Thanks for your interest hosting a work placement. We’ve put together this brief outline to help you understand what’s involved. Please contact us if you have any further questions or if you would like to host a placement. To help us get a better understanding of the kind of placement we would appreciate if you could send us a completed Placement Request Form.

What is Job Connect?

Job Connect is a program funded by the Government of Ontario, through the Ministry of Training, Colleges and Universities (MTCU). It is designed to offer a range of services to respond to the employment needs of individuals and skilled labour needs of employers. The Working Centre delivers the Job Connect program for adults in Kitchener-Waterloo.

What individuals qualify for Job Connect placements?

To be an eligible for a placement, an individual must be:

• At least 16 years of age and eligible to work in Canada.
• Out of school (not registered to return to school), out of work and training, usually for at least six months. Internationally trained professionals who are working part-time in “survival” jobs may also be eligible.
• Defined as NOT an insured participant under the Employment Insurance Act. An exception may be made to this rule in certain circumstances.

What employers qualify for Job Connect placements?

Most types of organizations – private sector, public sector, not-for-profit – are potentially eligible to host a placement. The employer must:

• Be licensed to operate in Ontario;
• Demonstrate the ability to provide the trainee with adequate supervision, and the training agreed to;
• Provide employment in Ontario;
• When hosting a paid placement, place trainees on the company’s payroll and provide the same
• employment terms, conditions, and benefits as for all regular employees;
• Comply with the Occupational Health and Safety Act and the Employment Standards Act;
• Maintain appropriate WSIB or alternate workplace safety insurance coverage;
• Have adequate third party general liability insurance;
• Comply with all applicable federal and provincial human rights legislation, regulations, and any other relevant standards; and
• Comply with freedom of information and protection of privacy legislation.

Job Connect can provide workplace safety coverage for the person who’s in a work placement. Why do we have to confirm that we have our own workplace safety coverage?

Most employers are required to register with the Workplace Safety Insurance Board. (If you’re not sure about your organization, check with your local WSIB office.) When registration is not mandatory, an employer may register voluntarily, or purchase coverage from a private insurance company. Job Connect requires that employers have coverage in place, as a prerequisite to Job Connect Placement eligibility, because placements can happen only with employers that have made “a demonstrated commitment to a safe workplace.” When insurance coverage is in place, employers are more likely to have properly constituted health & safety committees, training procedures and well-maintained equipment. Accidents can happen in any working environment, but they’re much less likely to occur when everyone is up to speed on safety.

Is third party liability insurance coverage necessary?

Job Connect also requires employers to have third party liability insurance in place, to cover the costs of any damages caused by placement participants to the property of other people while on the job. Third party liability insurance is “protection of the insured against liability for damage to or destruction of the bodies or property of others.”

If we don’t have BOTH workplace safety coverage AND third party liability insurance, can a Job Connect placement still happen?

No. Unfortunately, there’s no flexibility with this rule.

What safety training must be provided?

The Working Centre will provide an introduction to workplace safety concepts. The employer must provide specific on-site safety training prior to the placement start date. The training need not be any different from what you provide to any new employee.

Why do we have to provide our Federal Business Number?

A Federal Business Number (the first nine digits of your GST number), issued by the Canada Revenue Agency, is a unique identifier for each organization. MTCU uses the number to administer the Job Connect program.

What is a training plan?

The training plan is an important component of a Job Connect placement. The program is designed to help people develop their skills and get the training they need so that they can find work that matches their skills and interests.

When a placement is negotiated, the employer (placement provider), trainee and delivery agency work out a plan that will help the trainee. The plan sets out:

• Key job duties
• Training goals and expected outcomes
• Training and support that will be provided to the trainee

The training plan is incorporated into the placement agreement that must be signed before a placement can begin. The Working Centre provides assistance in developing this training plan.

Is a training incentive available?

In certain cases, Job Connect can provide an on-the-job training incentive as part of a paid placement. In that situation, the employer hires the trainee, places the trainee on the company’s payroll and provides the same employment terms, conditions, and benefits as for all regular employees.

What amount of training incentive is available?

The amount of the incentive is negotiated, and is contingent on factors such as: length of the placement, the hourly wage, the skill level of the job, the type of training that can be provided, and the program budget. An hourly amount and a maximum amount (the total training allowance available) are negotiated.

How long can a placement be?

Placements vary in length. A typical length of an unsubsidized volunteer placement is two to four weeks. The usual limit for a volunteer placement is six weeks. Most subsidized placements are less than three months in duration. In some cases they can last up to six months or more.