LEARNING IN ONTARIO
Passport to Prosperity
Update: Spring 2006
- Your Multigenerational Workforce: Part 2 – A Guide to Understanding Your Employee Groups
- Partner Profile: HRPAO
- Top Executives Share Their First Work Experience
- 2006 Passport to Prosperity Employer Forum "Who’s Going to Work for You in the Next Ten Years?"
- Four Easy Steps to Starting a Successful School-Work Program
- Business-Education Councils and Local Training Boards: Your Community Partners
- 2006 Employer Champion Awards
- Simple Safety Tips for Supervisors
- Join the Campaign!
This publication is also available as an Adobe Acrobat file. (PDF, 160K)
Passport to Prosperity is an initiative to promote the benefits of school-work partnerships, recruit employers to partner with schools, and provide resources to facilitate these partnerships, for the benefit of employers and high school students.
Offering high school students work experience provides employers with an opportunity to gain an understanding of the different work habits and expectations between generations of employees. In this four-part series, n-gen People Performance Inc., a performance consulting company, explores how employers can achieve greater organizational performance by improving processes and people management strategies across the generational divide. For more information, see www.ngenperformance.com.
Your Multigenerational Workforce: Part 2 – A Guide to Understanding Your Employee
Traditionalists, Baby Boomers, Gen Xers and Gen Ys were all shaped by life-defining events that bind them into cohorts. In this article we will briefly outline some of the characteristics of each generation, and their behaviours.
For Traditionalists, the effects of the Great Depression and the world wars caused them to be a generation of institution-builders, with deep rooted values of honour, loyalty, dedication and sacrifice. They transfer these qualities into the workplace where they are stable, detail-oriented and hard-working. They are loyal to the organization and are focused on building a legacy.
Baby Boomers were raised in the optimistic post-second world war era. Because of their sheer number (9.3 million in Canada), society catered to their needs by building suburbs, hospitals and schools. When this cohort entered the workplace, they were faced with high competition and the need to constantly prove their value in order to move ahead. They are known for their strong commitment to their careers, organizational political savvy, and drive to add value.
Gen Xers grew up in less optimistic times. High rates of divorce and witnessing the effects of corporate downsizing caused this generation to be very independent. Since organizations could no longer guarantee stability, Gen Xers pledged to take care of themselves. This cohort is constantly seeking to learn new marketable skills as a way of controlling their future. In the workplace, they are eager to work on multiple projects that are focused on producing results, and are determined to have a work-life balance.
While Gen Ys have been exposed to negative socio-historical events such as 9/11 and school violence, they are being raised in an extremely positive environment both at home and at school. Many are raised in a peer-to-peer relationship by their parents, where their opinions are solicited, listened to, and acted upon. In school, the philosophy is to build self-esteem. Gen Ys enter the workforce with high levels of confidence, and expect managers to treat them as colleagues and peers.
In the next article, we will outline how the generational identities impact your ability to ‘get, keep and grow’ a multigenerational workforce.
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Traditionalists Baby Boomers Gen Xers Gen Ys |
Partner Profile: HRPAO
The Human Resources Professionals Association of Ontario (HRPAO), a Passport to Prosperity partner since 2004, is the premier HR association in Canada. With over 16,000 members in 29 chapters in Ontario, and other locations around the world, HRPAO connects its membership to an unmatched range of HR information resources, events, professional development, and networking opportunities.
HRPAO’s commitment to Passport to Prosperity helps employers build a stronger workforce by engaging students in work experiences while they’re still in high school. HRPAO has played a significant role in promoting and participating in the Passport to Prosperity employer forums, which provide employers and HR professionals with information about school-work initiatives for high school students.
“Labour force shortages will pose an increasing challenge for HR professionals, so the Passport to Prosperity initiative is an important way for our members to build their future talent pool,” says Gerlinde Hermann, Chair of the Board of Directors of HRPAO. “Creating and implementing strategies to ensure that there are enough quality, skilled employees for the future is important for the success of our businesses and our economy.”
