested in will give you an idea of what you can ask for when negotiating wages for a new job or a promotion.
  • It may also help by providing a more realistic view of what students can expect to be paid for different positions. For example, maybe they thought that Legislators made less than $20/hr. But in reality they make a median wage of $25.29. This will make sure that your students are not over or under estimating the salary of a certain job and know the reality before you begin specific training or obtain a job that is not sufficient enough to sustain your lifestyle.

 

-SLIDE 25/ online registration process- OPEN SAMPLE EMAIL https://www.workforcewindsoressex.com/wejobs/

If you want more detail on what types of jobs employers are hiring for, you can sign up for WEjobs. WEjobs is a free email that you’ll receive 2-3 times a week. One of our colleagues collects job postings for the region and compiles them into a word/ PDF document to share with the community. Over 1 000 individuals sign up to receive this email to learn about the types of jobs they can apply for.

-SLIDE 26- WEsearch link https://www.workforcewindsoressex.com/wesearch/?ss=1523022067

If you need access to additional resources or employment supports, we would encourage you to use WEsearch. WEsearch is a wayfinding tool that helps to connect job seekers and employers with the services that they need based on answering a few simple questions.

-SLIDE 27 & 28

Let’s take a closer look at the types of skills that employers have told us they are looking for in the people they hire.

There are four main types of skills that we refer to that are all important to employers:

  • Technical Skills- more advanced skills that would be gained through doing specific training, such as writing a business plan or using a CNC machine
  • Foundational Skills- basic skills you would need for a job, such as being able to read, write, listen
  • Soft Skills- these are your personable skills that make you a great employee, such as being able to answer a phone, knowing how to properly write an email, being on time
  • Transferable Skills- these are skills that are developed in one area and used in another, for example- a student that is part of band would understand the importance of listening well and working on a team. This could be used in just about any job setting.

-SLIDE 29-

Let’s take an even closer look at some of the specific skills employers have mentioned to us over time. They are looking for individuals who can:

  • Can manage their time
  • Has a good attitude
  • Is willing to learn
  • Can speak more than one language
  • Is reliable and punctual
  • Can work well on a team and individually
  • Takes initiative
  • Is flexible and adaptable
  • Has work experience
  • Can dress appropriately
  • Knows social media boundaries
  • Can follow health and safety regulations
  • Has technical skills

We like to say that high school is a perfect training ground for many of these skills, and you as educators naturally provide opportunities to develop these skills in ways that students may not realize are helping to prepare them for being part of our workforce one day.

-SLIDE 30- Experiential Learning Hub Page
https://www.workforcewindsoressex.com/experiential-learning-hub/

One way that students can work on developing these skills while still in school is by taking part in an experiential learning opportunity. This may look like a co-op or OYAP placement or an internship, or it could be less formal- it may involve going on a field trip, having an employer in to deliver a presentation, building a bird house as a class, etc. There is a wide spectrum of opportunities for you to incorporate into your classroom- all with varying levels of commitment and prep work. We’ve created a guide in hopes of making this easier for you. You can access our Experiential Learning Hub on our website, where you’ll find access to:

  • A toolkit of ideas, handouts, and rubrics that you can use with your students
  • An online matching system- are you having difficulty finding a placement for your students? Let us know what you’re looking for and we will work to connect you with a local employer
  • Blogs that feature success stories of local students and employers
  • Guide books that you can share with parents or employers to help them learn about how these opportunities can help their children and their workforce

-SLIDE 31-

We know that we’ve just shared a lot of information with you! At this time we’d like to take any remaining questions that may be out there.

As we close, we would encourage you to take some time to browse our website. As you process what you see on the site and what you’ve heard today feel free to reach out to us if there is any additional support we can provide you. Our contact information will be on your screen. A recording of this webinar will be available for view in the next 24 hours.

Additionally, we would appreciate it if you could complete the brief survey that you will find on the closing screen. Your responses will help us in preparing future webinars!

Thank you for spending time with us today!

 

 

[1] Statistics Canada, 2016 Census of Population, Statistics Canada Catalogue no. 98-316-X2016001.

[2] Statistics Canada, 2011 National Household Survey, Statistics Canada Catalogue no. 98-316-XWE.

[3] [3] Statistics Canada, 2016 Census of Population, Statistics Canada Catalogue no. 98-316-X2016001.

[4] [4] Statistics Canada, 2011 National Household Survey, Statistics Canada Catalogue no. 99-004-XWE.

[5] Xuelin Zhang, “Children living in low-income households,” Statistics Canada, last modified October 15, 2017, http://www12.statcan.gc.ca/census-recensement/2016/as-sa/98-200-x/2016012/98-200-x2016012-eng.cfm.

[6] Ibid.

[7] Dave Battagello, “As number relying on disability support payment rises, province proposes $3.2B solution,” Windsor Star, last modified November 6, 2017, http://windsorstar.com/news/local-news/welfare-reform-plan-seeks-to-aid-those-mired-in-poverty.

[8] Statistics Canada, 2016 Census of Population, Statistics Canada Catalogue no. 98-316-X2016001.

[9] Statistics Canada, 2016 Census of Population, Statistics Canada Catalogue no. 98-316-X2016001.

[10] Statistics Canada, 2016 Census of Population, Statistics Canada Catalogue no. 98-316-X2016001.

[11] Statistics Canada, 2016 Census of Population, Statistics Canada Catalogue no. 98-400-X2016253.

[12] Statistics Canada, Taxfiler.

[13] Ibid.

[14] Statistics Canada, Taxfiler.