OALCF
Employment Ontario
January 19, 2010
On January 1, 2007 the Ministry of Training, College and Universities (MTCU) launched Employment Ontario - Ontario’s Employment and Training Network.
Through Employment Ontario, 1,200 third-party service providers are offering labour market and training services at approximately 900 locations across the province. Employment Ontario represents a combination of 17 programs and services offered by the Ontario government and programs previously offered by the federal government. Third party service providers include community-based organizations, colleges, school boards, union training centres and private trainers
Employment Ontario creates a one-stop training and employment system that has the capacity to serve nearly one million clients. It is designed to streamline and improve access to programs and services by individuals and employers.
Employment Ontario includes all the programs under the Labour Market and Training Division of MTCU, including the federal programs that were transferred to the province’s responsibility in January 2007. Literacy and Basic Skills (LBS) programs are part of Employment Ontario. For more information, please see: www.edu.gov.on.ca/eng/tcu/employmentontario/.
MTCU is currently transforming “Employment Services” programming under Employment Ontario. Literacy and Basic Skills falls under “Training Services”. You can click here to read about the reasons for the transformation of Employment Ontario: www.tcu.gov.on.ca/eng/eopg/eotransformation/transformbackground.html.
A great source of information on Employment Ontario is the Employment Ontario Partners Gateway (EOPG) website at www.eopg.ca. Current information on the EOPG website includes:
- Employment Ontario transformation
- Programs and Services
- Second Career Strategy
- SDAG (Service Delivery Advisory Group) information
- Integrated Local Labour Market Planning
- Rapid Re-Employment
- Employment Ontario Information System (EOIS)
- Tools and Resources
- Stakeholder Engagement
- Announcements
- Client Referral Guide
- Acronym List
Be sure to check this site regularly for ongoing updates.
As well, Community Literacy of Ontario is pleased to share the following resources and training opportunities on Employment Ontario. All of these resources were researched and written by CLO.
June 23, 2009
On January 1, 2007 the Ministry of Training, College and Universities (MTCU) launched Employment Ontario - Ontario’s Employment and Training Network.
Through Employment Ontario, 1,200 third-party service providers are offering labour market and training services at approximately 900 locations across the province. Employment Ontario represents a combination of 17 programs and services offered by the Ontario government and programs previously offered by the federal government. Third party service providers include community-based organizations, colleges, school boards, union training centres and private trainers.
Employment Ontario creates a one-stop training and employment system that has the capacity to serve nearly one million clients. It is designed to streamline and improve access to programs and services by individuals and employers.
Employment Ontario includes all the programs under the Labour Market and Training Division of MTCU, including the federal programs that were transferred to the province’s responsibility in January 2007. Literacy and Basic Skills (LBS) programs are part of Employment Ontario. For more information, please see: www.edu.gov.on.ca/eng/tcu/employmentontario/.
A great source of information on Employment Ontario is the Employment Ontario Partners Gateway (EOPG) website at www.eopg.ca. Current information on the EOPG website includes:
- Employment Ontario transformation
- Apprenticeship
- Web-Based Referral and Information Guide
- Employment Services Implementation
- Second Career Strategy
- SDAG (Service Delivery Advisory Group) information
- Integrated Local Labour Market Planning
- Rapid Re-Employment
- Employment Ontario Information System (EOIS)
Be sure to check this site regularly for ongoing updates.
As well, Community Literacy of Ontario is pleased to share the following resources and training opportunities on Employment Ontario. All of these resources were researched and written by CLO.
June 2, 2008 Update
For the latest information on Employment Ontario, please visit the website of the Employment Ontario Partners Gateway at www.eopg.ca.
This site provides support, resources and information to agencies delivering services under Employment Ontario.
Currently the Employment Ontario Partners Gateway site includes information on the following topics:
- Employment Ontario Guidelines
- Forms
- Copies of Employment Ontario publications
- Stakeholder Information
- Employment Ontario news and announcements
- Links
January 2008 Update
The year 2007 was considered one of transition for Employment Ontario. Since the launch of the integrated employment and training system in January, much of the work has occurred behind the scenes. A lot of internal work happened involving the transfer of federal programs and staff, setting up regional offices, and trying to maintain a seamless and uninterrupted level of service delivery to clients.
