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Recommendations to Government
Cut the Red Tape, Boost Client Connections
Career Development Professionals are essential to connecting Ontarians to meaningful work, yet over 40% of time is spent on administrative tasks, instead of client services.
Leverage existing employment verification pathways to reduce administrative burden. Read 'The Weight of Paperwork' to see how policy is slowing career progress in Ontario.
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Recommendations to Government
Strengthen Frontline Services, Drive Workforce Growth
Ontario needs a strong workforce to compete.
Since 2010, service providers have adapted to stretch every dollar — but funding hasn’t kept pace with demand. It’s time to invest in direct-to-client services.
The need to strengthen our public employment services is clear — to secure Ontario’s Future.
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Recommendations to Government
Invest in Youth Employment for lasting economic impact
Youth Unemployment is Rising—Support is Shrinking. Youth need pre-employment supports to set them up for success. Programs like Youth Job Connection (YJC) have been cut, leaving young people without critical job search support. Investing in targeted services is the only way forward.
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Building Expertise in Employment Services
Strengthening employment service providers through training, resources, and best practices to enhance workforce capacity.
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Ontario’s community-based employment services network
Discover the organizations driving workforce success across Ontario. Explore our network of trusted employment service providers.
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Empowering the Next Generation
Aspire connects young people with skills, opportunities, and support they need to launch meaningful careers.
CURRENT OPPORTUNITIES
First Work is
Ontario’s Workforce Development Network.
We support accessible, high quality, outcomes-based employment services to jobseekers seeking opportunities.
First Work is the association membership group responsible for supporting and advocating for a sustainable employment delivery network in Ontario.
Advocacy:
First Work’s objective is to foster the development healthy workforce development sector. We work to achieve this goal by offering our community expertise and insight with government on any forth coming regulatory and legislative changes that affect our sector.
Research:
Recognizing the need to advance our strategy through evidence-based research and policy, First Work articulates priority research topics that will enable us to deliver on our mission.
Training:
First Work provides timely training opportunities for our members and for providers across the province to ensure programming for jobseekers has the latest, best practices in delivery.
Sector Collaboration
First Work creates partnerships and strategic alliances to leverage our ability to address employment challenges and increase our collective impact. We find partners who share our commitment to jobseekers and their employment journey.
Become a member
Join our growing network of providers, educators, and policy-makers to enhance professional development for your staff, to collaborate with like-minded organizations and ensure your concerns are addressed by government.
Ontario’s Employment Services Transformation (EST)
11 July 2024 – First Work released a report independently monitoring the Integrated Employment Services (IES) rollout processes across Ontario. The report explores how this transformation, implemented by the Ministry of Labour, Immigration, Training and Skills Development (MLITSD), is delivering on its promise to promote greater integration between Employment Ontario (EO) and Ontario Works (OW). Read the Report.
Collaborate with us
We know that job-creators, job-seekers, and the link between the two – employment service providers – all benefit from enhanced collaboration. First Work is the convening body to bridge these groups and elevate their collective needs.
Amplify your voice
The collective expertise this sector provides and nurtures is an asset for our workforce development policies, particularly as Ontario faces a post-pandemic recovery. First Work leverages sector knowledge for collaborative government advocacy.
Learn with us
With system transformation and pandemic recovery, Ontario employment service providers have a lot to keep up with beyond work on the front-lines. Stay up-to-date on the most promising programming development practices by joining our events, training opportunities, and research initiatives.
Join the conversation
Looking for the latest in workforce development, Ontario, or First Work news? We’ve got you covered.
