About Us

Centre for Skills operates as an independent charity. Our various locations in Halton and Peel deliver free government-funded programs to help people at various stages of life (youth, job seekers, second career seekers and newcomers to Canada) get on a path to career success. 

Services include one-on-one job search coaching, workshops, language training and settlement services, academic upgrading and pre-apprenticeship skilled trades training. We also collaborate closely with employers, providing free professional recruitment with access to pre-screened candidates, financial wage and training incentives and customized skilled trades training. 

We serve over 20,000 people annually in the Halton Region and Mississauga.

Our services have been recognized as important assets to communities. In recent years, we have been honoured to receive several Readers Choice Awards from the Burlington Post, including a diamond award for Career Training and Development in 2021, our most recent platinum awards for Best Learning Centre in 2018, Best Adult Education Centre in 2020, Business and Career Training in 2021, and gold award for Adult Education in 2021.

Vision

Sustainable and meaningful employment for everyone.

Mission

To provide clients with inspiration and skills development that will guide their employment and settlement journey by offering equitable access to integrated, relevant and responsive programs and services that prepare them for the current and emerging needs within the labour market.

Values

• Respect – We create an inclusive environment by supporting each other, being considerate, and valuing our differences.
• Empathy – We create a trusting and caring environment where we listen to others and act authentically.
• Integrity – We are honest and ensure our actions match what we say.
• Inspire  – We encourage others to achieve their full potential.
• Innovate – We are forward thinking, agile and creative.

Centre for Skills is fortunate to have a committed group of volunteers serving on our Board of Directors. These leaders from the Halton community bring a wealth of expertise to the organization in areas ranging from Community Service to Manufacturing to the Not-for-profit sector and beyond. Their dedication and leadership provides well-balanced oversight of Centre for Skills service delivery.

Ryan Maraj

Board Chair

Senior Director, Sales Enablement and Performance, TORSTAR

Enrico Scalera

Board Vice Chair

Director, Roads, Parks & Forestry, City of Burlington

Chuck Conlon

Director

Chartered Director

Jan Narduzi

Director

Jeffrey O’Leary

Director

Canadian Marketing Association

John Mavrak

Director

Principal, Maverick Consulting

Lisa Rizzato

CEO, Ex-Officio Secretary

CEO, Centre for Skills Development

Michael Stewart

Board Treasurer

Vice President, Corporate Services and CFO, The CWB Group

Sarah Dupte

Director

Managing Director, SD Insight Group Inc.

Sonia Dupte

Director

Managing Director, SD Insight Group Inc.

Vailly Larouche

Director

Wael Kechli

Director

Business Strategy Professor

1970

Halton District School Board opens night school leisure classes.

1983

Self-Reliant Learning Program begins and registers 140 students in the first year.

1987

Head office opens at Singleton Education Centre in Burlington.

1989-1990

• Adult Counselling office opens at General Brock High School.
• Self-Reliant Learning program grows.
• Teen Mother Education program offered.
• Office & program locations expand across Halton.

1990

• Lockhart Education Centre opens and Burlington becomes head office for Continuing Education.
• First government-funded program established: Basic Skills in the Workplace (Jobs Ontario).
• First Skilled Trades program established: Building Maintenance Management program.

1990-1993

• Marketing Coordinator hired and the first course calendar is created.
• Programs continue to grow; entrepreneurial business grows.
• LINC funding for ESL programs begins.
• Adult Computer Training Centre in Burlington opens in the first professional storefront setting for adult education.
• Technology and adult educational programs expand.
• Development of personal interest programs.
• Instructor program developed and delivered to personal interest subject experts marking the beginning of the Adult Education Certificate program.
• First partnership program with Halton Region developed: Jobs Ontario/Milton ACT Centre opened with HRDC funding for the Career Explorations of the ’90s program.

1994-1996

• Career Action Centre opens in Oakville with HRDC funding.
• Career Explorations program begins; Career Services Department is created.
• Job Opportunities for Youth (JOY), Employment Counselling & Assessments, and Job Shop programs begin.
• Adult High School thrives with 2,000 students and 56 staff.
• Additional project funding becomes available.

1996

Ministry of Education implements policy and funding changes.

1997

• New name: Halton Adult Education.
• Growth prompts interest in moving Burlington site and Career Action Centre into one facility.
• Board facility required; Halton Adult Education to move into the back of Lord Elgin High School.

1998

• Decision made to formalize a split between the Adult High School and growing “Projects Branch.”
• The Centre for Skills Development & Training becomes a not-for-profit corporation affiliated with the Halton District School Board under the new legal name of “Fast Track Community Centre for Skills Development and Training.”
• New operating guidelines; Board of Directors and Chief Administrative Officer roles are created.

1998-1999

• Satellite sites open in Oakville, Milton and Georgetown.
• The Centre continues to grow, prompting need for a new location.

2003

• Centre headquarters relocates to 860 Harrington Court, Burlington on July 1, 2003.
• The Bay Area Learning Centre (BALC) at 860 Harrington Court opens as a partnership centre with over twelve complementary organizations and programs under one roof.

2004

• Our Centres implement a new strategic plan focusing on Impact, Infrastructure, Income and Image.
• Our Centres serve over 13,000 clients.

2005

• Three new employment resource centres open in Oakville, Milton and Georgetown.
• Our Centres assist over 24,000 clients.
• New Mississauga site opens to offer Career Explorations program.

2006

• A site opens in Milton to offer a new “Career Possibilities for Newcomers” program.
• The Corporate Services department grows to offer outplacement, facility rentals, corporate training and other HR services to local businesses.
• New programs and services for newcomers add to ESL and LINC language training.
• The pre-apprenticeship programs take off, including company-sponsored and industry partnership programs.
• Our Centres assist over 38,000 clients.

2007

• First annual Skilled Trades Graduation honours 160 Centre students.
• New manufacturing scholarship is established/awarded by Centre Board of Directors to honour former school trustee, Ethel Gardiner; the first scholarship awarded to Halton District School Board graduates entering Centre Pre-Apprenticeship program in Manufacturing.
• New Oakville newcomer site (Abbeywood) opens.
• Our Centres assist over 40,500 clients.

2010

Our Centres are awarded contracts from the Ministry of Training, Colleges and Universities (MTCU) to offer Employment Ontario employment services in Burlington, Oakville, Milton and Clarkson with weekly itinerant services in Acton.

2011

• Funding is provided by the Government of Canada’s Office of Literacy & Essential Skills to create learning resources for youth to improve their problem-solving, teamwork, and oral communication skills.
• Funding is provided by MTCU to offer a new Millwright/Electrical hybrid skilled trades training program.
• Awarded the Burlington Chamber of Commerce Business Excellence Award in the Service category.

2013

Our Centres partner with Peel-Halton-Dufferin Adult Learning Network on an MTCU-funded project called “You Thought Right: Making ES Work for Youth.”

2016

Burlington Employment Services, Burlington ESL and Immigrant Services, and Corporate Administration departments relocate to 3350 South Service Road, Burlington. 

2019

Centre for Skills Development becomes an independent entity from Halton District School Board