Employment Services

Enabling Our Community to Achieve Their Full Economic Potential

We champion equality and accessibility, making sure that everyone gets the opportunity to progress in employment and learning.

Dixon Hall’s Employment Services department works with over 1,500 individuals every year, connecting them with employment and training opportunities that suit their needs.

Job Seekers

Built on over 80 years of dedicated service to the community, and with a reputation as a professional, non-judgmental service provider powered by skilled staff who are committed to helping clients find meaningful employment, Dixon Hall’s Employment Services offers job-seekers:

  1. Access to state-of-the-art resources and technology to help with job searching (once we are able to safely re-open)
  2. Dynamic workshops to assist in finding the right job
  3. Individualized services to meet a diverse range of needs
  4. Personalized job matching and placement support
  5. Networking support

To get started on your journey towards securing meaningful employment, please contact:

Employers

At Dixon Hall, we know how time consuming it can be to find the right candidates for vacant positions in your organization. With this in mind, we take the stress out of recruitment by offering:

Recruitment Support

  1. Rigorous pre-screening to select the most job-ready applicants
  2. Access to a wide range of job-seekers with a variety of skills and experience
  3. Effective promotion of your job opportunities to a relevant audience
  4. Access to our online job board and resume database

Human Resources Support

  1. Job coaching and retention services
  2. Access to HR resources and expertise
  3. Development of training plans, job descriptions and job postings
  4. Customized recruitment events tailored to meet your specific human resource needs

Other Incentives

  1. Financial support to offset training costs, including job trials and placements
  2. Employers who hire, register and train job-seekers as apprentices are eligible for a $2,000 signing bonus
  3. Complimentary use of our facilities to host job fairs, meetings and events

To learn more about how to get connected to Employer Services, please
click here to complete the inquiry form 

Youth Incubator Program

The Incubator is an 8-week program for youth between 18-29 years of age who are Ontario Works recipients and are considering a career in trades or food services/hospitality.

Benefits of the program:

  • Experienced instructor provides on-the-job training
  • Up to $750 stipend upon program completion
  • 2 site placements to choose from: carpentry/skilled trades or hospitality/food services
  • WHMIS Certification and Food Handlers Accreditation by Toronto Public Health
  • Employment support provided with coaching, job search assistance and job placement

Successful students go on to become Maintenance Workers, Carpenters, Demolition Crew Members, Builders, Furniture Designers, Servers, Bartenders, Restaurant Managers, Event Planner, Chefs, Cashier and much more!
Locations
Virtual Classroom: online via Zoom
Carpentry Shop: Mill Centre, 25 Klondike Drive
Kitchen: Dixon Hall Youth Centre, 51 Wyatt Avenue

To learn more about the Incubator program visit theincubator.ca or contact:

Better Food Work

Better Food Work (Sustainable Food Sector Training Program) is a sector-focused career development program that equips participants who are moving closer to the labour market with requisite employer-informed/in-demand technical and employability skills (as well as personal support). 

The program is open for everyone to apply, including women, older workers, and newcomers/new immigrants, with a particular focus on Regent Park. 

The program consortium — comprised of Dixon Hall, George Brown College Centre for Hospitality and Culinary Arts, and Fred Victor Centre — brings together experts in employment services, sector-specific technical training, employer engagement connections and personal support provision. This provides a holistic employment and training program that equips participants with the skills necessary to pursue their career goals in the Food and Beverage Sector. The Program is a combination of technical skills training, career planning, opportunities and activities as well as practical experience to transition towards employment and/or further education upon completion. 

Over the course of 8 weeks, participants will take part in experiential learning opportunities to prepare them to enter and advance in Food and Beverage careers. All participants are provided with customized one-on-one supports – from enrollment to graduation and beyond. 

The Program is highly responsive to individual participant needs/interests. There are activity modules which combine in-class, on-site, work-based, and one-on-one learning activities. The curriculum has been designed with sector employer needs and they are actively engaged in program delivery, through the provision of work experiences, as well as facilitating connections to industry work opportunities. 

Eligibility 

  • 18-64 years of age

  • Ontario Works client 

  • Successful completion of a personal questionnaire, literacy and math assessment, interview 

  • Eligible to work in Canada

  • Commitment to completing the program and working with Dixon Hall to be connected to employment  

Benefits

  • Program participants will obtain the following certifications: WHMIS, First Aid, CPR & AED Certifications  

  • Extra monthly OW financial support: $250/month for training-related expenses plus $142/month for transportation

To learn more, contact:

Wrap Around Program

Dixon Hall Employment Services (DHES) is now accepting referrals, and invites Ontario Works (OW) clients to register for the new support program sponsored by Toronto Employment and Social Services (TESS). This program was developed in response to the COVID-19 pandemic and is designed to support Toronto residents in receipt of OW to increase their resilience, by responding to their immediate needs. This program is designed to equip OW recipients for their future career and employment needs as opportunities available during and post pandemic phases of opening. 

Programs

DHES’ Rebuilding Together client support program is designed to support clients through a variety of service offerings. Due to current restrictions all services will be offered virtually using the following delivery options: online webinars and workshops, one-on-one meetings via zoom, communications via email, and telephone.

