Workforce Development in Small & Rural Communities (Waterloo Region). 

Co‑created sustainable workforce strategies with small businesses; supported learners, jobseekers, and workers in developing the skills needed for evolving, high‑demand sectors. 

Funding: Funded by Economic and Social Development Canada

What did this Project Set Out to Do?

This project was developed to support coordinated workforce development in the communities of Ayr and St. Jacobs, Ontario, by aligning local labour market needs with education, training, and upskilling pathways offered through Conestoga College.

Across both communities, employers reported persistent difficulty filling roles—not solely due to labour shortages, but because of misalignment between workforce skills, educational attainment, and occupational requirements. In response, a suite of four complementary training plans was created to address workforce needs holistically:

Training programs to meet educational requirements in Ayr

Training programs to address occupational needs in St. Jacobs (Training Plan 1)

Continuing education and upskilling pathways for St. Jacobs (Training Plan 2)

A shared Skills for Success–informed framework applicable to both communities

Together, these plans support new entrants, incumbent workers, employers, and workforce development leaders, while addressing short‑, medium‑, and long‑term community workforce needs.

How was the Research Done?

All four plans were grounded in community‑level environmental scans conducted in July 2023, ensuring consistency, comparability, and evidence‑based decision‑making.

1. Labour Market and Workforce Analysis
The analysis drew on the following data sources for each community: 2021 Statistics Canada Census data, local job postings, previous Conestoga College co‑op placements, 2022 EmployerOne Survey, Township of North Dumfries subset (Ayr), Township of Woolwich subset (St. Jacobs), and relevant municipal Official Plan economic policies.

Workforce needs were classified as:

Short‑term: roles posted for 30 days or longer

Medium‑term: roles employers plan to fill within 12 months and identify as hard‑to‑fill

Long‑term: anticipated hard‑to‑fill roles beyond one year

2. Occupational and Skills Mapping Occupations were categorized using the National Occupational Classification (NOC) system. Where employer data did not clearly specify educational requirements—particularly for medium‑ and long‑term occupations—NOC employment requirements were used as a consistent proxy. For St. Jacobs, employer job postings were also analyzed using the federal Skills for Success framework, allowing for the identification of both foundational and technical skill gaps.

3. Program and Pathway Alignment Relevant full‑time programs, apprenticeships, continuing education courses, and micro‑credentials offered by Conestoga College were mapped to:

Occupational requirements (degrees, diplomas, certificates, apprenticeships)

Skills gaps among the existing workforce

This ensured that training options were accessible, aligned with employer demand, and appropriate to the varying career stages.

What did the Project Discover?

Across both communities, the findings highlighted the importance of formal education pathways combined with flexible upskilling opportunities.

Education and Credential Gaps

In Ayr, approximately 30% of the working‑age population (25–65) lacks a post‑secondary credential, rising to 40% among residents aged 15+.

In St. Jacobs, roughly 20% of working‑age residents lack post‑secondary credentials, increasing to 29% among those aged 15+.

Many identified workforce needs—particularly in trades, health care, engineering technologies, and business management—require post‑secondary education or trade certification.

Occupational Demand Demand in both communities spans multiple sectors, including:

Business, finance, and administration

Trades, transport, and equipment operations

Manufacturing and utilities

Health and community services

Education and early learning

Sales, service, and creative industries

Natural and applied sciences and engineering technologies

Short‑term needs often align with entry‑level or technician roles, while medium‑ and long‑term needs increasingly require advanced diplomas, degrees, or apprenticeships.

Skills Gaps Employers frequently cited difficulty filling roles due to:

Lack of technical skills

Insufficient qualifications

Limited work experience

Gaps in communication, adaptability, digital skills, problem‑solving, and writing

Notably, some skills—such as time management and organizational ability—were emphasized in employer surveys but appeared less explicitly in job postings, suggesting assumed skill expectations.

Why Does This Matter & Key Applications

For communities like Ayr and St. Jacobs, workforce resilience depends on intentional alignment between labour market demand, education systems, and skill development options. This combined project transforms local labour market data into actionable training pathways, reducing skills mismatches and strengthening local economic capacity.

By integrating occupational training and skills‑based upskilling, the project:

Supports both new workforce entrants and existing workers

Reduces recruitment and retention challenges for employers

Builds long‑term community workforce stability

Encourages residents to pursue locally relevant education and careers

Together, these four training plans function as an integrated workforce development toolkit that can be used to:

Help employers recruit graduates and co‑op students

Support incumbent worker upskilling without disrupting operations

Guide residents toward education and training aligned with local demand

Inform workforce planning, funding decisions, and economic development strategies

Build proactive, local talent pipelines for future workforce needs

The plans distinguish clearly between formal education pathways (Training Plan 1s) and short‑cycle, flexible upskilling options (Training Plan 2). This allows communities to address both immediate staffing challenges and long‑term workforce sustainability.