Top Executives Share Their First Work Experience
John Mavrak, Executive Director of the Council for Automotive Human Resources, had trouble deciding what his career path would be. As a teenager, he had to figure out how he could take what he enjoyed and excelled at and translate it into a job. Mr. Mavrak spent his evenings during high school working as a heavy-duty janitor. He learned early on that he had to work hard to earn a pay cheque and that there is value in every job and every employee. Now working with major auto assemblers, parts manufacturers, organized labour, the education system, and the government, Mr. Mavrak enjoys the variety and the strategic thinking in his job. If he could have done things differently, he would have explored more experiential learning and hands-on opportunities in high school. His advice to students is to be flexible in their approach, opinions and relationships with people and to see every opportunity as a learning experience.
Steve Paikin, Host of TVOntario’s Studio 2, thought he would be a teacher and feels in some ways he is. “By asking questions of guests, I help bring information to my classroom, the viewing public.” Mr. Paikin’s first work experience was as a janitor but he got his first in-depth experience in his first media job at Hamilton’s CJJD radio station. Waking up at 4:00 a.m. to do the morning sports run and then covering various sporting events during the day, Mr. Paikin learned, “there’s no short cut to improving.” He said “hard work, putting in long hours, and constantly learning how to do new things is the best way to improve at your job.” Mr. Paikin feels all the subjects he took in school led to the career he’s in now. His advice to students: “find something you love to do, then figure out how to make a living at it. Looking forward to going to work every day is a great gift.”
Bunny Alexander, Senior Consultant, Organizational Development at Niagara Health System (NHS), always knew she would work in health care. From early on, she wanted to be a nurse. As a part-time waitress in her teens, she learned that the service industry is hard work but provides an opportunity to gain great communications and customer service skills. These skills helped in her 15-year nursing career and in her current position. Ms. Alexander works with schools in the area to match school-work opportunities in NHS with students who are keen to gain the experience. She wishes these opportunities had been available in her own high school days, so she could have learned about the many careers in the health care sector. Ms. Alexander says that high school students shouldn’t think of a career as a lifelong decision. There are a lot of paths, opportunities and forks in the road where you can make decisions that can be life changing.
2006 Passport to Prosperity Employer Forum "Who’s Going to Work for You in the Next Ten Years?"
Canada’s workforce is aging and the labour pool is shrinking. Industries and employers are looking for ways to secure their workforce and plan their staffing needs. On April 26, 2006 employers and human resource professionals will attend the annual Passport to Prosperity Employer Forum to learn about an exciting solution to these challenges. With the changing workforce and everincreasing competition for human resources, employers can gain a competitive edge by participating in school-work partnerships with high schools.
Each opportunity that students have to learn about a career or industry will better inform their decisions when choosing a career path and entering the workforce. Employers have a tremendous opportunity to partner with high schools, engage students in their organizations, and thus help build the talent pool for years to come.
Four Easy Steps to Starting a Successful School-Work Program
As changing demographics place increased strain on the supply of skilled resources, school-work programs can help build the talent pool. Employers can help the next generation of workers make the transition into the labour market and develop critical employability skills, while giving existing employees the opportunity to improve their own skills in communication, team work and management.
School-work programs are great opportunities for employers to recruit, train and retain younger workers. There are a few easy steps you can take to create a successful school-work program in your organization.
The first is to convince key decision makers in your organization to support offering high school students work experience. It is important to illustrate how Passport to Prosperity ties in with your organizational goals and to provide examples of possible school-work opportunities that would suit your workplace. Supporting materials for Passport to Prosperity are available to help you answer questions about the initiative.
Second, you will need to determine if your organization should offer a short, medium or long-term work experience, depending on your goals, work environment, availability of resources and the amount of time you can commit. This is an important step in ensuring the best experience for the student and the organization.
Next, you should develop an implementation plan. It should list the organization’s contact and outline the roles and responsibilities of the student(s) and the organization. The plan should present the type of opportunity being offered, and what resources are required, and note that all collective agreement and work safety requirements have been met.
The final step is to contact your local business-education council or training board to connect you with student candidates. To find your local contact, please visit www.obep.on.ca.
