TORONTO — Food and Beverage Ontario, a not-for-profit dedicated to advancing Ontario’s food-and-beverage processing industry, has launched CareersNOW!, a marketing campaign for its flagship workforce-development initiative.
The program was launched in 2020 in response to the workforce shortage and ongoing challenges stemming from the COVID-19 pandemic. The initiative is funded by Ontario’s Ministry of Labour, Immigration, Training and Skills Development through the Skills Development Fund. The program has made significant progress, including engaging with more than 3,000 jobseekers and students, working with 400+ employers and creating more than 600 jobs.
CareersNOW! has launched a province-wide, integrated campaign including a new website, digital advertising, email marketing, out-of-home advertising and strategic partnerships.
The campaign’s creative and messaging centres around “From Passion to Profession,” highlighting the motivation for jobseekers to find work that allows for upward mobility, growth and mentorship. The new campaign features a new website offering a streamlined, single-sign-on platform with the ability to connect jobseekers to more than 4,000 Ontario employers. The website features videos and guides, access to skills training and job fairs, as well as job postings for positions ranging from entry-level to supervisors and quality assurance and sales.
“Our government is on a mission to help people gain the skills they need to take the next steps in in-demand careers,” says David Piccini, Minister of Labour, Immigration, Training and Skills Development. “I’m proud to invest in programs like CareersNOW!, which gives a much-needed boost to our critical food-and-beverage industry and help young people earn more take-home pay.”
“The food-and-beverage processing industry is Ontario’s largest manufacturing sector by employment and a huge contributor to the provincial and national economy. With CareersNOW! we’re giving jobseekers the opportunity to explore and start an exciting job in our industry and we’re giving employers the workforce supports necessary to grow their business and meet the demands of Ontario consumers,” says Michael Burrows, CEO of Maple Lodge Farms and Chair of Food and Beverage Ontario.
