Indigenous 
Story written by Hannah Muysson, Employment Consultant, Employment Service
St. Lawrence College Employment Service in partnership with the Faculty of Applied Science, Technology, and Trades hosted a highly successful Employer Resource Breakfast on October 25. This event furthered future partnership opportunities with employers such as Novelis, Canada Royal Milk, Invista, Goodyear, 3M, and Tomlinson, and welcomed special guest attendees from the Ministry of Labour, Immigration, Training and Skills Development of Ontario.
In collaboration with community partners Kingston Economic Development Corporation (KEDCO) and Canadian Apprenticeship Forum (CAF) the Employer Resource Breakfast aims to educate local trade employers of the resources, incentives, and supports available to address skilled labour shortages, create opportunity for our graduates, and ensure longevity of local businesses for the continued economic health of our Kingston community.
In 2022, CAF was one of 10 organizations appointed by the federal government to distribute grants totaling $13 million dollars. The funds are to incentivize employers with support of $5K sponsoring new level 1 apprentices in 39 construction and manufacturing Red Seal trades, and offers up to $10K for under-represented new apprentices. Through their partnership with SLC for this event we fostered relationships with 37 local employers of 49 red seal trades in manufacturing, construction, and small business owners.
This initiative offers mutual community collaboration approach to aid these employers in their first steps towards sponsoring level 1 apprentices, hiring graduates of our School of Applied Science, Technology, and Trades, and engaging with Employment Service for ongoing employer support for strong community partnerships and student enrichment opportunities.