Member Profile: Halton Industry Education Council (HIEC)

Member Profile: Halton Industry Education Council

March 18, 2020

This past November, Halton Industry Education Council (HIEC) turned 30 – and they have a lot to celebrate! Founded in 1989, HIEC is a not-for-profit social enterprise that focuses on partnership, mentorship and workforce development. HIEC was developed in partnership with the four Halton Region Chambers of Commerce, the Halton District and Halton Catholic District School Boards, and Sheridan College. For three decades HIEC has been developing and delivering innovative programs and services that leverage technologies, advance community collaboration, strengthen economic development, inspire mentorship, and help young people succeed.

HIEC strives to empower youth in their career exploration and contribute to their overall mental wellness as it relates to future planning and opportunities. This includes building stronger connections between educators, employers, and the students who will make up the future workforce through their Career Awareness Program, hosting inspiring community events, and managing multiple technologies that focus on workforce development.

Through the Career Awareness Program, HIEC supports 7,000 students a year as they prepare to transition into high school. The program is for grade 7 students and helps them identify their individual values, skills and interests. During their visit, students also have the opportunity to investigate 3500+ different occupations that are outlined in the Career Development Lab. Students can also participate in a life work simulation program, which provides them with a better understanding of working conditions, salaries, future trends, and post-secondary pathways for jobs that interest them. This program is very successful and has even received international interest.

Building on career planning, HIEC hosts two annual community events: Women as Career Coaches and Men as Career Coaches. These informal and interactive events bring mentors from different industries and careers together with young people for an evening of open and honest conversation about occupational pathways, post-secondary destinations, and work life. Collectively, these events have hosted 5,500 mentors and 6,300 students! Students have reported these events to be very influential; with some returning to the event as career coaches once they’ve established their careers. Consider sharing your career journey at the Women in Career Coaches or the Men in Career Coaches events.

In addition to their in-person programming and events, HIEC operates two important workforce development technologies. ApprenticeSearch.com is an online matching service designed specifically and exclusively to serve the needs of skilled trades employers and apprentices. The site was developed to address the shortage of skilled trades’ workers in the province. The free online service raises awareness of the trades and provides information on the apprenticeship pathway. The site receives up to 150 new applicants each week, with over 16,000 people seeking apprenticeship opportunities in Ontario. Organizations looking to offer an apprenticeship can register online, post vacancies, and initiate a live search for suitable applicants and apprenticeship candidates. In addition to contributing to the training of the future workforce, there are also grants and other financial incentives available for employers offering apprenticeships.

The other technology HIEC offers is EmployerRegistry.ca, a free online community that connects employers and the future workforce. Developed in 2008, the site acts as a single point of contact for employers looking to get involved with short, medium, and long-term experiential learning opportunities, ranging from one-hour career talks to full-semester cooperative education placements.

HIEC’s programming is quite remarkable. Not only does it impact our local workforce in Halton through the Career Awareness Program, but it assists Ontario’s workforce through ApprenticeSearch.com. EmployerRegistry.ca If you have a student seeking guidance for their career path, or you’d like to share your professional journey, or your workplace would like to offer a co-op or apprenticeship placement, contact HIEC. Set up a meeting or book a tour of their impressive facility.

hiec.on.ca
905.634.2575
info@hiec.on.ca