Navigating Employment Supports for Newcomers in York Region An Opening Doors Workshop January 21,...

Navigating Employment Supports for Newcomers

in York Region

An Opening Doors WorkshopJanuary 21, 2010

Welcome Centre Immigrant Services - Vaughan

Presented by: Holly Burch-Hie, HR/Employment Specialist, Simpressions—A Division of Job Skills

Agenda

• About Job Skills• Learning Outcomes• Statistics• Labour Market Integration Issues Facing Newcomers• Making Effective Referrals• Employment Services & Programs• Additional Resources• Case Studies• Questions & Answers

Navigating Employment Supports for Newcomers in York Region

Job Skills’ Overview

• Job Skills has 12 sites throughout York, Dufferin, Halton, Peel and Toronto

• Services are available to all unemployed residents• Currently serves more than 25,000 individuals annually• Job Skills receives funding from the Government of

Canada, provincial and municipal governments and the United Way of York Region


Summary of Programs & ServicesEmployment Services & Programs• Employment Assessment Centres• Youth Outreach & Employment Services • Job Finding Club

Newcomer Employment Services• Practice Firms• Immigrant Information Services• Welcome Centre Immigrant Services

Job Search Workshops Employment Settlement Supports


Summary of Programs & Services

Self-Employment Services & Programs• Self-Employment Benefits Program (SEB) • Opportunities Fund - SEB Program• Youth Entrepreneurship Program (YEP)

Special initiatives are also developedto address local labour market needs

Employment Services provided since 1988, Business Services since 1995,

Newcomer Employment Services since 2003


Job Skills' Mission Statement

Job Skills is a non-profit organization dedicated to enhancing people’s capacity to participate in the

labour market, thereby contributing to the economic and social viability of our community.

For more information visit:

www.jobskills.org


• Learn about labour market integration issues facing newcomers

• Enhance your ability to effectively refer newcomer clients to appropriate employment services and programs

• Improve your communication and connections to the York Region employment service delivery network

Learning Outcomes


“Immigration is one of the most pressing issues facing the labour market today. Canada’s population is not increasing naturally and our employees are aging.

Immigrants have the skills and expertise to enhance and expand our labour market, and it’s critical that

we break down any barriers to this integration.”

Dominic D’Alessandro, CEO and President of Manulife Financial and Co-Chair of TRIEC


• Approximately 900,000 people live in York Region • About 45% of people in this region were born

outside of Canada

• Immigrants, especially those who have been in the country for five years or less, are the fastest growing segment of York Region’s population

Newcomers in York Region


Newcomers in York Region• Between 1991 and 2001:

– 69% of Canada’s population growth was a result of people immigrating– the number of recent immigrants increased by 13%, while non-immigrants

increased by only 3%

• Between 2001 and 2006:– immigrant population accounted

for about 60% of the growth

• By 2011:– immigration will account for

100% of Canada’s net labourforce growth


• Most of the immigrants who settle in York Region are well educated from a professional occupation.

• The unemployment rate for university educated recent immigrants was four times greater than that of similar non-immigrants.

• By addressing newcomer unemployment and under-employment issues, the other issues of settlement including access to quality heath care, housing,education and development of social supports fornewcomers will also be improved.

Newcomer Employment in York Region


Labour Market Integration Issues Facing Newcomers

• Low English levels• Lack of knowledge of career paths available in

Canada• Employers require recognition of educational

credentials• Employers demand Canadian work experience and

knowledge of Canadian corporate culture• Lack of a formal network within their own industry or

profession • Lack of knowledge job search expectations within

Canada


Before You Make Referrals

Share your success.

How to make effective referrals.

The right intervention for the right person at the right time.


