As Ontario’s aging workforce draws nearer to retirement, it’s essential that companies have a plan for how to fill these roles. Recruiting students and recent graduates is a good strategy to overcome talent gaps, although employers often find it difficult to find and hire quality youth employees. The additional time and costs needed to hire…
The Canada-Ontario Job Grant (COJG) is a training grant that supports employers implementing third-party training programs to improve employee skillsets. Since it was launched in 2014, the program has helped thousands of companies across Ontario to develop and maintain a highly skilled workforce. There have been some significant changes to COJG funding since the program…
Greenfield Global is the leading specialty alcohols producer in Canada, with a focus on corn-based bulk industrial alcohol, packaged alcohol and fuel ethanol, and agricultural co-products. As the largest ethanol producer, they operate four state-of-the-art manufacturing plants in Canada – all strategically located close to corn supply and end-user markets. Greenfield uses a variety of…
Canada’s steel and aluminum sectors are top economic drivers. In 2017 alone, they employed close to 25,000 workers and contributed nearly $9 billion to the country’s GDP. Keeping these sectors globally competitive is vital to Canada’s overall economic well-being, which is why new measures have been put in place recently to protect steel and aluminum…
Energy conservation activities have long been linked to environmentalism, but the shifting economics of energy use, especially in Ontario, has led to many businesses “going green.” There is now a financial case to be made for investing in energy-efficient technologies; higher energy rates and increased global competitiveness are putting pressure on manufacturers and other energy-intensive…
Canadian businesses are fortunate when it comes to exporting since there are several ways to receive support. These include training courses to certify you or members of your organization as trade professionals, and government funding programs to build export capacity and reach/expand international markets. Will your business start exporting or expand export markets in 2018? Educate yourself…
When organizations grow quickly, new challenges arise every day. With the right information, these challenges can be turned into opportunities; however, in normal business conditions, such opportunities may be hidden due to a lack of visibility or transparency in business processes. This is where enterprise resource planning (ERP) systems play a key role. ERPs can…
In March 2018 the Canada-Ontario Job Grant (COJG), a popular training grant for Ontario-based employers, announced several changes. Among the most significant effects is an increase in the number of businesses who can consider themselves a “small employer”, resulting in broader funding support for training projects. Effective immediately, COJG funding will offset up to 50-83%…
Targeted training programs are one of the most effective ways for technology companies to scale operations quickly and efficiently. By providing managers and employees with training, companies can develop new products and services to improve their competitive position. But despite the clear benefits of skills development in the technology industry, few companies allocate enough capital…
A Toronto-based insurance agency recently sought to provide emotional intelligence training for seven of its management-level employees. A training vendor they found to carry out the program informed them that using government grants could help more employees receive these valuable skills. After applying for the Canada-Ontario Job Grant (COJG), the insurance company expanded training to…