Running head: LABOUR MARKET REPORT

Labour Market Report

Assignment #4A
Jane Wojtaszynski
Practicum Seminar CARD8070
Professor Kelly Boucher
Sunday, March 13, 2016

LABOUR MARKET REPORT

Contents
Introduction ..................................................................................................................................... 3
Demographics ................................................................................................................................. 4
Unexpected Information Learned ................................................................................................... 6
Areas Where I May Contribute ....................................................................................................... 8
Competencies/Skills Employers Require ........................................................................................ 9
Other Important Things Learned .................................................................................................. 11
Appendix A Interviewees ............................................................................................................. 13
Appendix B Works Cited .............................................................................................................. 14

LABOUR MARKET REPORT

Introduction
This report will provide the author, Jane Wojtaszynski, with an enhanced knowledge of
the local employment situation in relation to Career Development Practitioners, specifically, the
Job Developer Position in which I anticipate working. This will assist with two objectives; first,
it will serve as a background when lining up a practicum host and second, it will provide insight
the viability of my Career Choice. This research focuses primarily on the K-W, Cambridge area,
and I interviewed people from Agilec Kitchener, YMCA of Kitchener, K-W Multicultural Centre
Kitchener, The Employment Centre and Lutherwood in Cambridge. The reason for the diverse
agency base included is to give me a well-rounded understanding of the opportunities and
barriers to my own employment with such agencies. Also, this research should reveal which type
of agency is the best fit for skill set and personality based on the interviews and my similarities
and differences with these five women.

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Demographics
The demographics of my target include those in the area mentioned above between the
ages of 30 and 60, skilled newcomers to Canada, and youth ages 15 to 30. The average age of
Cambridges population is 38 years, which is younger than the Ontario average of 40 years, the
Regions population is estimated to grow at the rate of 1%. (City of Cambridge, February 8,
2016) Labour Force Highlights - Local workforce of 70,050 (Source: Statistics Canada 2013
(NHS) Profile) - Regional workforce of 283,680. (City of Cambridge, February 8, 2016)
For the region of Toronto which affects the greater southern Ontario area The economic
outlook through 2017 is for further expansion in this growth phase with employment increasing
at an above-trend pace and the unemployment rate falling below seven percent. (Chamber of
Commerce, 2016) This information is not really congruent with the information coming from the
media, which is warning of a country-wide recession, Credit card delinquencies, for example,
are up in Alberta, where the unemployment rate recently surpassed the national average for the
first time in about three decades. Alberta is suffering, but will that mean a migration of workers
back to Ontario, who left to find their fortunes when the price of oil was high? (Post, 2016)
Following labour market events is key to helping job seekers understand where the
opportunities (short, medium and long-term) might be in a local community and elsewhere in the
country. Currently announced an investment by the Government of Canada in our area will
hopefully result in more job creation. Many other business projects are listed under earlier dates
which give some credibility to the Toronto economic outlook. (Canada, 2016)

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According to the Ontario Ministry of Labour, Workplace trends that are being examined
in the consultation include The increase in non-standard working relationships such as temporary
jobs, involuntary part-time work, and self-employment; The rising prominence of the service
sector; Globalization and trade liberalization; Accelerating technological change; Greater
workplace diversity. I believe all of these points need to be at the forefront of any Job
Developer, or Employment Councillors research arsenal to know what is coming and through
what new programs the government will stimulate these changes. (Labour, 2016)
The AllOntario.ca site gives a great highlight of all of the programs currently in place for
all demographics searching for employment and retraining possibilities. These possibilities are
screened and you must be funnelled through an agency to take advantage of any of them. With
some forecasts stating a recession and others claiming growth, it can only mean to me that with
a Liberal Government in place, we will be seeing much more in the way of Government
spending to create more programs to stimulate jobs and ultimately the economy. (Ontario.ca,
2016)

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Unexpected Information Learned

