Food and Beverage Ontario has launched RecruitNOW!, a free employer service designed to help the province’s food and beverage processors connect with job-ready candidates and access workforce resources.
The program offers tailored support for companies recruiting and retaining talent in high-demand roles across Ontario’s largest manufacturing sector, which includes more than 4,000 businesses and employs over 125,000 people.
How the service works
RecruitNOW! operates through Food and Beverage Ontario’s CareersNOW! program, which has supported roughly 5,000 individuals in securing jobs since its 2021 launch.
CareersNOW! staff meet directly with employer hiring teams to assess recruitment needs and connect businesses with employment supports that complement existing workforce efforts, according to the organization.
“The food and beverage processing sector continues to grow, and employers have told us they need practical, hands-on support to find and hire skilled talent,” said Christopher Conway, chief executive officer of Food and Beverage Ontario.
Available resources
The program provides processors with several free resources, including virtual job fairs to meet candidates, job postings through Magnet and Careers in Food, and wage subsidies of up to $7,000 per student for co-op and internship hires.
Additional supports include company spotlights through videos and social media, webinars on hiring practices and retention strategies, and monthly labour market information reports.
Training offerings include digital marketing skills delivered by the Canadian Marketing Association and digital twinning training through the Ontario Chamber of Commerce.
Workforce demand
Employers continue to report high demand for machine operators, bakers, millwrights, HVAC professionals, quality assurance technicians and other skilled roles.
More than 12,000 jobseekers and students have engaged in CareersNOW!, with 50 per cent of participants under 30 years of age, 62 per cent identifying as New Canadians, and 4.6 per cent identifying as Indigenous.
According to the organization, 90 per cent of CareersNOW! jobseekers reported a better understanding of career opportunities in the sector, and 81 per cent developed skills that make them more attractive to employers.
Employers can register for a RecruitNOW! session at CareersNOW.ca/Employers. The Employment Ontario program is funded in part by the Government of Canada and the Government of Ontario.
