Amplify 2023 - First Work

Amplify 2023 convened leadership from across Ontario’s workforce development sector for a day of inspiring and thought-provoking conversation. Government, industry and sector leaders, professionals, educators, funders, and researchers explored new challenges and opportunities to advance workforce development in Ontario and beyond.

We began the day with a Fireside Chat between Board President Carolyn Warkentin and Diversity Institute Executive Director Wendy Cukier around diversity and equity in Employment Services, with a primary focus on leveraging the untapped talent of newcomers to Canada.

Joined by Service System Managers from across the province, our afternoon Keynote panel was introduced by Executive Director of the Transformation Secretariat Gloria Lee and moderated by our ED Akosua Alagaratnam. Questions to the panel centred on change management in an SSM-delivered, Integrated Employment Services model, and what insights were drawn from the Prototype catchment areas.

The afternoon sessions focused on various important topics such as labor market trends, digitization, decent work, and mental health. Attendees were treated to insightful presentations from industry experts on these topics, providing valuable information on how to approach these issues as leaders in the workforce development sector. The day concluded with a networking reception, providing an opportunity for attendees to connect and share ideas in a relaxed setting. Amplify 2023 was a highly informative and engaging event that helped to advance the conversation on workforce development in Ontario.

Aaron Stauch
Service System Managers on IES Model

Aaron Stauch provided an insightful overview as a representative of the first Service System Manager in Ontario run by a consortium of municipalities (Bruce, Grey, Huron and Stratford). Through a co-design approach the SSM is working with partners to better integrate supply and demand side employment, with a particular focus on the integration of Social Assistance and life stabilization supports clients into Employment Service delivery. This has seen close collaboration between the SSM, Service Providers, and Ontario Works partners. The findings and design recommendations that developed in the co-design process revolved around the creation of a prototype minimum viable product iterated on until proven effective.