About
Job Skills
Employment
Programs & Services | Business Programs
& Services
Unemployment
strikes in a variety of ways. Whether an individual has been
affected by company restructuring, needs skills upgrading,
doesn't know where to look for work, or wants to pursue self-employment,
Job Skills can help.
Job
Skills, a non-profit, community-based employment and training
agency, began offering employment training in northern York
Region in 1988.
Today,
the Agency provides Employment and Business Services and Programs
in York Region, Bradford West Gwillimbury, Dufferin, Halton,
Peel and Toronto. Job Skills has expanded over the years and
currently maintains locations in Keswick, Newmarket, Markham,
Mississauga, Brampton, North York, Scarborough and Richmond
Hill. More than 25,000 individuals are served annually.
The
services, programs and training delivered by Job Skills are
designed to meet clients' individual requirements, as well
as being flexible enough to respond to the needs of the community,
changing employment conditions and shifts in the labour market.
Special initiatives undertaken by Job Skills to build on community
capacity or support a specific target group complements the
Agency’s core business.
Clients
come from a variety of backgrounds: from youth at-risk of
diminished life outcomes — to the 'over 45' worker who
is looking for work or considering self-employment for the
first time — to the newcomer to Canada who brings a
strong educational background but needs current, Canadian
work experience.
Job Skills has proven to be reliable and effective in providing
services and programs and has earned a reputation for excellence
that is client-centered yet results-oriented.
Over
the years, Job Skills' Staff of qualified professionals has
served the full diversity of clients seeking supports and
assistance in finding employment or initiating small businesses.
EMPLOYMENT
SERVICES and PROGRAMS
Job
Skills' Employment Services and Programs combine one-on-one
support with self-service. Clients can access either as needed
in any combination that will assist them to achieve their
Return to Work Action Plan (RTWAP), and choose only those
services necessary to meet their employment needs. This flexibility
in service delivery recognizes that, at any given time, assisted
service may change to self-service and vice versa. Employment
Services Staff provide support and assistance in completing
the appropriate documentation for individuals seeking Skills
Enhancement as part of their return to work strategy.
In
York Region, Job Skills operates two Employment
Assessment Centres—in Keswick and in Markham. In
a transition phase from April 2004 to October 2005, Job Skills
also delivered Needs Assessment and Case Management Services
at six Assisted Employment Service Centres located throughout
Dufferin, Halton and Peel.
Job
Skills also offers outreach and employment support activities
for youth between the ages
of 15 and 30 years of age, especially those considered at-risk
of diminished life outcomes, who are living in the northern
part of York Region and in Brampton.
Other
Job Skills’ Employment Services in York Region include
a Job Finding Club, an intensive
three-week job search program. Participants benefit from the
coaching of experienced facilitators and the support of motivated
job-seekers. The Job Finding Club blends interactive workshops
with time for personal job search.
During
2006-2007, Job Skills delivered Job Track Plus — a six-week
program that provides computer instruction for job searching,
life skills training, job search assistance, job shadowing
and certification in WHMIS, SmartServe, personality exploration
and customer service to vulnerable unemployed residents of
York Region.
Job
Track Plus is funded through the Regional Municipality of
York’s Community Development Investment Fund.
To
complement its Employment Services Division, Job Skills formed
a new Division, Employment Services for Newcomers, in recognition
of the specialized employment needs of new immigrants to Canada.
In 2003, Job Skills spearheaded the launch of Practice
Firms in southern Ontario as an opportunity to provide
invaluable, real hands-on experience to unemployed individuals
in a simulated work environment. This workplace skills initiative
has been particularly valuable for newcomers to Canada seeking
current Canadian work experience. Job Skills currently operates
three Practice Firms in the Greater Toronto Area: Simpressions,
located in Markham, simulates a printing company; Simfit,
located in Mississauga simulates a health and fitness centre;
and in Scarborough, Simplicious
simulates a catering/events company.
In
2005, Job Skills worked on a pilot bridging project, funded
by the Ontario government, to assist forty internationally-trained
individuals (ITIs) in Dufferin, Halton and Peel to integrate
successfully into the Canadian labour market. The 14-week
program provided coaching, mentoring and workplace experience
followed by up to one year of on-going support.
In
June 2006, Job Skills continued to strengthen employment supports
to newcomers by launching Surmount.
Operating from Job Skills' newest location in Richmond Hill,
Surmount addresses employment preparation activities and services
and provides newcomers with two 'stand alone', fully-integrated
components of concentrated learning and acculturation to help
them succeed in the Canadian workplace. Participants learn
how to find a job in Canada, enhance their workplace language
skills, adapt to Canadian workplace culture and more.
Most
recently, Job Skills has played a key role as one of the five
lead agencies that brought the new Welcome
Centre Immigrant Services to life. Funded by Citizenship
and Immigration Canada and with some funding from the provincial
Ministry of Citizenship and Immigration, the Welcome Centre
provides a broad range of services for newcomers and immigrants
in one location. The Welcome Centre in Vaughan is the first
of what is visioned to be up to five Centre located throughout
York Region. Job Skills is authorized and has the capacity
to provide Employment Services at the Welcome Centre. Job
Skills currently delivers the Job
Search Workshops (JSW) program, funded by Citizenship
and Immigration Canada, to newcomers at the Welcome Centre.
BUSINESS
SERVICES and PROGRAMS
In
an effort to support clients who want to pursue self-employment
as an option, Job Skills offers two programs.
The Self-Employment Benefits (SEB)
Program (offered in York Region, Dufferin, Halton and
Peel, and Toronto) provides mentoring and coaching as well
as workshops for those eligible participants who need support
to turn a business idea into a profitable venture.
A Youth Entrepreneurship Program
(YEP) supports youth-at-risk between the ages of 15 and
30 in York Region and Brampton, Halton and Dufferin with a
28-week program offering business development support, coaching
and mentoring.
Over
the years, Job Skills has earned the reputation for being
able to develop special initiatives to meet the needs of specific
target groups. The Agency has proven expertise in developing
effective and creative marketing strategies, and has taken
the lead in creating region-wide marketing material for several
programs and services.
Throughout
its years of operation, Job Skills has established a strong
community presence and continuously works to strengthen its
relationships with Employment Service providers, social service
agencies, the business community, educational institutions,
municipalities and all levels of government. These relationships
make it possible to assist clients to reach their employment
goals, achieve economic self-reliance and participate in community
life.
Job
Skills’ Programs and Services are provided at no cost
to unemployed individuals and are funded by the Government
of Canada as well as the provincial and municipal governments
and the United Way of York Region. Funds are also generated
through special initiatives. |
