Strong relationships with employers are the cornerstone of sustainable employment strategies that deliver results for job seekers. The Employment Edge is a practical new training that builds your capacity to engage employers more effectively, leading to deeper partnerships and better employment outcomes.
Who This is Ideal For
- Frontline staff involved in employment engagement, job development, or partnerships
- Employment organizations aiming to develop stronger, more strategic employer relationships
- Teams looking to strengthen their collaboration and follow-through in their employer outreach
What Your Team Will Gain
- A tailored employer outreach plan aligned with appropriate sector or regional employer needs
- Strategies to position your team as trusted workforce development partners
- Systems and processes to support long-term employer engagement and accountability
- A follow-up and employer accountability plan to sustain hiring outcomes and collaboration
What's Included
- Six 2.5-hour interactive webinars over six weeks
- weekly reading and applied activities
- Personalized coaching and mentorship
- Final capstone project to implement your learning
How It Works
Nominate Staff
Identify a team of 2 – 4 staff with current employer engagement responsibilities – likely frontline staff in job development, partnerships, and/or communications.
Internal support
Identify an internal champion to support the transfer of skills and improvements and mentor the team through the capstone project.
Program Registration
The organizational representative submits a short registration form.
Training
Participants ensure attendance at all sessions. Sessions are held remotely.
Powered by Partnership
This initiative is made possible through the collaboration of:
The Employer Edge: From Contact to Collaboration is funded with the support of the Workforce Funder Collaborative and is developed in partnership by First Work and The Neighbourhood Group.
Training Features
Tailored for the sector
Designed with real-world sector challenges in mind, helping staff adapt and problem-solve with confidence
Applied Learning
Participants apply tools immediately using an Employment Engagement Toolkit, building skills through hands-on activities.
Collaborative Team Project
Teams work together on a workplace-based project to apply new practices to their employer outreach.
Employer Engagement Toolkit
Developed in collaboration with sector experts, this toolkit offers practical templates, guides, and resources to enhance employer relationships.
Ready to Gain an Edge?
Registration for upcoming cohorts is opening soon!
Employer Engagement Toolkit
For Employment Service Providers in Ontario
Today’s labour market demands more than transactional relationships between service providers and employers—it requires strategic, trust-based partnerships. The Employer Engagement Toolkit equips Employment Service Providers (ESPs) across Ontario with practical strategies, tools, and conversation frameworks to build deeper, more meaningful employer relationships.
Designed specifically for Ontario’s evolving workforce landscape, this toolkit helps ESPs move beyond job matching to become valued workforce partners. It offers guidance on understanding employer needs, navigating sector trends, co-developing talent pipelines, and delivering responsive workforce solutions. From initial outreach to long-term partnership development, the toolkit emphasizes collaboration, labour market intelligence, and inclusive hiring practices.
Grounded in best practices and aligned with provincial workforce priorities, the Employer Engagement Toolkit supports service providers to:
- Strengthen employer trust and credibility
- Anticipate and respond to workforce challenges
- Foster inclusive and diverse hiring partnerships
- Create sustainable talent pipelines
- Measure and communicate impact effectively
Whether engaging small businesses, large enterprises, or sector leaders, this toolkit empowers ESPs to shift from service delivery to strategic partnership—creating stronger outcomes for employers, job seekers, and communities across Ontario.
