Growing Your Workforce

November 23, 2021

Workplace Resiliency

Hear Tricia Williams, Director of Research, Evaluation and Knowledge Mobilization from Future Skills Centre, present Skills to Thrive in a Changing Labour Market. The COVID-19 pandemic has shown us how tough we really are, and the lengths we’re willing to go to keep our livelihood afloat.

Next, three vibrant ignite speeches by Summer Burton, Project Manager at Literacy Link South Central, Bev Kobe, Executive Director of Goodwill Industries, and Chris Prosser, Executive Director of the Literacy Group of Waterloo Region. The ignite speeches will discuss improv and how to use it, and investing in upgrading and training. Workplace Resiliency is our first event of the Conference, beginning the morning of Tuesday, November 23, 2021.

November 23, 2021

Workplace Resiliency

Hear Tricia Williams, Director of Research, Evaluation and Knowledge Mobilization from Future Skills Centre, present Skills to Thrive in a Changing Labour Market. The COVID-19 pandemic has shown us how tough we really are, and the lengths we’re willing to go to keep our livelihood afloat.

Next, three vibrant ignite speeches by Summer Burton, Project Manager at Literacy Link South Central, Bev Kobe, Executive Director of Goodwill Industries, and Chris Prosser, Executive Director of the Literacy Group of Waterloo Region. The ignite speeches will discuss improv and how to use it, and investing in upgrading and training. Workplace Resiliency is our first event of the Conference, beginning the morning of Tuesday, November 23, 2021.

Partnership to Recovery

Aileen Murray, a local leader in community development, will discuss the findings of the Initiatives Report and Western Ontario workforce strategies.

You’ll then hear from Panelists Nancy Heuther, Manager of Economic Development in Simcoe County, Crystal Ellis, Director of Economic Development in Wellington County, and Audrey Ansell, Director of Community Attraction and Promotion for Chatham-Kent. Enjoy the joint discussion on how to think outside the box by fully leveraging the partners that you’re connected with and the ones that are available to you. Partnership to Recovery is the second event on the morning of Tuesday, November 23, 2021.

November 24, 2021

Innovative Retention and Stories

Attracting and retaining job seekers has been an urgent issue amongst employers. Hiring new staff and keeping them has become a greater challenge than it was before. Our first LIVE speaker of the day, Dr. Natalya Brown, Associate Professor at Nipissing University, will take you through creative, post-pandemic innovative retention strategies.

Then, we’ll have three ignite speakers: Don MacLeod, Chief Administrative Officer at Zorra Township, will speak on efficiently transitioning your workplace into having a four day work week, and the affects of doing so; Sara Gill, Executive Director of Adult Basic Education Association, will speak on Career Ladders; and Wessam Ayad, Project Supervisor at KEYS Job Centre, will speak on the Workplace Inclusion Charter.

Skilled Trades

Skilled Trades has been the new buzz when it comes to employment conversation- Great money, great stability, direct education, everything you’d hope for. But what about the challenges? Where is the gap in apprenticeships, and why? What’s the solution?

Hear from Emily Arrowsmith, Project Manager and Researcher at the Canadian Apprenticeship Forum and her guide to apprenticeships.

November 24, 2021

Innovative Retention and Stories

Attracting and retaining job seekers has been an urgent issue amongst employers. Hiring new staff and keeping them has become a greater challenge than it was before. Our first LIVE speaker of the day, Dr. Natalya Brown, Associate Professor at Nipissing University, will take you through creative, post-pandemic innovative retention strategies.

Then, we’ll have three ignite speakers: Don MacLeod, Chief Administrative Officer at Zorra Township, will speak on efficiently transitioning your workplace into having a four day work week, and the affects of doing so; Sara Gill, Executive Director of Adult Basic Education Association, will speak on Career Ladders; and Wessam Ayad, Project Supervisor at KEYS Job Centre, will speak on the Workplace Inclusion Charter.

Discovery

Tap into newcomer and refugee talent Pools with our LIVE speakers, Sienna Taylor, Project Manager at Immploy, and Patrick O’Leary, Canada Director of Talent Beyond Boundaries. This section of the Conference will cover how to accredit foreign credentials, how to read foreign resumes, and accessing foreign trained talent.

Immploy is an Immigrant Employment Council serving southwestern Ontario, while Talent Beyond Boundaries is the first organization in the world to focus on pioneering labour mobility as a complementary solution to traditional humanitarian resettlement.

Skilled Trades

Skilled Trades has been the new buzz when it comes to employment conversation- Great money, great stability, direct education, everything you’d hope for. But what about the challenges? Where is the gap in apprenticeships, and why? What’s the solution?

Hear from Emily Arrowsmith, Project Manager and Researcher at the Canadian Apprenticeship Forum and her guide to apprenticeships.

Dive In

This is about action. What now? Where can you go from here? We’ve tried to be creative so that you, as the attendee, can take away something meaningful from this Conference as a whole. With a LIVE illustrator, we’ll show you the bigger picture.