The Executive Director of the Western Ontario Wardens’ Caucus says they’ve already implemented some of the recommendations from their WorkForce Strategy, and they’ve just released the registration for their Growing Your Work Force 2022 Conference.
Kate Burns Gallagher says they’ve been partnering with all of the WorkForce Planning Boards in Western Ontario to deliver a conference about what’s been happening in the region regarding the workforce.
“We have employers coming out to talk about what they are doing and sharing best practices. We have employers that are building employee’s housing. We have employers that are developing their own skills training. So we have a whole panel just dedicated to what employers are doing,” she said.
“We have a youth panel. So what are youth doing to become engaged in the communities and what are communities doing to engage youth. So we’ve got a whole bunch of people coming in to talk about the programs that they are doing,” Burns Gallagher added.
Burns Gallagher says they also have a newcomer panel. She says there are a couple of projects in the region that are really focused on newcomers to Canada and so they’re really going to highlight those programs. “But the conference is really about sharing. What’s been working in the regions. And it’s a real opportunity as I like to say, for R and D, Robbing and Duplicating, taking what’s working in the region and sharing it with all of our partners,” said Burns.
Burns Gallagher adds, they do have some innovative employers in the region who recognize that housing is a major challenge and she says one employer in Norfolk County has built housing specifically for their employees. She says it’s close to the factory and their employer buses them into work. She says employers are recognizing the cost of losing employees is so high that it’s worth the extra effort to give them a reason to stay.
The conference will be on November 23rd at the Best Western Hotel, just outside of London on the 401. More information about the conference and registration forms can be found on the Western Ontario Wardens’ Caucus website.