Every school-work experience is different and can vary by organization, school and region. Helpful materials including an employer checklist, tips on getting management buy-in, and steps to implementation, can be found at www.edu.gov.on.ca/passport.
Business-Education Councils and Local Training Boards: Your Community Partners
Across Ontario, business-education councils (BECs) and local training boards (LTBs) are making connections and building partnerships between business and education to help ensure that all interested students have the opportunity to gain valuable work experience through school-work programs.
As the deliverers of Passport to Prosperity, BECs and LTBs work with employers, educators, students, parents and local governments to champion the importance and value of providing high school students work experience today so they can make informed career decisions and be successful contributors to the workforce tomorrow.
Each community in Ontario has different needs and each BEC and LTB reflects the local flavour by developing programs and hosting events specific to their region. These events include: career fairs, employer breakfasts or lunches and promotion for the skilled trades.
Business-education councils and local training boards are also the central points of contact in the community for interested employers to find out more about offering high school students work experience. Employers can request information about the variety of work experience opportunities that exist, determine which type of work experience is best suited for their workplace, and connect with local high school educators to create an opportunity for interested students.
Kelly Hoey, co-chair of the Ontario Business Education Partnership, the provincial umbrella organization that represents BECs and LTBs who support Passport to Prosperity, feels that all employers can benefit from offering high school students work experience. There are opportunities available to fit any employer’s needs, big or small.
“Often small and medium-sized businesses feel they do not have the time or resources to offer high school students work experience,” says Ms. Hoey. “With the scope of work experiences ranging from short-term commitments, such as career talks, to long-term programs such as co-operative education, there is a program that will work for every employer.”
To find your local Passport to Prosperity contact and to learn more about offering high school students work experience, visit www.obep.on.ca.
2006 Employer Champion Awards
The second annual Employer Champion Awards call for nominations was enthusiastically received, generating many exceptional submissions. Four Employer Champions and four Merit Award Winners have been selected and will be announced at the Passport to Prosperity Employer Forum on April 26, 2006.
Thank you to all nominators for supporting and promoting these employers and thank you to the nominees for your ongoing dedication to providing work experiences for students.
Simple Safety Tips for Supervisors
Young workers are an asset to the workplace. They have fresh new ideas and are eager to work. To keep students safe in the workplace, it is important they have enough information and training. Here are some helpful tips for supervisors:
Take time – Explain the job, provide training and supervision and be sure to complete all job-specific safety training before work is assigned.
Be aware – As a supervisor, you are legally responsible for your workers. Educate yourself by reading articles and other information about workplace injuries and prevention. Take every reasonable precaution to protect young workers.
Lead by example – Always reinforce safety on the job. Explain safety rules clearly and always be sure to wear the required protective devices. Be sure that everyone in the workplace, including you, follows these rules.
Communicate – Put instructions in words that young workers will understand and avoid jargon. This will help clarify expectations and will help students to remember the information.
Take action – Give the student a guided tour of the workplace, introduce young workers to key people within the organization, or pair the student with a more experienced and safety-conscious worker, to reinforce the safety-conscious attitude of your organization. This is your opportunity to be a role model for young workers beginning their employment journey.
Do your part to create a safe and healthy workplace!
Source: Ontario Ministry of Labour, “Employing Young Workers, Tips for…Supervisors” For more information, visit www.labour.gov.on.ca.
Join the Campaign!
For more information about Passport to Prosperity, please call 1-800-387-5514 or visit the website at www.edu.gov.on.ca/passport.
For information on providing a school-work opportunity to a high school student in your community, please contact the Ontario Business Education Partnership (OBEP) at 1-888-672-7996 or visit www.obep.on.ca. OBEP is a province-wide network of 26 business-education councils and local training boards facilitating partnerships with employers and schools in local communities.
The Provincial Partnership Council and the Passport to Prosperity campaign are supported by the Ontario Ministry of Education and the Ontario Ministry of Training, Colleges, and Universities. Partners include the Canadian Federation of Independent Business, the Human Resources Professionals Association of Ontario, Junior Achievement, the Ontario Chamber of Commerce, the Toronto Board of Trade, Landscape Ontario, and TVOntario.