Through my research, I have learned that each agency, Agilec, YMCA Employment
Services, The Employment Centre and Lutherwood offer pretty much the same programs,
however, each agency works with a different demographic as a result of the roots of the
organizations beginning. With one exception being the Multicultural Center in Kitchener which
has a strict screening policy that only allows them to serve a specific demographic.
One of the other very interesting details learned was how cultural and generational
differences affect the marketplace, specifically the retention factor of Millenials. In the Millenial
market, there is a theme being voiced from employers regarding the work ethic of this
demographic. (Ballentine, 2016)
The other interesting thing that came to light was in regards to immigration and how
many students are coming to attend the Universities in the K-W area, but they are not coming
alone, they are bringing their whole families along with them, which is bringing in a whole
demographic of immigrants who are highly skilled (engineers and architects) and highly value a
Canadian Post-Secondary Education Credential for their children. There is no logical reason
for this other than the fact that they see their lives as coming from a Canadian perspective and
not from their country of origin. (Giel, 2016)
Typical activities are similar in that each person has a case load and or specific clients on
their roster for a period of time. The thing I was not expecting was the amount of reporting that
needs to be done on a daily basis, as soon as a client is seen in some cases, that is required by the

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ministry to keep the database up to date. There have also been a few new databases that have
been put in as of the last few years. (Cowan, 2016) (Giel, 2016)
Anyone looking to work in this field should be a compassionate person above all else, if
they do not possess the appropriate qualities, they will not be successful in helping in this
capacity. Some of the agencies were very interested in Academic backgrounds and others were
more interested in Experience that was applicable to the demographic being served, with a mix
of Social Service Degrees for the fundamental counseling aspect of especially the newcomer
experience. (Cowan, 2016)
I found that I had much in common with these ladies and that once chatting, there was a
connection. Some stronger than others, but I found that I resonated with their feelings as they
explained their difficulties and also the reasons why they chose to do what they were currently
doing. The most resonance was with Samantha Melzer, who is a Job Developer with
Lutherwood. She was very interested in networking and had a strong desire to give others the
opportunity that she was given by Lutherwood to change her focus. Her strong advocacy and
negotiation skills stood out in her stories and she was very diligent in her willingness to help see
possibilities in others. The strong focus on transferable skills assessment and support during
training was impressed on me, as well as her standard that if you are motivated, reliable and
dependable you can learn any skill necessary for employment. This is a strong message, but
also a powerful support piece that can make a huge difference in the moral of a person and their
ultimate success. (Melzer, 2016)

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Areas Where I May Contribute

With some very targeted and specific information gathered from my interviewees, I see
that I have the same kind of personality traits as they do. I can see myself in the Job Developer
role helping both clients with barriers and businesses with specific needs to fill. With my
experience in networking and contract negotiations from my real estate and business owner
background, I believe I have the communication skills and abilities to manage this type of role
quite naturally. The ability to sell an idea, as I have been trained to do in the Advertising and
Design Program through Conestoga College, is advantageous and necessary when trying to pitch
a specific idea and or advocate for a person with barriers to employment. I also have enrolled in
the Job Developer Practitioner program which I am confident will be a favourable addition to my
education and skill set.
The field is a highly competitive field as per Sarah (Ballentine, 2016) from Agilec
(formerly Northern Lights). She stated that there are targets that must be reached and her division
is the pool from which the other services are offered and available. All of the agencies are
required to fill quotas and must account for every person they interact with. As a research and
education advocate and participant, I believe this type of role will challenge my quest for
learning also benefiting the collaboration that needs to happen in order to meet the needs of
clients coming in for services.
In the area, I have negotiation skills that would be very active I would imagine in the
course of the training portion of an employees tenure at a newly negotiated job. Support for the
client until they are fully trained and hired, can be a delicate dance with the client and

