Mapping Refugee Skills and Employer Needs in Surrey and Abbotsford
The Mapping Refugee Skills and Employer Needs in Surrey and Abbotsford project is an IEC-BC initiative, which identifies the occupational skills and experience of refugees who are currently based in Abbotsford and Surrey and engages employers in those communities to understand their labour needs better.
Northern BC Initiative
In recognition of the current demand for skilled professionals in northern BC communities, IEC-BC has developed and implemented a campaign and website, www.northernbcjobs.com to connect skilled new Canadians, living in Metro Vancouver, with jobs in three northern communities – Prince George, Prince Rupert and Fort St. John. The website features a job board showcasing current positions available in these communities. It also includes useful resources to build employer capacity to attract, hire and retain skilled immigrants, such as links to online tutorials and resources in the three communities.
Funding was provided by the Province of BC, Ministry of Jobs, Tourism, and Skills Training. Key project partners included local Chambers of Commerce and economic development organizations, Human Resources Management Association, Hecate Strait Employment Development Society, Immigrant and Multicultural Services Society and S.U.C.C.E.S.S.
Employer Innovation Fund
The Employer Innovation Fund was a one-time initiative that funded 11 projects throughout the province from February 2013 to March 31, 2014. The 11 EIF projects engaged in stakeholder engagement, workshops and training; resource and tool development and promotion, and skills standards and assessments. Read the Employer Innovation Fund Evaluation Report to find out more. Many other resources stemming from the EIF projects can be found in our Employer Tools and Resources library.
Regional Forums
Regional Forums provide a platform for employers to hear about innovative and practical approaches to find, attract and integrate new Canadians into the workplace, learn about practice tools and resources to tap into immigrant talent and be part of focused collaborative action planning to build regional workforce solutions that increase the capacity of employers to hire and integrate skilled immigrants.
I. 2012 Prince George Region Forum on Immigrant Employment Report
II. 2013 Northwest Regional Forums on Immigrant Employment Report (Kitimat & Prince Rupert)
Enhancing the Capacity of Employers in the Natural Gas Sector
The BC Jobs Plan released in September 2011 identified Natural gas, especially Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) as a key sector driving the growth of BC’s economy to 2020 and beyond. The benefits of LNG investment and development will not be realized without the right workforce, in the right place, at the right time. IEC-BC has launched two projects to enhance the capacity of employers in the sector, especially small and medium size enterprises (SMEs), to find, hire and retain skilled immigrants, and to address some of the key barriers to foreign qualification recognition in the LNG sector in BC.
I. Guide for BC’s Natural Gas Employers on HR Best Practices
A comprehensive, interactive hiring resource for BC employers in the Natural Gas sector to increase their awareness of the value of hiring skilled immigrants and build their capacity to find, hire and retain skilled immigrants. You can access the Ready to Hire Guide here .
II. Employer Focus – Options for Canadian Work Experience
A qualitative research project resulting in increased understanding of employer needs vis-à-vis Canadian experience requirement, alternative approaches to meet these needs and recommending one or two pilot projects to test out the alternative approaches.
Tech Bootcamps
The Tech Bootcamps was an initiative IEC-BC co-developed with employers. By attending the Bootcamps, newcomers learned how to adapt and upgrade their soft skills for the tech sector in Canada. Employers were able to headhunt from Bootcamp attendees, as well as attend knowledge sessions and utilize learning tools to learn how to improve the effectiveness of their hiring and retention strategies. IEC-BC will use the findings from the Tech Bootcamps to push for meaningful change in hiring and retention practices in the tech sector through employer learning materials and knowledge exchange sessions.