[Heather Powell]

Hi Jennifer,

These are some great discussion questions. I am going to think about some of these and get back to you later this week with some thoughts. I am glad that this project is happening and I look forward to seeing the outcomes!

Heather

[Heather Powell]

How does the application process for Skills Development programs operate in your province? Typically individuals will be referred to an Employment Ontario Service provider, one that is local to their area, and usually, an individual would put in their postal code to establish a location. They will be assessed by this service provider as to whether they meet the requirements of the role that they are applying to.

Are the eligibility requirements for the Skill Development Program publicly accessible and transparent? Clients need to attend an Employment Ontario Service provider to find out if they are eligible. Depending on the agency, this process may look different, but mostly forms will need to be filled out by the participant to ensure that they are eligible for the Skill Development Programs.

What defines an effective job search strategy from an inclusive perspective? This is an interesting question. I think an effective job search strategy involves applying to many positions, networking, engaging on social media and research companies. I believe that there is a belief that a job search should be a full-time job. As I continue to learn more about power and privilege, I think this is an unfair expectation of clients. I think effective job search strategies should be adjusted and customized to reflect a client’s education level, access to social, economic, and cultural resources, and where they fall into the Wheel of Privilege and Power https://www.canada.ca/content/dam/ircc/documents/pdf/english/corporate/anti-racism/wheel-privilege-power.pdf.

Those are my thoughts on the first three questions.

[jennifer cheeks]

Firstly, thank you for your reply.

I’d like to talk further about eligibility:

We often encounter clients who want out of the service industry, for example, to pursue a meaningful career based on their interests and aptitudes. When they seek this SD funding, if they are working more than 20 hours per week they aren’t eligible. Also, it’s often communicated that the program is not for supporting career change.

I love what you had to say about job search – you nailed it! When thinking about job search, it is essential to look the individual within society and as you noted – and where they fall within the Wheel of Privilege. People come to practitioners being impacted by race, gender, economic status, etc.

People often find themselves “stuck” in jobs that aren’t meaningful to them, lacking in advancement opportunities and a wage that can support them adequately. SD funding should be accessible for these cases.

[Heather Powell]

Hi Jennifer,

It has been a while since I have worked in Employment Ontario (been at post-secondary for several years now). At one point in the Province of Ontario, there was a skill enhancement program that was separately funded from Second Career. This probably would have been back in 2009-2011 time when programs were being changed over to the one-stop model. I remember that the eligibility was different, it was typically for short-term training and people who were employed could access the funds for it. We also had the Self Employment Benefit Program at one time too, which supported unemployed clients in obtaining employment.

Your points about part-time employment and rewarding employment are even more evident in the current market. Funding allocation guidelines, generally speaking, are not in the control of practitioners, but if brought to public knowledge, could be grounds on which politicians could campaign.

I think the issue of re-training is deeper than just suggesting that clients apply for careers that are in demand. There are many social, economic, and cultural biases that clients face and even with access to the same funding resources, employment pathways are not equal for all individuals. Even the concept of exploring career development is very privileged.

As EDI (Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion) becomes more prominent, I believe we as Career Development Specialists must look at our services and ask ourselves, while maintaining the funding guidelines as outlined by the province, “How do we ensure that our services are truly inclusive and how do we remove barriers that are preventing access for equity-seeking groups”?

Thanks for the interesting discussion.