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This resource will assist children’s aid society (society) workers and young people in identifying and navigating training and employment related supports as part of the Education, Training and Employment Indicator review process.

This resource contains information on a range of training and employment related resources, services, and programs for young people, including those offered by federal, provincial and municipal governments. It also includes examples of community employment service providers which are critical in supporting youth employment.

Society workers are encouraged to foster partnerships and collaborate with these providers to help young people access local employment and training services and programs. The directory of community employment service providers section within this resource can assist society workers in making these vital connections.

Important Note: The planning process for leaving care occurs on a continuum – it is ongoing and can change over time. As such, not all resources included in this addendum will be applicable at each required review of the Education, Training and Employment Indicator. Use of this addendum should focus on resources that are most applicable to a young person’s plan at each required review. When reviewing with the young person, the society worker should work with the young person to identify resources that are aligned with the young person’s individual journey and responsive to their plans, objectives and goals.

When using this addendum, consideration should be given so that:

  • the views and perspectives of the young person are central
  • planning is comprehensive and tailored to the young person’s individual needs
  • planning is flexible and responsive to changing circumstances
  • planning is responsive to the young person’s self-identified identity characteristics
  • planning for First Nations, Inuit and Métis young persons recognizes their cultures, heritages, traditions, connection to their communities, and the concept of the extended family.

Local service providers and programs

Identifying local service providers and program

In this section children’s aid societies should identify community employment service providers and programs that are located near where the young person lives and match their individual interests, needs and circumstances.

Community employment service providers directories assist in locating community employment supports and services in communities across Ontario.

  • Job Bank – online directory to find employment centres across the province where young people can get in-person help with finding and preparing for work.
  • Find Employment and Training Services in Ontario – online directory of government and community resources for employment and career development.
  • 211 Ontario – online directory of community and government services, including local programs and resources for young people seeking employment.

Community employment service providers and programs offer a range of supports to help young people improve their employability and find employment opportunities. These service providers have relationships with local employers, understand the local job market and often provide tailored services and supports considering an individual’s needs and circumstances.

For example, they may offer specialized services for Indigenous young people or young people with a disability. Examples of community employment service providers include:

  • Woodgreen – offers job coaches, one-on-one employment counselling, skill-building workshops, specialized training, and a range of programs for young people in Toronto.
  • The Niagara Peninsula Aboriginal Area Management Board (NPAAMB) – offers skills development and training opportunities for urban Indigenous young people in Southern Ontario.
  • March of Dimes – offers employment supports to young people with disabilities. Their Skills for Work program, for example, helps young people seeking a job build skills and knowledge to overcome employment barriers and to be successful in the job market.

For example, a society worker in Toronto may identify the following service providers, programs and resources to assist the young person in accessing local training and employment supports:

Training and Skills Development Resources
  • Springboard– helps young people build skills for employment through pre-employment workshops and training opportunities.
  • Ontario Learning Development Foundation – helps young people with employability skills training and employment training support.
Community Employment Resources
Municipal Resources
  • City of Toronto – outlines supports and services that can help young people work for the city.
  • Toronto Public Library – offers resources young people can use to develop their skills and achieve their career goals.

Provincial service providers and programs

This section provides an overview of training and employment related resources, services, and programs for young people, including those offered by the federal and provincial governments. Information is divided into three sections: Employment Services and Resources, Career Exploration, and Securing and Maintaining Employment.

Employment services and resources

Government employment services help young people find employment, develop job skills and advance their careers.

Employment programs help young people improve their skills and find employment.

  • Youth Job Connection – provides job search and placement opportunities for young people who experience barriers to employment. The program offers in-class job search training and career exploration, paid work placements to increase confidence and readiness for employment, ongoing job coaching, mentoring and support for transition into employment or education.
  • Better Jobs Ontario – (previously known as “Second Career”) eligible young people can get financial support and skills training for in-demand jobs in their community.

Summer employment programs provide young people with valuable work experience and skills development opportunities.

  • Youth Job Connection Summer – offers summer, part-time and after-school job opportunities to students, aged 15 to 18. The program also helps young people make informed educational and career planning decisions.
  • Indigenous Youth Work Exchange – offers Indigenous students opportunities for hands-on work experience in natural resource management, as well as education, training and coaching to develop personal and professional skills.
  • Stewardship Youth Ranger Program – offers 16-to 18-year-olds hands-on work experience in natural resource management, environmental conservation, and community engagement. The program also provides training in safety, teamwork, communication and leadership skills.
  • Summer Employment Opportunities Program – offers students opportunities to develop new skills and gain work experience in various positions in the Ontario Public Service.
  • Focus on Youth Summer Program – offers students summer employment opportunities through their local school board.
  • Canada Summer Jobs – young people can use this directory to find summer jobs in their community.