• English as a Second Language Training (ESL) • Language Instruction for Newcomers to Canada (LINC)

– To learn the English language skills that are essential to their social, economic and cultural integration into Canadian society

• Enhanced Language Training – Industry Targeted– Administration/Customer Service, Accounting, Childcare or IT– 20-week program offers higher level language training in a specific field– Computer skills upgrading, assisted work placement & job search support

English Language Training


• Ontario Specific Language Training (OSLT)– Specialized language training for market sectors such as Business, Health

Care and Technology

• Communication Skills Practice− Opportunity to practice English conversation on a variety of topics within a

relaxed and flexible group setting

English Language Training


Career Pathing

• Accreditation Assistance Access Centre (AAAC)– Outlines steps for success in the accreditation process, for both current and

long-term goals– Accreditation Plans developed with one-on-one interviews

• Career Solutions– Individual Employment Counselling Services and Group Sessions; referral

needed from an Employment Assessment Centre

• Regulated Professional Associations– Regulated professions within Ontario are very accustomed to working with

newcomers to Canada


Education Credentials Assessment

• Regulatory Bodies – Each regulatory body in Ontario decides how to assess an applicant's academic

credentials– Some educational institutions and occupational regulatory bodies have their own

academic assessment processes

• Academic Credential Assessment Services Providers– Educational requirements differ for every profession and trade, and there are a

number of different organizations that assess someone's schooling to ensure it meets Ontario's standards

• Accreditation Assistance Access Centre (AAAC)– Within an action plan, realistic recommendations are made considering financial

need to move forward with credentials assessment


Education Credentials Assessment

• Global Experience Ontario– Can help internationally trained and educated individuals find out how to

qualify for professional practice in Ontario

• Job Connect– Assistance is available to newcomers for translation of documents and

credentials assessment (WES)


Work Experience & Bridging Programs

• Practice Firms– Participants at any given time work in real departments of a simulated

business, and devote 20% of their time to an active job search– Allow participants to gain current Canadian work experience in a

professional, business environment– Departments are: Administrative, Accounting/Finance, Human Resources,

Marketing, Sales, Purchasing, IT (QA, Database Programmers, Network Administrators, Software Testers) and Graphic/Web Design

• Ontario Bridging Programs– Bridge Training Programs help qualified internationally-trained individuals

move quickly into the labour market in Ontario


• Career Bridge – Paid internship program for Internationally-qualified professionals operated

by Career Edge Organization

• Volunteering– Work experience, networking and solid work references are provided

• Wage Subsidy– Job Connect wage subsidy for employers to assist in new employees

training or workplace adjustment issues

Work Experience & Bridging Programs


Mentoring and Networking

• The Mentoring Partnership– Mentoring Partnership brings together recent skilled immigrants and

established professionals in occupation-specific mentoring relationships– York Region service provider is COSTI Immigrant Services


Job Search• Job Search Workshops for Newcomers

– A program that assists individuals that have a clear employment goal– Includes Orientation to the Canadian Labour Market– All job search techniques are geared to Newcomers

• Job Finding Club– 2 - 3 week full time job search program with assistance from job search

professionals

• Skills International– Web-enabled, searchable database of candidate profiles is dedicated

exclusively to profiling the skills of immigrant job seekers in Ontario


• Welcome Centre– A one-stop service under one roof designed to guide and support

immigrants through the maze of information and resources in York Region

• HireImmigrants.ca– Designed to assist the hiring decision makers and business leaders to

source, select, develop and welcome skilled immigrants as creative contributors to the workforce

• Immigrant Information Services– A mobile initiative, connecting newcomers and immigrants to the services

they need, right in their own community– Knowledgeable Outreach Specialists quickly determine the best starting

point for each person and refer to appropriate service providers


Additional Resources

• York Region Immigrant Portal – A resource website for newcomers on employment, housing, healthcare,

education and demographic information in York Region

• Settlement.org– A resource website for newcomers on immigration, citizenship, housing,

health, community, employment and legal services– There is a “settlement at work” section of the website for employment

counsellors working with newcomers


Additional Resources

Case Studies


Questions & Answers


in partnership with:

Employment Ontario programs are

funded in part by the Government of Canada

Navigating Employment Supports for Newcomers in York Region An Opening Doors Workshop January 21,...

Documents

Transcript of Navigating Employment Supports for Newcomers in York Region An Opening Doors Workshop January 21,...