Manufacturing is unfortunately (and falsely) believed to be an unglamorous occupation, when in actuality there are clean and lean productions going on in eastern Ontario on the cutting edge of technological advancement. People with digital skills will be highly sought after in the coming years. As a member of the first truly digital generation, you are perfectly poised to be an innovator in Ontario manufacturing.
When you're getting ready for a career, you often think in terms of training for the specific job you'll be doing. This is called hard skills development or training; an example of manufacturing skills training could be learning how to weld or computer coding. Job training focuses on the hard skills you need to do the job successfully. And you need to learn those skills in any job you do. But skills training encompasses a broader way of approaching a job. Skills training includes the soft skills.
Nationally, about 86 percent of manufacturers are reporting having difficulties hiring despite the manufacturing industry’s growing strength. Eastern Ontario employs some 65,000 people, and in this region, hiring difficulties appear linked to a skills shortage in the workforce. This skills shortage is not the fault of job seekers but a result of the changing nature of jobs.
The manufacturing industry in eastern Ontario alone employs 65,000 people, and it is growing and improving every year with the help of the latest technology. To secure a place in one of these cutting-edge, large corporations, consider investing in yourself through manufacturing training.
Manufacturing in Ontario is currently strong, with companies embracing technological change and harnessing efficiencies. But there were economic challenges in the past.
As you are searching for your next workplace, one that provides a secure income as well as challenging and enjoyable daily work, think about the skills development that you might need to increase the chances of getting hired. In today’s fast-paced world, technology is changing the workplace rapidly. But if you invest in new skills to understand that technology, you will continue to be competitive in today’s job market.
The Ontario East Economic Development Commission (or Ontario East for short) promotes eastern Ontario as an excellent place to do business. Ontario East supports business growth and attracts new businesses to the region. One of the target sectors that is experiencing growth is advanced manufacturing and materials technology, and there is an established cluster of manufacturing plants in the eastern Ontario region.
As you graduate, you might not be thinking of a manufacturing career as a place where you’ll thrive. You have a lot of choices confronting you: where to continue your education, should you continue your education, whether to live in residence or an off-campus apartment. You’re busy wondering what electives you should take and if there’s a way to schedule your classes so you don’t have to wake up too early, or maybe so you don’t spend your whole Wednesday at school.
Did you know there is such a thing as a Manufacturing Day? Well, there is! Created in 2012 by the Founding Partner Fabricators and Manufacturers Association, Manufacturing Day has a mission to help educate the populace on popular misconceptions about manufacturing to change the perception of the industry. Manufacturing Day is an opportunity for Ontario manufacturing companies to open their doors and show residents, youth, and job seekers what manufacturing is all about. The official date for Manufacturing Day is October 5th, but Manufacturing Day can really be any date that works for you.
As a job seeker looking for a new career, (possibly because your last career was disrupted by changes in technology) you’re looking for stability for the long term. You know it’s a big change to commit to an entirely new career path. No one wants to make that commitment only to find out in a few years’ time that all the jobs are gone.
While job hunting, you might consider looking for work that will keep you interested and challenged in the long run. According to the Forbes article 5 Ways to Achieve Career Fulfillment, being challenged at work, and using your full potential are key to loving your job.
As you decide what you want to go to post-secondary to study, it’s helpful to consider what jobs are actively hiring. That way you can plan your path to a tangible job goal at the end of your studies. Nowadays, many jobs require specific skills training. It’s better to plan a career path before you graduate, so you can ensure you have the skills you need for a job after graduation.
You’ve likely heard that it’s cheaper to keep an existing customer than to sign another one. Well, it’s also cheaper to retrain a current employee than to hire and train a new one.
In the Workforce Development Board’s (WDC) recent report titled “Building Bridges, Breaking Barriers”, the 2012 employment rate of Canadians aged 25-64 with disabilities was just 49%, which was 30% lower than those without a disability.
Technology has made so many aspects of life easier, from Google navigation on your phone to smart home thermostats, it’s hard to imagine life before these conveniences. Industries that have embraced technology in the same way that we have in our personal lives make for more efficient, advanced facilities. Eastern Ontario manufacturing plants are investing in technology, making businesses better not just in terms of profitability, but also in terms of employee satisfaction.
Manufacturing industries in Ontario are currently looking for engineering professionals. If you excelled in your high school math and science courses, and you really like the idea of designing or solving complex problems using technical skills, you would love a career in engineering.
Some of the most in-demand job opportunities within manufacturing are in the skilled trades.
The 4th industrial revolution is here, and though it might sound daunting, it simply refers to the digitization of industry. Just as technology has positively impacted your daily life, it’s also entered the workplace and is helping to advance the operations of companies and their employees.
We're in the 4th industrial revolution, and digital technology is allowing businesses to scale. Pierre Cléroux, of the BDC, released a report titled “The 4th industrial revolution is here. Are you ready?” highlighting the benefits of technology adoption. Business owners across the country were interviewed to determine how the digital landscape is improving the bottom line. Scott Hudson was featured in the report and explained the key drawback of sticking with traditional manufacturing and production methods.
