Reports
This report deepens the analysis of our first report "An Economy out of Shape: Changing the Hourglass" by expanding the categories and comparing knowledge workers to those in entry-level occupations. The purpose of the report is to unpack the two ends of the labour market — the Knowledge Work and Entry-level jobs categories. The results of this analysis point to even greater polarization in the labour market in Toronto and a need for interventions that create career pathways and greater opportunities.
Currently, no labour force data is explicitly oriented towards the nonprofit sector. This report examines the occupations, salary rates and information about some sub-industry sectors in the non-profit workforce in the Toronto CMA.
Toronto Workforce Innovation Group (TWIG) has identified Green Entrepreneurship as an emerging labour market trend in Toronto and the GTA in recent Reports. As businesses transition into, and are created with environmental awareness integrated into their business models, Toronto’s distinction as a leader in the “green economy” will remain intact.
This new report provides an overview of how many Ontario firms have shifted towards “greening” their business by taking approaches that consider sustainability not only in what they bring to market, but also in how they get it there.
The Greater Toronto Region is becoming a significant centre of an emerging green economy. A surge in demand is creating new opportunities for “green” careers and/or green collar jobs. This growing interest and investment in a green economy coupled with the recognition of the region as a leader in policies and programs to combat climate change led three local boards to collaborate on an initiative to examine the potential of transitioning workers into growing or emerging sectors related to greening the economy.
This report examines changes in the occupational structure of the labour force in the City of Toronto and the rest of Ontario using Statistics Canada Census data. The purpose of this report is to highlight trends, isolate the impact of these trends on different population groups, and offer recommendations that can contribute to economic growth and productivity as well as promote equitable outcomes for all workers.
The Greater Toronto Region is becoming a significant centre of an emerging green economy. A surge in demand is creating new opportunities for “green” careers and/or green collar jobs such as environmental auditors, environmental engineers, the manufacturing and installation of solar panels and an expansion of the technology to build and manufacture wind turbines.
The report identifies successful characteristics of local planning initiatives in major metropolitan areas in the United States and Europe that will inform the implementation of an integrated local labour market planning (ILLMP) in Toronto.
In Canada and elsewhere, a great deal of research has described patterns of youth unemployment and difficulties in youth school to work transitions. Much of this work focused on the types of barriers facing particular groups of youths who, in turn, become marginalized in relation to labour markets access, career development and society. The Following the Success project uses a dynamic approach that takes into account how both youth and employers learn in the face of marginalizing factors within youth employment.
This project explored the various strategies mature and retiring workers are using to transition into and out of employment. The strategies used by employers in retaining the knowledge, skills and abilities of mature workers were also examined. The intent was to provide a snapshot of the state of the labour market for mature workers in Toronto.
The report examines training/learning partnerships between labour and community-based agencies. Training/learning partnerships between unions and community groups vary in nature and purpose. They are usually developed to meet a variety of needs and outcomes including: • Access to workplace training and learning opportunities for a specific group such as immigrants and/or internationally educated/trained workers • Access to funding that one partner might not be able to receive alone • Collective expertise to direct a project or initiative
The report examines the feasibility of a coordinated service to match workers with jobs in the Toronto and Niagara hotel industries. The results of the research indicate that coordinated labour matching could provide important services. These services would benefit already employed workers, workers who are new to the sector and hotel employers.
The Talking Points needs assessment examined the interface between employers and service providers to assess what works and what does not work. Other practices or information that would be useful to assist the youth employment sector in better matching employers with clients were also examined.
Ontario’s building and construction sector is beginning to adopt energy efficiency practices that could transform the marketplace. This report describes current training available to construction trades and building operators, identifies weaknesses in the training, and makes a number of recommendations to overcome these problems in the context of the development of the market for energy efficient construction in the Greater Toronto Area.
This research was carried out by TWIG (former Toronto Training Board) in partnership with the Somali Youth Association of Toronto (SOYAT). Its purpose was to learn how employment services in North Etobicoke could be structured so that more Somali youth (age 12-30) would use them, and use them successfully.