Workplace Development Initiative

Developing Career Ready Graduates

We at St. Lawrence College are developing career ready graduates, and in so doing are an engine for regional economic development. Through our Corporate Community Outreach we know what  job skills and competencies are required for regional SMEs to grow and prosper. 

The strength of these organizations are the people. As a College, we are focused on supporting employers with career ready graduates and, to that end, we place 1000s of SLC students in organizations where they can make their mark and help the employer advance their objectives - while simultaneously gaining critical real world experiential learning opportunities.

The economy is changing and so is our approach. We have more graduate certificate programs than ever before, this is to support the many - many university graduates coming to refine their job competencies and prepare for the job market. We know the Ontario economy has a demand for College grads: that’s why over 87% of our grads get jobs. Employers are impressed as well – over 91% of them tell us they are more than satisfied with our graduates. 

We know as a nation we are facing a skills trades gap, requiring over 300,000 people even today. In terms of skilled trades, this issue is getting worse - but much is being done. 

Developing Career Ready Graduates

Ontario’s skills shortages cost the economy up to $24.3 billion in forgone GDP and $3.7 billion in provincial tax revenues annually.

“Conference Board of Canada: A Looming Skills Gap Threatens Ontario’s Future www.conferenceboard.ca/infographics/skills-gap-info.aspx

The Workforce Challenges

Conference Board of Canada: A Looming Skills Gap Threatens Ontario’s Future www.conferenceboard.ca/infographics/skills-gap-info.aspx

What Can Be Done?Governments

Employers

Allocate new resources to post-secondary educational institutions to support  experiential learning and investment in industry-relevant technology. Collect and share more relevant labour market information to inform students’, educators’, and businesses’ planning and decision-marking.

Invest more in training and development for current and prospective employees and offer more workplace -based learning opportunities.

EducatorsCollect and share information about labour market outcomes (e.g., employment rates, income) of educational programs and use this information to shape program curricula and advise students.Students & ParentsBe attentive to labour market trends and incorporate this information into decisions about educational paths and career options.

Conference Board of Canada: A Looming Skills Gap Threatens Ontario’s Future www.conferenceboard.ca/infographics/skills-gap-info.aspx

Meeting Local Challenges

A part of our strategic direction at the College, we are going to enhance our Career & Placement Centre so that it is aligned with the needs of over 4500 regional employers. This will provide pathways for 8000 college students and over 88,000 graduates!

Here we provide career readiness resources, workshops, and labour market intelligence information which all is in support of workforce integration. For employers, we provide a port of entry to help recruit the best graduates available. Employers are able to post jobs on our job board that boast job alert software while highlighting opportunities and connecting jobs to current students and alumni. We also manage micro-job fairs and one on one interview space: all with the goal of highlighting employers to our students and connecting people to careers.

Through our Corporate Learning & Performance Improvement team we work with over 350 organizations and support workforce training for managers, supervisors and front line employees all with the goal of increasing productivity, profitability and human capital capacity building. Our mandate is to increase talent and workforce skills in our region and that, we are happy to report, is exactly what St. Lawrence College is doing.

http://slc.totalhire.com/

https://stlawrence.emsicareercoach.ca/

https://stlawrenceccs.interviewstream.com/