There are currently 20 different programs being delivered under the Employment Ontario banner, benefiting 520,000 Ontarians and 83,000 employers making it the largest employment and training structure in North America.1
By coordinating all labour market programs and services in Ontario under the Employment Ontario umbrella, the provincial government is working towards its goal of having “the most educated people and highly skilled workforce in North America in order to build the province’s competitive advantage.”
Key Employment Ontario outcomes were set and achieved in 2007 including:
- Multi-lingual information service available by phone
- Consultations with stakeholders about a new service delivery model
- Improved information and referral across ministries and government
Throughout the transfer and transition stage, agencies heard many references to Employment Ontario’s third-party delivery agencies. This refers to the non-government agencies that the government contracted with to deliver its programs and services. In its first year, Employment Ontario had a network of over 1,200 third-party service providers.2 These included colleges, school boards, community-based non-profit organizations, private organizations such as career colleges, and union training centres.
Over 40 special projects were also funded in 2007 to ensure an effective and relevant training system, service excellence and public satisfaction.3 The projects were spread amongst the program and policy branches of Employment Ontario, including:
- Training and skills development (i.e. LBS, Apprenticeship)
- Labour Market services (i.e. Job Connect, Summer programs)
- Community Planning (i.e. Local Training Boards, Adjustment Advisory Program)
- Employment Benefits and Income Support (i.e. Employment Assistance Services, Skills Development)
These projects will continue into the next year as Employment Ontario leaves its transition stage and moves towards transformation.
New Program Design on the Forefront
Currently, and in the next year, Employment Ontario is looking at the program design delivered by third-party delivery agencies, particularly focusing on outcomes-based, client-centred models. As part of the consultation and assessment process, service delivery is being looked at from the client’s perspective, specifically how clients currently access services and how clients find out about services. It is expected that service delivery models will be presented in the spring of 2008 as part of a community consultation process.4
Agencies can start thinking about the input they can provide to a consultation process. Examples of questions that can be asked when looking at new program design are:
- What is the labour market need we have to address?
- What currently exists to meet the need?
- Who are the affected clients (individuals, employers, communities, others)?
- What are we trying to achieve?
- What services/interventions/programs/incentives would achieve the outcome for the identified client group?
- How would we know we’ve achieved the outcome?
- What would be the most effective delivery method?
- What information would we need to capture of the program, its participants and its results?
A Program Design Service Delivery External Stakeholder Reference Group (Employment) has been established. Its purpose is to advise the MTCU Program Design Unit on provincial program policies and design for customer-oriented programs and services that enhance labour market outcomes. Among some of its key roles, this group will provide input to, and validation of, key components of program design such as the principles and criteria that guide EO program design, the key characteristics of interventions, programs and incentives that support labour market attachment and sustainable employment, and the indicators and measures of evaluation and success.
In October 2007 CLO was asked to send a representative to this important reference group. CLO has selected Carynne Arnold, Executive Director of Kingston Literacy to serve on this group. Carynne brings a strong perspective of adult and family literacy and program delivery that includes small group and one-to-one to learners with independence, training and employment goals. Carynne is also a CLO board member and the treasurer of CLO. Carynne is an extremely well-respected and knowledgeable literacy practitioner and we are proud to have her represent CLO and literacy on this important committee. Carynne is well-connected locally, regionally and provincially.
Other representatives to this group include all other deliverers of Employment Ontario services: including the broader College sector (i.e. Colleges Ontario), apprenticeship, employment counseling service providers, Job Connect, and the broader school board sector. MTCU also factored in regional representation, representation from both small and large communities and representation from streams of current employment deliverers (not for profit, for profit, college, school boards, youth, adult, francophone, etc.).
CLO is honoured to be asked to serve on this committee. Among other input, we will bring our perspective of the critical importance of the three main goals paths in literacy: independence, further training and education, and employment. We will highlight the importance of literacy as a key foundational skill within the Employment Ontario system.
Reference group members are to be actual program deliverers. They are not required to represent their entire sector (given the impossibility of such a task!), but rather they are asked to give informed advise on program design to the best of their abilities based on their own experience and knowledge. MTCU will also use others channels to gather information and make decisions around program design issues.
