Are You Ready? Workshops

Despite the current economic situation, Ontario is set to experience severe labour shortages in the coming years; certain industries have already started to feel the pinch. Ontario community colleges have taken a lead in finding unique workforce development solutions. Through CONNECT Strategic Alliances, Ontario colleges rolled out free Are You Ready? workshops that aimed to help small- to medium-sized enterprises effectively source, select and hire an under-tapped resource – internationally trained immigrants. Fourteen Ontario colleges – Algonquin, Centennial, Conestoga, Confederation, Durham, Fanshawe, George Brown, Georgian, Humber, La Cité, Niagara, Sault, Seneca and Sheridan – delivered these workshops, with La Cité collégiale delivering the workshops in French.

The workshops helped employers understand what cultural competence is, how they could be a better employer and what practical strategies and techniques could be used to source, screen, interview and hire the brightest immigrant talent.

There are two four-hour workshops, the Foundation and the Advanced streams.

The Foundation Workshop covers:

Cultural competence basics
Strategies to find skilled immigrant talent
Common barriers for skilled immigrants
Tools and techniques

The Advanced Workshop covers:

How to screen resumes with skilled immigrants
How to conduct telephone and in-person interviews with skilled immigrants
Tools and techniques

Funding

Government of Ontario, Ministry of Citizenship and Immigration

Delivery

Algonquin College
Centennial College
Conestoga College
Confederation College
Durham College
Fanshawe College
George Brown College
Georgian College
Humber College
La Cité collégiale
Mohawk College
Niagara College
Sault College
Seneca College
Sheridan College

Development

Toronto Region Immigrant Employment Council (TRIEC)

Coordination

CONNECT Strategic Alliances

Advisory Committee

Ontario Chamber of Commerce
Canadian Federation of Independent Business (Ontario division)
Canadian Manufacturers and Exporters (Ontario division)
Workforce Planning Board of Waterloo Wellington Dufferin (representing municipal boards)
Algonquin College
Fanshawe College
George Brown College
Sheridan College