There are many Ontario manufacturing success stories. It’s easy to find one that will inspire you to consider a manufacturing career. From IT gear for the Olympic Games and high-tech equipment for NASA to vegan desserts and clothing labels, everyone can find a product they will be proud to manufacture. Once you find your manufacturing passion and become part of the company family, you may never want to leave.
Are you looking for a job in manufacturing but are worried when you hear about factories closing and about the rising prevalence of jobs being transformed by automation? While it is true that automation is transforming the manufacturing industry, automation is creating as many jobs as it is outdating.
We’ve just got wind of this incredible new eastern Ontario job bank. It’s called P&G “Career Match” and this job bank matches employers with workers who will thrive in their company. It’s also designed to help in cases of labour shortage, where job seekers can afford to be a bit pickier about the jobs they want.
Congratulations, your high school days are almost over. You’re probably either excited or feeling anxious about the road ahead or, even more likely, you’re feeling a little bit of both. As someone who grew up during the recession, and who has been a firsthand witness of technology’s rapid acceleration, you know that you can’t necessarily rely on the life path that your parents or teachers grew up with.
According to “A Different Ontario”, the income and employment report by the Mowat Centre, the 2008-2015 recession had a deep impact on Ontario. But its effects were felt differently by Ontarians from different backgrounds and in different regions of the province.
It’s the “big question”: What are you going to do after high school? Everyone wants to know. You probably get asked a lot at family functions. It’s a lot of pressure to come up with a good answer. On top of that, you know the job market is changing – fast. You worry that by the time you complete your degree, it will already be obsolete.
Want a job that pays well for doing something that you’re passionate about? Take a second look at the manufacturing job market. A recent Bloomberg article notes that millennial men tend to be missing from the job market.
As you get closer to graduation, it can feel like you are at a crossroads with so many options for what you should do next. You’re probably feeling overwhelmed by the input from your parents, teachers, siblings, and friends. They all want what’s best for you, but it can be so confusing.
You already know that your business’s most important asset is its workforce. You’ve put great effort into hiring, creating competitive pay packages, and ensuring a safe manufacturing plant. But how can you go one step further in order to really max out your recruitment and retention potential? It starts with highlighting your company’s strengths, and taking the pulse of how your employees feel.
If you’re feeling overwhelmed by all the well-meaning advice you’re getting from parents, teachers, siblings, friends, guidance counsellors, and just about any other adult imparting career advice upon you, we’d like to help. We’ve been developing this blog series to offer suggestions that can help you make informed decisions about the path you want your life to take after graduating high school. This blog post’s topic is one very big question: should I travel?
The 2008 recession had profound effects on Ontario and in some cases we are still feeling those effects. The household median income growth in Ontario from 2005 to 2015 was the slowest in all of Canada, according to Mowat Centre’s A Different Ontario report on the 2016 census.
There are currently half a million young men missing from the job market, and Bloomberg's report on millennial men leaving a hole in the U.S. job market is suggesting it’s because they are tired of long days and minimum wage positions they aren’t enthusiastic about.
The upcoming labour shortage in Canada is projected to last at least a decade, and that’s because thousands of baby boomers will be retiring in the next five years, leaving more jobs unfilled than filled. A lot of companies in the coming years will struggle to fill jobs.
The period following graduation is a strenuous time for anyone, but it can be even trickier if you don’t know what you want to do when you graduate. You probably feel yourself pulled in all sorts of directions.
Eastern Ontario is a great place to work and live. You’ll find great jobs, affordable housing, natural scenery, and friendly communities. It’s a great place to play outside (on land or water), join a sports team, catch a live show, or find a new hobby.
Getting information about jobs that are available now is great, but what if you could also access archived Ontario job-ad information from the previous twelve months? You’d have access to all that information - from advertised salaries to required skill sets - making you way more informed before you even start your job search.
We’ve come a long way from the days when the three Rs of “reading, writing and ‘arithmetic” covered all the bases. To find satisfying employment, you will need a much wider range of transferable skills for the future of work.
The Elevate Plus Training Program provides free six-week training for jobs in the eastern Ontario manufacturing sector, specifically within Bay of Quinte. The project was created by employers and educators to deliver exactly the skills required to be successful in a career within the industry.
With training new hires foremost in your mind for the next five years as more and more baby boomers retire, you - along with many manufacturing executives - will be looking for ways to optimize manufacturing onboarding training. Why focus on onboarding?
As you begin to think about your future, you’re probably wondering how you can have an impact on this world, in a job that is stable, and even fun.
The job search process is intense, and it can feel like a full-time job itself. Updating your resumé, keeping on top of online job postings, and getting to interviews can be overwhelming. It’s hard to know where to start, and how to be the best candidate for your dream job.
If you’re looking to attract youth to jobs in manufacturing, it helps to speak their language.
When employees feel that they have achieved a work-life balance, their stress levels stay low, which allows them to be more engaged and productive employees.