All information and resources from this reference group will be posted on the Employment Ontario Partners Gateway site (www.eopg.ca) pending translation into both English and French.
Community Planning
Another focus for the coming year will be around community planning. Employment Ontario has provided many tools and promotional materials to complement the planning process, including an Information and Referral Guide. The guide, updated in October 2007, is available on-line through the Employment Ontario website and now includes Ontario Works and federal Service Canada information.
Again, the new planning process, or service mapping as it has sometimes been referred to, is envisioned from the client’s standpoint. Employment Ontario agencies are being encouraged to work together, to look closely at labour market information, and to understand and be aware of all the services needed by a client in relation to his or her goal path. In many communities the starting point is developing a common language since the terminology used in the former federal programs often means something different in the provincial programs.
Employment Ontario consists of four regions—Central, Western, Eastern and Northern. The challenge for MTCU, and its funded agencies, is to facilitate a local perspective on planning and priority setting and also ensure consistency and equity across the province.5
Sherree Mahood, Western Region Director, addressed Employment Ontario agencies at a meeting in Waterloo in November 2007, and assured those in attendance that the role LBS can play in the integrated training system is attainable. She said a ‘true planning process’ is expected to be rolled out in Spring 2008, and that currently, third-party delivery agencies, as well as Ministry staff, need to look at how they can “leverage current expertise and knowledge and be able to respond to community needs.”
Employer involvement will also hold a focus in the enhanced planning process. One of the over 40 projects referenced earlier is looking at how to improve planning and coordination services to employers. As well, a pilot project in the Durham region involves distributing the EO Information and Referral Guide to over 1,300 employers to solicit feedback on how to increase the guide’s usefulness to employers.
Strong Emphasis Still On Information and Referral
In 2007, agencies were told to focus on their information and referral services, especially with how they fit within the Employment Ontario training system. This will continue to be a focus into 2007-08. In fact, in the next fiscal year, agencies will be asked to collect and report on baseline data so that standards for information and referral can be developed.6
Potential indicators and measures around information and referral services will be developed with input from Ministry staff and third-party stakeholders. Ministry field consultants will continue to monitor agencies on this service while any new ministry expectations and reporting procedures will be introduced as part of the annual business planning process.
The Information and Referral Resource Guide provides details about the current expectations and outcomes for this delivery function, but the guiding principals listed state Employment Ontario agencies need to ensure their information and referral services are:
- Accessible
- Accountable
- Client-centred
- Flexible
- Results-based
Previous Community Literacy of Ontario communiqués and electronic bulletins have provided more detailed information and step-by-step suggestions for LBS agencies related to providing information and referral services. You can find CLO’s information on our website at www.nald.ca/clo (click under OALCF).
Along with the Resource Guide, the Employment Ontario website (www.ontario.ca/employmentontario) has also been updated to reflect new information and stakeholders. It’s important for agencies to check the site regularly to ensure its information is correct and up-to-date.
The Employment Ontario Partners Gateway website (www.eopg.ca) provides step-by-step instruction for updating the EO database so that your agency information is correct. As a brief overview, the steps are as follows:
- Select the “Find Employment and Training Services” tab at the right of the page of the Employment Ontario homepage.
- On the “Find employment services in your area” page, select the city and program name from the drop down lists, and click “GO”.
- When the results appear, click on “Suggest a Record” to add new or missing information.
- Click on the name of the service provider, then click on “Update Info” at the top of the screen to change information that is needed.
- Use the “Notes” section, to describe why information should be deleted.
- Complete the "Update information" form.
Changes can take 7-14 days to be validated and processed and agencies may be contacted for confirmation or to get more information.
Looking Forward
MTCU is looking at 2008 as its ‘transformation’ year. Specific plans include:
- Working with delivery partners to further its transition and transformation activities
- Continuing to build a regional delivery structure, supported by province-wide strategic policy
- Developing a local labour market planning framework
- Implementing strategies to support the rapid re-employment initiative
MTCU has committed to making no major changes to existing programs or funding arrangement in 2007-08, but will be looking at changes in policy, administration (including a new integrated information management system), and physical infrastructure which includes fully functional regional and head office locations.7
Umbrella organizations such as CLO will continue to be part of the consultation process through committees like the Service Delivery Advisory Group. The Ministry will work closely with these groups to explore training and employment-related opportunities for the coming and future years.
