Wellington County is launching a one-year labour market project aimed at young people.
The County's Economic Development Division received $63,500 in funding from the Ontario 150 Partnership Program to develop the project, called "Promoting Youth Inclusion in Rural Labour Markets."
The initiative has been designed to help employers attract and retain youth workers, and provide youth with the information and skills they need to successfully navigate rural labour markets.
"Millennials (individuals born between 1980-1995) are currently the largest age cohort in the Canadian workforce. They bring energy and vibrancy to the workplace and are in tune with the technology reshaping society," says Warden Dennis Lever. "Wellington County’s close proximity to world caliber universities and colleges means that employers have a unique opportunity to tap into a very highly skilled labour pool."
The project starts this month with online surveys for employers and youth, followed by skilled building workshops in early 2018.
Project partners include the University of Guelph, Conestoga College, and the Wellington Waterloo Community Futures Development Corporation.
"Our project will help employers navigate multi-generational challenges while providing Millennials with information they need to succeed in our local labour markets," says Economic Development Committee Chair George Bridge. "This project is a combination of online surveys, customized assessments for participants and skill building workshops for employers and Millennials. We believe that working with both sides of the labour market not only makes this initiative distinct, it is the best way to ensure that all stakeholders will benefit from this work."