Employment Ontario Transformation Background and History October 2009

1. Employment Ontario Transformation Background and History October 2009 Employment and Training Division Ministry of Training, Colleges and Universities

2. EMPLOYMENT ONTARIODescription • In November 2006, Employment Ontario (EO) was announced to create a central coordinated structure for employment programming run by MTCU. • In January 2007, under the Labour Market Development Agreement (LMDA), MTCU became responsible for Labour Market Development programs formerly managed by the Federal Government. • The EO network consists of service partners who deliver employment and training services transferred from the federal government and services designed by Training, Colleges and Universities. • The government invests over $1.2 billion annually in Employment Ontario, which serves more than 1,000,000 people including: • Employers, who can use the network to find the workers with the skills they need; • Laid-off workers who benefit from skills training and other employment and career planning services; and • Workers, apprentices, newcomers, and youth, who benefit from access to lifelong learning vital to career success. 2

3. Why are we Transforming Employment Ontario? • Employment Ontario will be: • Better for customers – they’ll be at the centre of service delivery, and receive better outcomes. • Better for supporting service providers – under the transformed Employment Ontario, they’ll be able to focus more on serving customers. • Better for taxpayers – there’ll be more efficiency and coordination, and less duplication. • Employment Ontario will increase its ability to achieve the Service Promise to customers. • Service delivery will be accessible, customer-centred, integrated, cost-effective, accountable and be of quality.  3

4. Current Vs. Future State of the Employment Service Network Current State “Future State” Employment Ontario (Present) Job Connect (excl SJS) Employment Assistance Services (consisting of assessment, case management, counselling, job search, specialized services, and job development services) Targeted Wage Subsidy Information and Referral * Under the integrated Employment Service model, service providers will be required to provide the full range of employment service components at each point of service. This includes selected service providers who offer services for specific client groups (i.e. for persons with disabilities, newcomers, Aboriginal Peoples, women). 4

5. What are the principles that guided the design? • The service has to be strategic, which means it is aligned with the objectives defined in the MTCU vision and the Employment Ontario Promise. • The service has to be customer-centric, which means that the needs of the individual, the employer and the community drive the service plan and delivery. • The service has to be flexible and responsive, which means that it can adapt to a range of individual, employer, community and needs. • The service has to be coherent, which means it removes program design and policy barriers to effective customer service. • The service has to be outcomes-based and accountable, which means that it meets a measurable provincial standard of overall service quality. 5

6. Employment and Training Services to First Nations • The responsibility for services to First Nations remained with the Federal Government when Part 2 EI was transferred to Ontario in January 2007. Support for these communities is delivered through Aboriginal Human Resource Development Agreements (AHRDAs). • MTCU does fund service providers off-reserve who specialize in supporting First Nations clients. • Through the Employment Ontario transformation, we are improving employment services make them more responsive and flexible to meet the needs of clients and communities. • New employment services will be easier for Ontarians to access where and when they need them - regardless of gender, cultural background, whether they are a newcomer, or if they have specialized needs. • Consolidated Municipal Service Managers are key players in Employment Services and need to collaborate closely with EO delivery networks in service planning and understanding client paths. 6

7. Apprenticeship Training • Apprenticeship is a form of workplace-based training that’s used to address the skills needs of employers in many different industries and in over 150 occupations . • Approximately 90 per cent of apprenticeship training is provided in the workplace under a trained journeyperson, with about 10% in-school for most trades. • The policies, program directives and guidelines are all derived from two acts which deal with apprenticeship in Ontario: • the Trades Qualifications and Apprenticeship Act (TQAA) • the Apprenticeship Certification Act (ACA)

8. What is a skilled trade? • An occupation that requires a specific skill or set of skills. • Skilled workers are involved in almost every aspect of Ontario's economy. And, they're in high demand in Ontario's rapidly changing workforce. • Over 150 occupations and careers in the trades exist in 4 major sectors: • CONSTRUCTION • SERVICE • INDUSTRIAL • MOTIVE POWER

9. Earn while you learn Entrepreneurial opportunities Skills you can build on Diverse job opportunities Youth Scholarship Opportunities Good pay Benefits of Apprenticeship Certification Benefits of Apprenticeship 

10. Benefits to Employers Proposed Tax credit and Signing Bonus Train to your needs & standards  Benefits of Apprenticeship Sustain talent in your business & industry Profitability High quality worker means High quality product

11. Second Career • Eligible clients are recently laid-off unemployed workers - including EI claimants, EI Reachback and Non-EI eligible - who require long-term skills training for employment in high-skill, demand occupations in the local labour market. • A recently laid off unemployed worker is defined as an individual whose Second Career application is received by TCU within one calendar year of the date the worker was laid-off from their most recent employer

12. Ontario Skills Development • Skills Development assists eligible EI clients to obtain the skills they need for employment, ranging to basic to advanced skills through direct financial assistance to individuals for the incremental costs of training.

13. Literacy and Basic Skills (LBS) • services provided at no cost to learners and focus on those whose reading, writing, numeracy and essential skills are below the Grade 9 level of the Ontario Curriculum. Services offered through local school boards, community-based agencies and Colleges of Applied Arts and Technology. • includes Academic Upgrading which includes equivalent to grade 12 level of programming (primarily through the colleges) for the purposes of achieving the requirements for post secondary college entry and apprenticeship registration

14. Employment Ontario • Employment Ontario can help a customer get the training, skills and experience to achieve his/her goals. • Employment Ontario connects people looking for work with employers looking for workers. • Employment Ontario can help a customer that says • I am unemployed or laid-off :Build basic skills and start working –or train for new high-demand career • I need a job: With the connection to employers and a link to Ontario Job Bank • I want to work in the trades: Help choose a career and get started • I’m new to Ontario: Help qualify for employment and start career • I need education or training: Help make the right choice and build your skills I want to hire: Employer’s needs as a priority.