Building Resilience

This program aims to increase participants’ resilience to proactively manage isolation, stress and mental health challenges. Through webinars and one-on-one coaching sessions this support will be provided and run for 4 to 6 weeks.

Career Coaching

This program will equip participants with life and personal career management skills, tools, resources, and connections to meet their urgent needs and determine long-term life goals. Through career assessment and coaching, a VIA Character Strengths Assessment will be undertaken in addition to webinars and one-on-one coaching sessions. The full program will be between 4 to 6 weeks.

Pre-Employment Support Program

This program is designed for participants who have been unemployed and who wish to move closer to the labour market. Individualized one-on-one employment counselling will provide step by step directions and will link participants to job training and workshops, tools and resources to assist you on the path to securing sustainable employment. This program is designed for a 12 week delivery.

Digital Literacy Program (Northstar Certified)

Dixon Hall’s Literacy & Basic Skills is offering computer training and certification in partnership with Northstar Digital Literacy, to help learners master the required skills for these tasks and other everyday computer use. This training will cover: Basic Computer Skills, Internet Basics, Emailing, Microsoft Word, Microsoft Excel, Microsoft PowerPoint, and Social Media. The training will be delivered one-on-one via Zoom Platform for 6 weeks 1 hour per week.

Creative Writing

DHES’ creative writing workshop will encourage and support your personal expression. The workshop is designed to help individuals give voice to their thoughts and ideas. No experience is necessary. The program is offered via Zoom and will run for 4 weeks, 2 hours per week.

Basic Food Safety & Workplace Communication (Certified)

Upon successful completion, this program will give participants a Food Handler’s Certificate. In cooperation with TrainCan, DHES is pleased to offer this food handler certification course with online study and proctored WEBCAM certification exams. The program will be delivered via Zoom platform and will be 1 week in duration.

Financial Support

Participants will receive $250 monthly as financial support for the duration of the program for a maximum of 12 weeks.

Program eligibility

Participants considering the programs:

  • Must be a current resident in GTA Toronto

  • Should be current Ontario Works recipient and have a case worker assigned

  • Have time and availability to sign up for individual and group program activities

To learn more, contact:

Skills for Success for Women

Require new skills for employment?

Need one-one coaching tailored to your needs to develop a new career path?

This program offers:

Digital Skills Upgrading: Learn how to use Word, Outlook, Power Point, Excel, Internet, Smartphone

Employment Readiness:  Develop skills to search for jobs online,  to network and job search online

Develop Career Path: Build confidence, discover your personal potential and capabilities and develop a career path with a personal coach.

Job Coaching:

Understand job market and employers’ needs to  be an eligible candidate for jobs, on the job training and placements

Group Activities: Participate in “Creative Writing” sessions to improve your self-expression, communication, and engage with your program peers and program team.

Program details and Benefits:

Program Length: 8 weeks

Program Hours: 13 hours weekly

All programs will be at no cost to participants.

Financial and equipment support available.

Optional certification courses and services will be available at no cost

Eligibility:

Unemployed or underemployed  looking to develop skills for employment

Canadian Citizen, Permanent Resident, or Convention Refugee

Age 25+

English language level CLB 6+

Post-secondary level of education or below preferred

Looking for employment and/or develop a career path to adopt in today’s job market

Build network and support group, and work with personal coached to increase confidence and resilience.

Literacy & Basic Skills (LBS)

Dixon Hall Literacy and Basic Skills (LBS) program helps adults to develop and apply communication, numeracy, interpersonal and digital skills to achieve their goals. The LBS program serves learners who have goals to successfully transition to employment, post secondary, apprenticeship, secondary school, and increased independence. The program includes learners who may have a range of barriers to learning.

Why Join This Program
The LBS program offers a safe and supportive small group learning environment for adults who are interested in developing literacy, numeracy and basic technological skills that will allow them to live more productive lives.
Through our Literacy and Basic Skills program, learners can upgrade their skills to pursue goals of preparing to:

  • Complete secondary school credits
  • Write their G1 Drivers’ test
  • Write the Mature Entrance Examination for college
  • Write the Food Handler’s Certificate Examination
  • Learn Basic Computer Skills
  • Increase their Digital Literacy Skills
  • Upgrade their reading and writing skills for daily life

Who can join this program
The Literacy and Basic Skills program is open to individuals who:

  • Are 19 years or older
  • Have strong English conversational skills (recommended Canadian Language Benchmark Level 6 or higher)
  • Are residents of Ontario
  • Have a valid Social Insurance Number (SIN)

How to join this program:

  • Applications are accepted throughout the year
  • Learners can join at any time based on space availability
  • Complete our pre-registration form and our staff will get back to you to arrange an Assessment so we can determine your current skill level

Questions? Contact: Maxine Brown-Simpson, Literacy & Basic Skills Instructor

An image featuring three logos: Employment Ontario in a bold magenta box with white text, the Ontario logo with a black stylized trillium flower, and the Canada logo with black text and a small red Canadian flag above the final "a".

This Employment Ontario program is funded in part by the Government of Canada and the Government of Ontario and through the Canada-Ontario Job Fund Agreement.

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