Construction Connections – Building Careers and Communities
A construction sector workforce development and employment services hub
for job seekers and employers in Toronto.
As part of a broader workforce development pathway pilot in the construction sector,
Construction Connections is a sector-focused one-stop-shop that links Toronto job seekers
with training, employment and career supports,
while providing employers with suitable, qualified candidates.
Construction Connections has three main objectives: Help job seekers navigate the construction
training and apprenticeship system by providing career and employment planning services through
dedicated, sector-focused case management.
Provide a pipeline of suitable, qualified candidates for construction sector employers
seeking apprentices and other skilled workers.
Implement a sector-based, workforce development pathway model that is built on strong partnerships
across a wide range of stakeholders, including government, non-profit, charitable, private
sector, labour and community organizations.
Who is involved?
Leadership is provided across several organizations all working towards a common goal of helping
to achieve an inclusive labour market.
These organizations work together in partnership through three main bodies: a senior leadership
table, an advisory group and a service delivery team.
Partner organizations contribute to Construction Connections in several ways, by providing
strategic leadership; project planning and coordination; direct or in-kind investment;
expert knowledge and advisory; or direct service delivery.
This partnership model has many obvious benefits, including the ability to combine knowledge
and resources for greater collective impact.
For example, as part of this pilot project, the Ministry of Advanced Education and Skills
Development has contracted the YMCA to work alongside TESS staff in an integrated service
delivery team, resulting in, an increased capacity to provide more job seekers with
focused, high quality construction sector career planning and employment services.
Construction Connections serves both the supply and demand sides of the construction sector
labour market in Toronto.
On the supply side, Construction Connections is designed to support job seekers in Toronto
who need help the most.
This includes low-income residents facing economic barriers, residents of Neighbourhood
Improvement Areas and equity-seeking groups who have been historically underrepresented
in the construction sector – including people from racialized communities, women and Aboriginal people.
Considering the prominence of the apprenticeship system in construction, there is also a specific
focus on youth aged 18 to 29.
On the demand side, Construction Connections has an initial focus on supporting employers
connected to three types of construction development projects in Toronto:
Publicly funded infrastructure projects with community benefits commitments, starting with
the Eglinton Crosstown Light Rail Transit Development;
Projects identified through the City’s Social Procurement Program that includes workforce
development requirements; and Community revitalization projects that improve
or increase subsidized housing.
It is anticipated that Construction Connections will be able to support the training and placement
of construction trade apprentices and other skilled workers required for several projects
across these types of developments.
The numbers, types and timing of jobs available varies within and across construction projects.
Members of the Construction Connections team are continuously working to ensure a balance
between the needs of the supply and demand sides of the equation.
What does Construction Connections look like and how does it work?
Construction Connections is a sector-focused workforce development and employment services
hub where Case Managers work with job seekers to assess their needs and develop customized
employment service plans for a career in the construction sector.
Located at the TESS Employment Centre at Yonge and Eglinton, TESS and YMCA staff work side-by-side
to provide a full suite of employment planning and preparation services including; construction
trades information, including training and employment prerequisites; soft skills coaching;
customized essential skills training; social supports, including mental health coaching;
pre-employment training, such as health & safety certifications; direct access or referrals
to pre-apprenticeship and trades training programs; connections to financial benefits
for clothing, tools and certifications; and job placement and retention supports.
This one-stop-shop approach increases access to services when they are needed and improves
the consistency and continuity of services provided throughout and across individual
employment service plans.
By working closely with labour councils, trade unions, employers and developers in the construction
industry, Construction Connections staff can ensure that job seekers who need help the
most are assessed for the right aptitudes, provided with the most current and relevant
training, and equipped with the tools and supports they need to perform on the job.
As a result, Construction Connections can serve both the immediate human resource needs
of employers and the long-term workforce needs of the sector.
For Toronto and the region, Construction Connections provides a valuable opportunity to apply and
learn from an integrated approach to sector-focused workforce development planning and management.
Lessons learned from this model can help inform future efforts to create similar workforce
development pathways for other employment sectors and geographies.
Construction Connections has already begun to provide information and orientation sessions
to a range of job seekers, starting with residents from communities across the Eglinton corridor.
Staff will continue working with job seekers, community agencies, labour unions, trades
training providers and construction sector employers to build a strong pipeline of suitable,
qualified workers for future employment opportunities.
Construction Connections – Building Careers and Communities