Workshop identifies opportunities for processors, newcomer groups to work together.
With the Ontario food and beverage industry offering a wide range of job openings for employees of all skill levels, processors joined representatives from economic development, academic, and newcomer employment support services organizations to discuss how to make it easier for new Canadians to find jobs in the industry.
The workshop held in Brampton, Ontario is part of “Taste Your Future”, an initiative led by Food and Beverage Ontario to encourage more new Canadians, young people and recent graduates to consider jobs and careers in food and beverage processing—an industry that is seeking to create 60,000 new jobs by 2020. Workshop participants discussed ways to overcome barriers facing new Canadians including how to raise awareness about opportunities in the sector, training, language and certification requirements.
“Food and beverage processors provide numerous job and career opportunities for new Canadians across the province,” said Norm Beal, CEO of Food and Beverage Ontario. “Too many of these companies struggle to fill job openings with skilled employees. We want to ensure all job seekers, including new Canadians, know about these opportunities and think of food and beverage processing when looking for a place to work.”
With more than 130,000 Ontarians working for more than 3,800 businesses across the province—and growing—the food and beverage processing industry offers a wide range of job and career options from food scientist and butcher to marketer, accountant, and engineer.