1 Presentation by Sherree Mahood, Director, Western Region, MTCU. Waterloo, Nov. 2, 2007
2 Presentation by Sherree Mahood, Director, Western Region, MTCU. Walkerton, May 25, 2007
3 November 7, 2007 letter to stakeholders from Kevin French, Assistant Deputy Minister, Employment Training Division
4 Presentation by Sherree Mahood, Director, Western Region, MTCU. Waterloo, Nov. 2, 2007
5 Employment Ontario Central Region Stakeholder Meetings Final Report, October 2007
6 Employment Ontario Information and Referral Resource Guide, October 2007.
7 Presentation by Sherree Mahood, Director, Western Region, MTCU. Walkerton, May 25, 2007
June 6 , 2007 Update
What is Employment Ontario?
On January 1, 2007 the Ministry of Training, College and Universities (MTCU) launched Employment Ontario - Ontario’s Employment and Training Network.
Through Employment Ontario, 1,200 third-party service providers are offering labour market and training services at approximately 900 locations across the province. Employment Ontario represents a combination of 17 programs and services offered by the Ontario government and programs previously offered by the federal government. Total public investment in Employment Ontario amounts to nearly one billion dollars. Third party service providers include community-based organizations, colleges, school boards, union training centres and private trainers.
Employment Ontario creates a one-stop training and employment system that has the capacity to serve nearly one million clients. It is designed to streamline and improve access to programs and services by individuals and employers.
Employment Ontario includes all the programs under the Labour Market and Training Division of MTCU, including the federal programs that were transferred to the province’s responsibility in January 2007. Literacy and Basic Skills (LBS) programs are part of Employment Ontario. Other programs include:
- Job Connect
- Apprenticeship
- Pre-Apprenticeship
- Ontario Youth Apprenticeship program
- Adjustment Advisory program
- Services for New Canadians
The above programs provide services in the area of training and skills development. Employment Ontario also includes programs related to labour market and community needs such as :
- Summer Company program
- Local Training and Adjustment Boards
- Apprenticeship Training Tax Credit
Some of the new programs that were transferred to the province from Skills Canada (HRSDC) are more closely related to employment benefits, such as :
- Skills Development
- Targeted Wage Subsidies
- Self-Employment
- Job Creation Partnerships
Lastly, there are programs included under the Employment Ontario umbrella strictly through an information and referral role. These programs, such as Ontario Works and Ontario Disability Support Program (ODSP), provide training and employment supports and benefits, but are funded by other ministries, in this case the Ministry of Community and Social Services.
The goal of Employment Ontario is to “provide clients with the support and information they need, regardless of their point of entry.” (Source: Employment Ontario Brand Kit Info Sheet for Third Party Service Providers, MTCU, December 2006).
Information on all the employment and training services is available to clients in person at one of 87 designated Employment Ontario locations, through the Employment Ontario Hotline 1-800-387-5656, and online at www.ontario.ca/employmentontario.
Background
Agencies first heard about an integrated employment and training system in the Ontario government’s May 2004 budget. By 2005, there were discussions and consultations about a ‘one-stop’ model that would provide access to information about all provincial training and employment services regardless of the point of entry.
At the same time, the federal government was exploring a ‘No Wrong Door’ approach to its training and employment services.
In November 2005, the provincial and federal governments signed the Labour Market Development Agreement (LMDA), which allowed plans for an integrated training and employment system in Ontario to move forward. Under the terms of the LMDA, the federal government transferred funding and resources linked to employment supports and benefits, to the provincial government. MTCU, with its new Labour Market and Development Branch, accepted the transfer of these programs in January 2007. For more information on the LMDA or Labour Market Partnership Agreement visit www.edu.gov.on.ca/eng/training/labourmarket.html.
In the summer of 2006, MTCU decided it was necessary to ‘brand’ this integrated employment and training system. There would be over 1,300 service locations, providing a wide range of programs and potential clients needed to know where to find information about these services, how to access them, and to know who provides them.