Internship programs provide young people with practical work experience and help them transition from education to the workforce.

Entrepreneurship programs help young people develop their business skills and start their own businesses.

  • Summer Company – offers training, mentorship and funding of up to $3,000 to young people, aged 15 to 29, who want to start their own business during the summer months.
  • Starter Company Plus – offers training, mentorship and funding of up to $5,000 to young people, aged 18 to 29, who want to start or grow their own business.

Career exploration

Career exploration and planning helps young people to identify their interests and strengths, explore different career options and plan their education and career paths.

  • Job Bank Career Planning Tool – helps young people make decisions about their potential career path and plan for future employment. Assessments built into the tool help identify skills and interests, explore the job market and plan for education and training to meet career goals.
  • Explore Ontario's labour market – allows young people to complete a career quiz to identify their strengths and potential career options, explore career profiles, discover educational requirements for careers of interest and learn about jobs in demand across Ontario.
  • Skilled Trades Ontario – gives young people key information about skilled trades, including profiles, the apprenticeship process, and how to find a job.

Job skills programs in secondary schools prepare students for the workforce through providing them with hands-on training and experience in various industries.

  • Specialist High Skills Majors program – allows young people in Grades 11 and 12 to focus on a career path that matches their skills and interests while earning their Ontario Secondary School Diploma. Young people graduate secondary school with specialized skills, knowledge and certifications relevant to their chosen industry.
  • Dual credit programs – allow young people in secondary school to take college or apprenticeship courses that count towards their Ontario Secondary School Diploma and a postsecondary certificate, diploma, degree or a Certificate of Apprenticeship. Dual credit programs can help young people move from high school to college and apprenticeship programs.
  • Ontario Youth Apprenticeship Program (OYAP) – allows young people to begin their apprenticeship training while still in secondary school starting in Grade 11 or Grade 12 through cooperative education. Young people can earn credits towards their Ontario Secondary School Diploma while gaining work experience and training to become certified in a skilled trade.

Skills development and training provide young people with the tools, knowledge and skills necessary to succeed in the workforce.

  • Skills for Success – helps young people develop skills needed to succeed in the workplace, including digital literacy, communication, problem-solving, and teamwork, through a range of learning resources, including online courses, videos, and tools to access gaps and improve skills.
  • Skills Council of Canada – offers young people skills development learning tools and resources through a comprehensive online library to support them on their pathway to achieve and maintain employment.
  • Pre-apprenticeship training programs – provide young people the training necessary to prepare for apprenticeship through technical and practical training in a specific trade, including a work placement to gain hands-on experience.

Securing and maintaining employment

Employment resources through the Job Bank can help young people search for and secure jobs.

Employment search engines list job opportunities in various industries and locations allowing young people to search for employment opportunities online.

  • Indeed – features job postings from employers across various industries and locations. Young people can search for jobs by keyword, location and industry, and can also create a profile and upload their resume.
  • Charity Village – lists job opportunities in not-for-profit and charitable organizations.
  • Monster – features job postings from a variety of sources, including company career pages and staffing agencies. Young people can search for jobs by keyword and location and can also create a profile and upload their resume.
  • LinkedIn – young people can use this professional networking website to search for jobs based on job title, keyword, location, and company.

Workplace standards set out minimum employment standards for workers in Ontario. It is important for young people to know their employment rights.

  • Young Workers' Rights – information on employment standards that apply to young workers, including pay, breaks, holidays, unpaid wages and job termination.
  • Your guide to the Employment Standards Act – information on rights and obligations under the Employment Standards Act, including minimum wage, hours of work limits, termination of employment, public holidays, pregnancy and parental leave, severance pay, vacation and more.
  • Right to refuse or to stop work where health and safety in danger – information on a workers’ right to refuse work under the Occupational Health and Safety Act, including specific procedure that must be followed when refusing work.

Important note

This document is a resource only, references to resource and reference materials, Internet sites and organizations are included for information only. The Ministry of Children, Community and Social Services (MCCSS) is not responsible for the quality of the content on non-ministry Internet sites or for ensuring that the content of the material on non-ministry Internet sites listed is up to date. Information in this resource is current as of publication in November 2023. Please refer to the links provided for inquiries about the most up-to-date information.