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employer, (Melzer, 2016) and with my skills in crisis management and also conflict
management, I will finally get to employ these skills on a regular basis, which I find very
fulfilling and engaging.
Competencies/Skills Employers Require
The skills and competencies that were reiterated to me in these interviews remained very
similar in nature throughout, with the top characteristic valued by each agency being a bit
different for each. Knowledge and education for Agilec was the top, followed by a desire to help
others, friendly, experience, integrity and community involvement in some way, knowledge of
how to implement a concept, verbal and written articulation, intake information integrity,
listening, or hearing the heart another very important ability, and ability to influence others in a
non-manipulative way. Most councillors also held degrees of some sort; a social worker
background was the common denominator. (Ballentine, 2016)
At the YMCA Immigrant Employment Services the top characteristic was Strong
Advocacy for others, followed by training and experience, as well as community volunteer
experience, learns quickly, willingness to figure things out, resourceful, data integrity, emotional
drive, community relationships, ability to keep consistency across all areas of work, and able to
self-guide. (Giel, 2016)
At Employment Ontario, the skills and characteristics or competencies valued were a bit
different, as their hiring process is complete points based. She highlighted the two years of
experience rule in Social Services or employment related field as the top requirement followed

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by a strong customer service focus, knowledge and training, strong presentation skills as well as
the ability to collaborate. (Bellamy, 2016)
The Multi-Cultural Centres requirements were an interesting mix of the following;
diversification, or a willingness to push out of comfort zones being number one, communication
skills for employment workshops, people skills, ability to adjust your approach, being able to
effectively communicate sensitive information. (Cowan, 2016)
These characteristics closely echo my own values and working with a company with
these same values would give great congruency to my work as I have difficulty doing work that
goes against my value system and personal ethics. In summary, it seems that my competencies
skills and strengths; Professional Behavior Ongoing On-line Training and Professional Course
Work; Interpersonal Competence Mediation and Advocacy, both Social and Business ; Career
Development Knowledge Recent Graduate CDP and JDP Programs; Needs Assessment and
Referral Expansive Network of Contacts in the Community; Assessment and Analytical skills
leading to Identification and Plan Mapping; Advocacy, Interpersonal and Relational Skills with a
diverse range of individuals and businesses; Tech Savvy, Problem Solver, Networker,
Researcher, Teacher and Motivator; Organizational, Facilitation and Planning skills
Ability to multitask and manage numerous projects simultaneously; Knowledge of key
requirements necessary and resources available for employability; Strong Sales, Marketing and
Communication Skills, which appear on my resume are congruent with the needs of these
agencies, to strengthen my competencies am currently enrolled in volunteer training for Victim
Services at the Region of Waterloo.

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Other Important Things Learned

The idea that stood out the most, and which I resonated with the most, is this statement
made by Giel The Y is trying to build caring, respectful Canadians and all accountable to each
other, well adjusted in the community. My most motivational trait is to make a difference in the
world before I leave this planet. I can do that in the role in a microcosmic way.
In regards to the labour market, the most important thing for a Job Developer is to be is
relevant and up to date in your knowledge of all the programs and possible solutions for barriers
to employment. The market is changing and in constant flux, with the changing of generations
and the way we work, it is imperative to be constantly upgrading knowledge and
understanding the economic times to be able to see the gaps in employment for both businesses
and clients, and where the two can become a fit the benefits both. In addition to being very aware
of the market or what and who is out there in regards to opportunities, having the skills to be able
to translate this information into something tangible for a client is the actual magic that can
happen. The ability to synthesize this information in a way that can be beneficial for the people
we are serving will have a direct effect our local economy.
Ultimately, the best place to use my skills, must be congruent with my values and ethics
and which has a good work-life balance as I am not, in the beginning, stages of my career and
dont think I can do the gruelling hours of work to make a management position, nor do I have
the time for that. However, I do still want to make a difference in my community and in the lives
of those people in it. I much prefer working behind the scenes and orchestrating negotiations
and deals that the benefactors may never know about. I do know that I have the ability to

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advocate for others and this is a very necessary element of the Job Developer role. The other side
of this advocacy is resilience and not carrying others problems around with you when you leave
the office. I think in my earlier years this would have definitely burnt me out, but as an older
person coming into this social type of work, I know my limits and my boundaries and have
worked hard to put them in place. With at least a work term of ten years, more or less, I believe I
can make a difference and enjoy doing it.

