Current and Ongoing Projects

The Workforce Planning Board analyses the workforce development needs of the community and responds by building partnerships to take advantage of opportunities to resolve workforce issues proactively. Listed below are the partnerships and projects that we are currently working on.

Growing the Food Continuum Conference

Description: One day conference to highlight how innovation across the entire continuum is impacting employment.

Working in Rural Wellington

Description: Four hour career showcase will highlight employment sectors in the rural communities and their relevant occupations.

Research: Engineering Network Events

Description: Two networking events will be held in Dufferin County for engineers and businesses who hire engineers.

Creative Class Research-Wellington Dufferin

Description: A research report (Wellington, Dufferin) for each county incorporating analysis of employment needs, synthesis of results and recommendations for local actions.

Promotion of Manufacturing Industry to Youth

Description: Development of 2 video vignettes to highlight local manufacturing opportunities to youth via social media outlets.

Monthly Local Labour Market Snapshot

Description: This employer survey provides valuable information to the community on occupations in demand/decline by industry with month to month comparisons in Waterloo Wellington Dufferin. Also being done by other Local Board Network members in MTCU Western Region it will enable both local and regional reports..

Youth Employment Research

Description: WPB will develop a research report which will provide information and comparisons in employment success among regular youth and youth with disabilities in Waterloo Region and Wellington and Dufferin Counties.

Community Coordinator (ISE) Skills Link

Description: Community Coordinator will support access to local youth to Individual Skills Enhancement Program.

Supply and Demand Study- Manufacturing Wellington

Description: WPB will conduct a research study which will comprise the following components:
-Supply and demand within local industry sectors
-Shifting skill levels among growing industries
-Labour market opportunities

Making Cents of Abilities Coalition

Description: The coalition seeks to provide a central access point for local employers to find information to support them in the hiring/retention of persons with disabilities and to create community awareness of the skills and talents of persons with disabilities. The steering committee for this coalition includes representatives from the local chambers, government, schools, businesses and organizations that work with persons with disabilities.

Ontario Youth Apprenticeship Program (OYAP) Scholarships

Desription: Provide eight (8) $500 scholarships annually to OYAP students in all four (4) WPB area school boards who are going into an apprenticeship after high school graduation.

Speakers Bureau

Description: The Speakers Bureau is a resource to assist students with their career exploration through first-hand interaction with speakers from various occupations. WPB's Executive Director and other WPB directors regularly speak to students about local labour market information.

Lens on Local Industry Luncheon Series

Description: This is a luncheon series involving a keynote speaker followed by a discussion panel of experts.  Each luncheon will focus on new areas of interest/concern in various industries including local industry, construction industry, etc.

Enabling Change

Description: This pilot project involves developing and conducting an outreach strategy for small employers with under 20 employees to assist them with ensuring compliance with the Accessibility Standards for Customer Service under the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act.

Wise5

Description: Immigrant Entrepreneurship project across 5 communities

Local Immigration Partnership Council - Guelph Wellington

Description: The Local Immigration Partnership (LIP) is a one-year community planning process funded through Citizenship and Immigration Canada. The goal of LIP is to develop a newcomer/immigrant settlement strategy. Creating a caring and equitable community where everyone thrives is the focus of the Guelph Wellington strategy. WPB’s Executive Director is Co-Chair of the Council.

SCWI - School /College/ Work Initiative

Description: The SCWI team works to expand and link more secondary school courses to college programs, and create communication pieces that encourage high school students to select college as a first choice post-secondary option.

WRIEN/Local Immigration Partnership

Description: WRIEN is a forum for local strategies, to help ensure that the skills of immigrants are more optimally used to benefit immigrants and their families, our economy and the community as a whole. WPB's Executive Director and other WPB directors actively participate in WRIEN's work groups.