The new Employment Ontario brand helps Ontarians identify programs that have not previously been known as an Ontario government service. It also underlines the changes that have been made to the employment and training system as a whole and “captures Ontario’s vision for creating the best labour market and training system in North America.”. (Source: Employment Ontario Update, Letter from ADMs, November 21, 2006).
What Does This Mean for Literacy Agencies?
Before Employment Ontario was launched, Literacy and Basics Skills programs fell under the Literacy and Basic Skills Unit of the Skills Investment Branch of MTCU. That Unit and Branch no longer exist within MTCU. LBS now falls under the Labour Market Training Division. However, the current policies and guidelines of the LBS program have not changed as a result of Employment Ontario.
The primary role all Employment Ontario agencies are expected to play in this first year of implementation is in providing information and referral services. The expectation is that agencies will provide potential clients with information about the types of programs and services available in their community. They will then be able to direct them to the most appropriate entry point into the training and employment system. It is not expected that agencies will assist clients in contacting or making appointments with other referral agencies though that may be a policy of your agency.
Agencies can enhance their information and referral services by :
- Reviewing the ‘Information and Referral Guide’ that was distributed electronically to all Employment Ontario agencies in December 2006 (See AlphaCom’s “Info-LBS” message of November 6, 2006 called “Resources to Enhance Current Information Provision and Referral Practices”)
- Visiting the MTCU website www.edu.gov.on.ca/eng/tcu and the Employment Ontario website www.ontario.ca/employmentontario and becoming familiar with the content and search features, specifically the link to programs and services
- Ensuring your current information and referral protocols include the new services available to adults in the Employment Ontario network
- Ensuring that all staff who provide information and referral services are up-to-date on the new Employment Ontario services
- Displaying the Employment Ontario signs and brochures prominently so the public is aware that you are part of this new training and employment system
While LBS agencies have not received additional core funding to provide enhanced information and referral linked to Employment Ontario, one-time funding was made available to agencies in January 2007. The funding was allocated to agencies and networks to enhance their capacity to respond to adjustment situations and meet the needs of laid off or job-threatened workers, and “to maximize their ability to operate effectively in the new Employment Ontario framework”.Agencies were encouraged to use the funding to carry out specific activities including the “establishment of operating protocols with training deliverers to ensure enhanced referrals can take place”. (Source: Letter to LBS agencies from Anne Rachlis, Senior LBS Manager. December 21, 2006).
Sample Referral
Below is an example of how a referral may occur :
- A potential client contacts an Employment Ontario agency either by phone or in person.
- The client asks for help based on a specific need.
- If the client knows what he or she is looking for they can be referred to a specific program or to self-assistance such as the Employment Ontario website.
- If clients don’t self-identify, agency staff can ask a few questions to help determine specific needs and the most suitable program.
- Based on the answers, a referral can be made to another program or a more thorough intake assessment may be done for intake into your program.
It should be noted that some programs in the Employment Ontario network are only available once a formal assessment is completed at an Employment Assessment Service Centre. These programs are usually tied to employment benefits such as Skills Development, Targeted Wage Subsidy or Self-Employment Benefits. In these cases, a ‘return to work action plan’ is developed and a referral to a specific program is made by the Assessment Centre. (Source: Labour Market and Training Division Information and Referral Resource Package, December 2006).
LBS agencies still need to complete their own assessments with referred or potential clients to determine eligibility.
Sample Questions
To help direct people to the most suitable program, LBS agencies may need to update or add to their current intake forms and protocols. To determine some specific paths, agencies may want to consider some of the following questions:
- Are you in immediate financial need?
This could determine whether a client needs to be referred to Ontario Works or other programs providing financial assistance.
- What is your current employment situation? Have you been laid off? Have you applied for EI?
This could help determine if the client is eligible for Employment Insurance/Benefits and needs to be referred to an Employment Resource Centre where their eligibility would be reviewed.
- What have you been doing in your search for work? Have you run into any problems during your job search? What are your current skills and job experiences?
This can give you a sense of any challenges the person may be facing and could help determine whether they should be referred to any agency that provides employment counseling or skills upgrading such as Job Connect or Literacy and Basic Skills.
- Are you a recent immigrant?
This may result in a referral to the Ministry of Citizenship to determine if the person is eligible to work in Ontario.