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Appendix a Interviewees
Ballentine, Sarah, Agilec, Job Developer/carver 185 Weber St. S. Waterloo, Ontario
519-576-3033 x 6009 sballentine@agilec.ca
Giel, Danielle, Employment Specialist, YMCAs of Cambridge & Kitchener-Waterloo,
Employment Services, 800 King St. W. 519-579-9622 x 265 dgiel@ckwymca.ca
Cowan, Mandi, Employment Counselor/Settlement Worker, K-W Multicultural Centre, 102
King St. W 519-745-2531 x 124 mandi@kwmc-on.com
Bellamy, Pat, Employment Counselor, Employment Services, Employment Ontario, Region of
Waterloo, 150 Main St. Cambridge, 519-883-2101 x 7848
PBellamy@regionofwaterloo.ca
Melzer, Samantha, Job Developer/Employment Consultant, Lutherwood 35 Dickson St.
Cambridge 519-623-9383 x1108 smelzer@lutherwood.ca

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Appendix b Works Cited

Ballentine, S. (2016, 03 01). Agilec, Job Developer - Carver 185 Weber St. S. Waterloo, Ontario
519-576-3033 x 6009 sballentine@agilec.ca. (J. Wojtaszynski, Interviewer)
Bellamy, P. (2016, 03 02). Employment Counselor, Employment Services, Employment Ontario,
Region of Waterloo, 150 Main St. Cambridge, 519-883-2101 x 7848
PBellamy@regionofwaterloo.ca. (J.Wojtaszynski, Interviewer)
Canada, G. o. (2016, 02 26). Job Market Trends and News- Kitchener-Waterloo-Barrie Region.
Retrieved from
http://www.jobbank.gc.ca/LMI_bulletin.do?cid=3373&loc=Cambridge%2C+Ontario&A
REA=27236&INDUSTRYCD=&EVENTCD=#
Chamber of Commerce, O. (2016). Ontario Economic Update 2016 Toronto Region. Retrieved
from Ontario Chamber of Commerce: http://www.occ.ca/advocacy/ontario-economicupdate-2016/toronto-region/
City of Cambridge. (February 8, 2016). Community Profile A Summary of Cambridge's
Economic and Social Features. Corporation of the City of Cambridge, Economic
Development Division. Cambridge: Self-published.
Cowan, M. (2016, 03 01). Employment Counselor Settlement Worker, K-W Multicultural Centre
519-745-5261 x124 mandi@kwmc-on.com. (J. Wojtaszynski, Interviewer)
Giel, D. (2016, 03 02). Employment Specialist, YMCAs of Cambridge & Kitchener-Waterloo,
Employment Services, 800 King St. W. 519-579-9622 x 265 dgiel@ckwymca.ca. (J.
Wojtaszynski, Interviewer)

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Labour, O. M. (2016, 02). The Changing Workplaces Review. Retrieved from

http://www.labour.gov.on.ca/english/about/workplace/
Melzer, S. (2016, 03 03). Job Developer Employment Consultant, Lutherwood 35 Dickson St.
Cambridge 519-623-9383 x1108 smelzer@lutherwood.ca. (J. Wojtaszynski, Interviewer)
Ontario.ca, A. (2016, 02 20). Unemployment . Retrieved from AllOntario.ca:
http://allontario.ca/category/everything-about/employment-2/unemployment/
Post, F. (2016, 02 25). CIBC warns loan losses could double if the economy slips into
recessionary environment. Retrieved from Financial Post:
http://business.financialpost.com/news/fp-street/cibc-warns-loan-losses-could-double-ifeconomy-slips-into-recessionary-environment