LEPC 4.0
Deliverable name: Continuation and expansion of the Working in Peel-Halton Web Portal providing access to the current labour market information in Peel and Halton.
Overview: Workinginpeelhalton.com has been in existence for 5 years. It has built a strong following in GTA and especially Peel and Halton regions. It currently has an average of 2700 unique visitors and 6000 hits/monthly. It is a special service that has implemented the key principles of a comprehensive LMI dissemination tool, which focuses on local LMI, it is timely and mediated by experts. LMI is often considered “coded knowledge”, and this knowledge needs to be widespread to become useful to job seekers and other stakeholders. Sharing this LMI also assists disadvantaged groups (immigrants, people out of the workforce for a long time, youth, etc.) who are not in the job market and lose access to information about jobs, trends, opportunities, support, etc. Granular data on municipal industry and occupation labour market information would provide employment services, economic development, employer and job seekers more detailed information to make strategic decisions
Deliverable name: Implement the Peel – Halton Employer Survey, building on multiple years’ worth of employer hiring needs and trends, and adding a focused section on employer experiences engaging and hiring younger workers.
Overview: The Employer Survey, administered by the Peel Halton Workforce Development Group, has been conducted for the past six years; and each year, the employers’ participation rate keeps growing. In addition, the number of employers who request a copy of the report continues to grow annually. Thus, there is a growing demand for up-to-date information from the perspective of local employers. The survey helps employment service providers by identifying trends and practices among employers to assist service providers in their programming. The report also provides information to inform proposal writing on the part of these agencies. We know through feedback from employment services that this survey has helped them to identify service needs and different practices on the part of various industries when it comes to hiring job candidates. The report and its analysis inform curricula for Employment Services in their employment programs (e.g. the report indicates employers want employees to have better “soft skills”- this, in turn, is taught to job seekers).
Deliverable name: Complete an assessment and Report on the Impact of Automation on the local labour force in Peel, informing future labour market planning, program, service, and training
Overview: In Peel specifically, the top 4 industries (Manufacturing, Retail Trade, Transportation, and Warehousing) are specifically susceptible to automation. These industries generally employ large numbers of low-skill workers, who may lack transferable skill sets and advanced training for new occupations being developed in the local knowledge economy. These trends have been confirmed over the past two years in previous LEPC projects, including work on the local manufacturing sector and advanced manufacturing, the high skill labour market study, and through the local employer survey. Although there has been much discussion of the impacts of automation on the industry, this has generally not taken a local view. Thus, this project would examine local data and engage local industry to assess the current and future impacts of automation on the labour force. There would be a specific focus on those who may be displaced from good jobs and are having difficulty transitioning to new opportunities. This project would have two primary components; a secondary data analysis to assess the current and future impacts that automation may have on the local labour market, and a primary research process to gain insights from local employers in relevant industries, employees, government, and other identified stakeholders (COCs, industry groups).
Deliverable name: Completion of a Milton General Labourer Project to assess recruitment and retention challenges for employers of general labourers in the Town of Milton.
Overview: There is considerable anecdotal evidence that Milton employers are having a difficult time recruiting general labourer workers, particularly in the warehousing, distribution, logistics and manufacturing sectors. The objective of this project is to verify and quantify this issue and identify what contributes to this problem (knowledge about job openings or career opportunities, wages, presence of advancement opportunities, local transportation challenges, commuting distances, scheduling, and other issues).
Deliverable name: Synchronize and coordinate the LEPC TALENT HUB (TH), a ‘one-stop’ recruitment service for employers using EOES services and supports.
Overview: This project is reaching a phase of maturity whereby real-time data is providing evidence of service efficiencies while exposing service inefficiencies in the local EOES system. The rationale for proposing a continuation of this project is to continue to improve service efficiencies using a digital & coordinated approach while increasing outcomes achieved for employers, clients & service providers. The TH uses technology to expand the reach of employers seeking candidates to the broader EO & Settlement networks instead of just one EO agency & serves as “one-stop-shop” for employers. The TH portal also enables the broader EO network to explore a wider pool of EO clients for employer consideration. Using the TH processes, EO agencies work collaboratively that creates a larger ‘fishing pond’ to assist employers in hiring while also expanding the opportunities available for EOES clients. Moreover, activity & performance data is tracked, allowing the EO network to better understand the strengths & weaknesses of their service delivery to employers, ultimately informing continuous improvement.
Deliverable name: Completion of a Transportation Access Report that identifies local solutions to support access to employment opportunities in rural communities (Milton, Caledon, Halton Hills).
Overview: Results of community consultations conducted as part of the LEPC in February 2018 indicate that transportation access for employers, workers, government, and service providers in the smaller municipalities of Milton, Caledon, and Halton Hills is a key barrier to employment. Access to affordable and reliable transportation and transit opportunities for the local workforce is viewed by these stakeholders as a factor affecting workforce planning and development for the industry in these communities. This access is largely the result of limited transit options, outside of private vehicles, in these municipalities. This assessment has been reflected by local government, as noted in local transportation plans, including the Milton Transportation Master Plan, the Caledon Transportation Feasibility Study, and the Halton Hills Transit Service Strategy. Compounding issues related to transportation access is a growing number of low wage, shift-based, jobs in these communities. Recent Statistics Canada data indicates that manufacturing and transportation and warehousing remain as the top industries by a number of jobs in Peel and Halton.
Deliverable name: Completion of a Transportation Access Report that identifies local solutions to support access to employment opportunities in rural communities (Milton, Caledon, Halton Hills).
Overview: Results of community consultations conducted as part of the LEPC in February 2018 indicate that transportation access for employers, workers, government, and service providers in the smaller municipalities of Milton, Caledon, and Halton Hills is a key barrier to employment. Access to affordable and reliable transportation and transit opportunities for the local workforce is viewed by these stakeholders as a factor affecting workforce planning and development for the industry in these communities. This access is largely the result of limited transit options, outside of private vehicles, in these municipalities. This assessment has been reflected by local government, as noted in local transportation plans, including the Milton Transportation Master Plan, the Caledon Transportation Feasibility Study, and the Halton Hills Transit Service Strategy. Compounding issues related to transportation access is a growing number of low wage, shift-based, jobs in these communities. Recent Statistics Canada data indicates that manufacturing and transportation and warehousing remain as the top industries by a number of jobs in Peel and Halton.
Deliverable name: Development of Data and Information Sharing Tools and Procedures to increase access and use of local labour market information, intelligence and research.
Overview: The Peel-Halton Workforce Development Group and Local Employment Planning Council have developed and published many strong research and data reports over the past several years. These reports have been well received by stakeholders and members of the community who are connected to local labour market planning, local economic development processes, and service and employer networks. However, we have little evidence that this work has reached a broad local audience who may benefit from access to, and awareness of, the work that has been undertaken to help understand local labour market trends, challenges, and opportunities. This includes social service planners, education and academic researchers, labour unions and trade groups, recruiters, and new businesses entering the local labour market. To improve this access and awareness, thus extending the reach and impact of the work the LEPC, this project will review and adopt best practices in information sharing and data dissemination to grow the audience for the work of the LEPC, helping to ensure that the work has the largest possible impact on local labour market planning and development.