- How old are you? Are you a recent graduate?
This helps determine whether the person needs to be referred to a program that is geared towards youth or adults.
- Where do you live? What is your postal code?
This will help you use the Employment Ontario referral guide or website to make a referral to a location that is most accessible to the person.
Where Does Literacy Fit Within the Employment Ontario System?
Within the Employment Ontario framework there are four main service categories :
- Services for Apprenticeship
- Services for Job Seekers
- Services for Employers
- Services for Employees
Anyone using the Employment Ontario referral resources, such as the website, can view these categories to see the list of services available. Most of the agencies listed are under the Ministry of Training, Colleges and Universities, though some are under other Ministries such as Community and Social Services (Ontario Works) and Small Business and Entrepreneurship (Summer Company).
The Literacy and Basic Skills program is listed under all but one of the service categories. It is not currently listed under Services for Employers.
LBS is considered an area of ‘skills enhancement’ and ‘on-the-job training/workplace skills’ in the Employment Ontario system and is promoted on the Employment Ontario website as a program that “provides free literacy, numeracy and essential skills services that help individuals achieve their goals related to further education or training, employment or increased independence”.
This means that a person contacting any Employment Ontario agency may be referred to an LBS program if during the initial intake the person identifies he or she needs to upgrade basic skills. Other Employment Ontario programs that may be appropriate for this person could include Apprenticeship, Bridge Training, Summer Job Service, or Employment Assistance Service.
Though LBS is not currently listed under the Services for Employers category, it’s quite possible employers may still contact an LBS agency for information. Again, a few simple questions may determine the employer is in fact looking for services for employees and therefore may be interested in the services offered by your program. According to the Information and Referral Resource Package of December 2006 some sample questions that can be asked to an employer include :
- What are your training needs?
- Are you looking for assistance in recruiting new employees?
- Are you looking for financial assistance?
- Are you looking to develop critical skill shortages?
- Are you looking for programs and resources related to economic trends and human resource planning?
The answers to these questions will determine whether you are able to offer services or whether you need to refer them to other services within Employment Ontario such as Apprenticeship Tax Credit, Employer Signing Bonus or Adjustment Advisory Program.
In line with the launching of Employment Ontario, MTCU underwent its own transformation, moving to a more regional model of service delivery. As noted earlier, the Literacy and Basic Skills Unit and the Skills Development Branch no longer exist. LBS is now within the Labour Market and Training (LMT) Division. There are other divisions responsible for Postsecondary Education, Corporate Management, Transition Manager and IT Community Services.
Within the LMT Division, there are 8 branches including four regional branches---Central, East, North, and West. The other four branches deal with areas of policy development and service standards. Employment Ontario agencies funded through MTCU, including Literacy and Basic Skills, are supported by one of the four regional branches, depending on the geographical location of the agency. For details on geographical boundaries and other divisions of MTCU contact your MTCU field consultant.
Each regional branch is headed by a regional director and also includes managers of resources and planning, regional program managers, and service delivery managers. LBS field consultants now report to the service delivery managers in their respective regions.
How Does The Employment Ontario System Help the Learner?
Potential or existing LBS learners don’t need to understand the organizational structure of Employment Ontario or the Labour Market Training Division to get services. The goal is that through agencies’ awareness of the system, staff can provide better information, clear pathways, and easier navigation among the full range of training and employment services.
Within this new system, it is hoped clients will have:
- Access to information about all provincial training and employment services regardless of the point of entry
- Consistent and streamlined intake into all training and employment services
- Consistent and equitable access to a broader range of training and employment services
- Consistent approach to service coordination and referral
What’s Next For Employment Ontario Agencies?
2007-08 is considered the ‘transition year’ for Employment Ontario. The primary focus for right now is to ensure they have enhanced information and referral services to include all the new and integrated programs.
Over the next fiscal year, MTCU will begin to collect baseline data so that guidelines for information and referral can be developed if needed. LBS agencies may be asked to provide input into potential indicators and measures for information and referral. As well, agencies may be asked to track referrals. While more information about this will be coming from MTCU and field consultants, agencies can begin tracking this activity at any time for their own planning processes.
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in collaboration with CLO