Embark on a Bright Future with Centre for Skills Development
Are you entrepreneurial, client-focused and committed to teamwork and excellence? Do you enjoy working with clients from diverse backgrounds? If you want to work for a recognized leader in career and workforce development, then consider a career with Centre for Skills Development!
Headquartered in Burlington, Ontario, with locations in Oakville, Milton and Clarkson, Centre for Skills delivers high caliber employment services, language training & settlement services, skilled trades training and literacy upgrading. Providing people with opportunities to build a better future and making a positive impact on peoples’ lives is integral to the business of Centre for Skills.
For more information, visit: centreforskills.ca
The Opportunity
Job Number: 459
Job Title: Workforce Development Specialist, Skilled Trades
Department: Employment Services
Location: Halton 4 days per week and Virtual 1 day per week
Start Date: July 2025
Hours of Work: Full-time (35 hours/week)
Schedule: Monday to Friday, 8:30am – 4:30pm
Pay Rate: $33.28 per hour
The Workforce Development Specialist, Skilled Trades role is responsible for providing individualized services to clients and employers under the Foreign Trained Credential Recognition program, with the goal of achieving labour market attachment for clients entering the skilled trades and seeking opportunities to apprentice, and/or receive recognition for their skills and experience from their home country. The Workforce Development Specialist, Skilled Trades provides clients with direct support to negotiate with employers for new job opportunities that may exist or be developed based on the needs, skills and abilities for the client and the individual employer needs.
These are your responsibilities:
Client Direct
- Meet with clients, Trades Instructors, and their Employment Specialist to learn about client’s needs and goals.
- Source and present career opportunities to clients that fit with their skills, abilities and employment goals.
- Visit each individual’s workplace at least once (or more as needed) to monitor progress on-the-job.
- Provide guidance and coaching on the apprenticeship process to job seekers/employees and employers.
- Monitor client’s long-term progress by conducting follow-up activities and offering coaching as needed.
- Support participants in navigating the Employment Standards Act (ESA) and apprenticeship system to increase workforce retention and growth.
- Determine when and how to provide direct instruction and assistance to client to support job retention.
- Collaborate with Employment Specialist to implement added supports or request client supports to reduce barriers to employment.
- Respond to issues that arise with clients by utilizing support services both internally and externally.
- Participate in other activities that support client employment outcomes (such as / but not limited to: job fairs, project participation, community events, virtual workshops relevant to workforce opportunity etc.).
- Collaborate with other staff to develop strategies and share leads for clients across program/service.
- Survey clients to learn of their experience with the FCR program, with an eye towards continuous improvement.
Administrative/Accountability
- Consistently meet or exceed monthly employment/placement and activity targets.
- Maintain consistent and up-to date case notes on client engagement and communication.
- Follow guidelines for file maintenance as outlined by funder guidelines and as per Centre for Skills requirements.
- Ensure timely reporting, submitting accurate reports to track activities, supported by up-to-date case notes.
- Guide employers and clients on the completion of forms. Answer questions and ensure deadlines are met.
- Stay up-to-date on trends, issues and opportunities in the skilled trades and the quickest route back to employment for foreign trained tradespeople.
- Assist the team with grassroots marketing and outreach efforts on an ongoing basis.
- Represent the team at skilled trades/apprenticeship focused events and partnership meetings, both in person and/or virtually when appropriate.
Employer Direct
- Contact local employers to discuss their hiring and training needs and offer support through Skilled Trades and Employment Services programs.
- Assist employers with filling out appropriate paperwork.
- Work with Employment Services teams to collaborate on possible work placements and promote placement incentives to employers for eligible clients.
- Visit workplaces prior to work placement start, to ensure provincially legislated workplace polices and practices are in place.
- Provide coaching to employees and employers on the Employment Standards Act, Occupational Health and Safety Act, Human Rights Code, and the apprenticeship system.
- Provide support to employers who require additional guidance related to the apprenticeship system by signing participants under Centre for Skills Group Sponsorship status and by assisting employers to develop their own in-house apprenticeship standard guidelines.
- Assist employers in developing orientation and training plans to onboard new employee(s) into the role.
- Follow up with placement employee and employers to monitor and problem-solve challenges as they arise.
- Act as liaison between employer and employee, effectively communicating, trouble shooting and problem solving.
- Manage employer expectations and ensure program guidelines are being met.
- Survey employers to learn of their experience with the FCR program and with the client, with an eye towards continual program improvement.
- Ensure Centre for Skills practices are followed when communicating expectations to employers.
Marketing
- Present to client the characteristics of employment leads, as they align to client’s preferences, and potential to contribute to the role
- Identify jobs to client that are likely to meet conditions, preferences, and potential of the client
- Develop listings of specific employers likely to have these types of jobs; develop strategy for employer outreach.
- Translate workplace legislation and workplace policy jargon, acronyms, etc. into plain meaningful English.
- Contact employers to present services. Develop relationship with employers for current or future hiring needs.
- Relate the potential contributions of a client to the needs of the employer and benefits of hiring the client.
- Observe potential jobs, overall work culture and goodness of fit for the person at the work place.
- Assist the applicant to prepare for interviews and/or attends interview with job seeker if needed.
What you need to bring to this job:
- Post-secondary degree or diploma in related field.
- An asset would be the relevant Career Development Practitioner training, or Employment Outcomes Professional training.
- 3+ years of highly related experience in a similar role within any of the following areas is preferred
- Job Development and employer outreach
- Apprenticeship system and helping new graduates connect to career opportunities
- Human Resource hiring and recruitment experience
- Employment counselling or job readiness programming
- Understands definition, basic values, purpose, and process of job development and job coaching.
- Understands the principles and values of a person-centered approach, providing service through trauma informed lens.
- Proven ability to build and maintain long-term trust relationships with employers.
- Comfort with cold calling, delivering presentations, conducting in person or phone meetings with employers.
- Broad-based knowledge of current labour market trends and community services relating to skilled trades employment, training, job retention, mental health, disability, Ontario Works, foreign trained newcomers/ESL, etc.
- Proven ability to operate independently while demonstrating a high level of integrity and professionalism.
- Strong organizational and time management skills; able to meet deadlines in a fast-paced environment.
- Excellent interpersonal, communication, and teamwork skills.
- Access to a reliable vehicle, possession of a valid driver’s license, and willingness to travel extensively throughout Halton, Peel and surrounding areas as required up to 50% or more of the time
- Availability to work occasional evening and/or weekend shifts as required.
- General knowledge of workplace legislation and practices under ESA, OHSA and OHRC is considered an asset.
- Motivational Interview techniques and ethical decision-making.
- Highly skilled and experienced using the MS Office Suite (Excel, Word, Outlook), internet search engines, video-conferencing and career-related software.
- Experience in the use of databases for clients and case management, activity tracking, case noting, etc.
How to apply:
At Centre for Skills, we offer a competitive compensation package and benefits. We value flexibility and the need to achieve a work-life balance. All employees receive above industry average time off, including vacation time, sick / wellness days and personal days. We promote and support continuous learning, providing our staff with training to develop skills, attend workshops and conferences. We are committed to supporting the growth of our staff and we take a team approach in all that we do. Contact us to learn more about why we’re sure you’ll love working at Centre for Skills!
Please e-mail your resume and cover letter to: resumes@centreforskills.ca
Application Deadline: Open until filled
We thank all applicants for their interest in Centre for Skills, however, only those selected for an interview will be contacted.
Please contact us at resumes@centreforskills.ca should an accommodation be required.