Help Wanted Report a Collaboration Between Metcalf and Toronto Region Board of Trade, United Way Greater Toronto
2019

In Spring 2019, the provincial government announced an extensive overhaul of employment services, social assistance reforms, apprenticeships, and education programs, with the goals of driving improved employment outcomes, and better aligning the skills and training system with the needs of business.

Seeing this as an opportunity to create a nimbler and more responsive workforce system designed to support people with diverse needs, meet the needs of industry, develop new approaches to build the talent in our workforce, reduce poverty, and support inclusive economic development, the Toronto Region Board of Trade, United Way Greater Toronto, and the Metcalf Foundation, have come together to collaborate on this report Help Wanted: Modernizing employment and skills training services in Ontario.

Launched at the Board of Trade on June 20, this report provides guiding principles and recommendations for the provincial government to enhance the current employment and skills training system to better serve people and business and create more value for the economy. We thank JP Morgan Chase for their generous contribution that made this report possible, and commend co-authors Metcalf Innovation Fellow Danielle Olsen and TRBOT’s Raly Chakarova.

The guiding principles and recommendations in the report build on effective practices from Ontario and other jurisdictions. It profiles the work of several Metcalf grantees and Toronto Sector Skills Academy graduates: Building Up, NPower CanadaHospitality Workers Training Centre, and ACCES Employment. The report also features two projects that Metcalf has helped to advance: Excellence in Manufacturing Consortium’s Manufacturing Essentials Certification, and Eglinton Crosstown Community Benefits Framework.

The Foundation believes that inclusive and effective talent development is critical to the competitiveness of our economy, and the health and prosperity of our communities. Workforce development has the opportunity to align with and complement regional economic development strategies to drive inclusive and sustainable regional growth. Metcalf looks forward to working with government and community agencies to make our workforce system more nimble and responsive to support the needs of low income job seekers and workers, and focus on sectors and jobs that provide family-sustaining wages and opportunities for career pathways.