Passport to Prosperity is an Ontario-wide initiative to increase employer involvement in experiential learning opportunities for the benefit of high school students. These opportunities provide students with a chance to explore career options, gain valuable work experience and advance their skills. Employer’s can make an impact by shaping their future workforce through connecting with an eager local talent pool.
The Passport to Prosperity program supports various school-to-work opportunities that employers can participate in, including:
- Career Talks
- Workplace Tours
- Job Shadowing
- Short-Term Work Experiences
- Co-operative Education Placements
- Career Fairs
To impact your future workforce and help jump start a young persons career visit:
Recruitment Readiness & Retention of Young Talent – A Mentor’s Tale
Steve Georgopoulos, currently General Manager of Minto Suite Hotel in Ottawa, knows the true value of experiential learning for students but also for employers who have discovered it is an excellent way to accomplish the 3 R’s: recruitment, readiness, and retention of young talent. He takes pride in knowing that he has helped many students, as a member of the Provincial Partnership Council leading a province-wide school-to-work program initiative that supports employers providing experiential learning opportunities e.g. career talks, job shadowing and co-op placements.
Students have been fortunate to have had Georgopoulos as their mentor, because he not only helped them achieve their goals for high school graduation but also encouraged them to pursue post-secondary learning paths, and nurtured their interest in the hospitality and tourism sector.
“Our success can be attributed to a structured plan that works well: clearly set expectations of tasks and good work ethic, weekly homework assignments, peer presentations, and involvement with our staff in special community projects e.g. the adoption and clean-up of a public park”, says Georgopoulos.
“It’s a rewarding investment”, states Georgopoulos, “It’s not easy, but ever so rewarding.” He noticed benefits for his staff including renewed enthusiasm for their work as they shared their knowledge with co-op students and pleasure derived from discovering new perspectives from youth.
Alex Marchand, now Credit Manager at Fairmont’s Chateau Laurier, counts himself lucky to have had the chance to work with Steve Georgopoulos. Alex was able to gain experience in every department including front desk, housekeeping, accounting, sales, and the executive office while under Steve’s leadership. After graduating from the Hotel and Restaurant Management program at Algonquin College, he was positioned to follow his passion for customer service and was hired as the Accounting Clerk for Les Suites Hotel, Ottawa.
There are over 25,000 dedicated employers like Steve Georgopoulos in Ontario participating in experiential learning programs, but we need more local Ottawa employers to exhibit his commitment to youth nurturing their intensity for making a constructive contribution to their community, exploring career options, and gaining hands-on experience.
Accept Steve Georgopoulos’ challenge to engage your future workforce now, “If it’s to be, it’s up to us!”
Sign-up today at www.EmployerRegistry.ca or for more details contact Nancy Côté at ncote@ocri.ca.
Employer Benefits
- Gain access to a talented workforce at no cost
- Impact the training of your future workforce
- Get noticed as an excellent Corporate citizen who facilitates experiential learning for students
- Provide opportunities for meaningful mentorship
Student Benefits
- Gain experience outside of the classroom
- Connect classroom learning to real life situations
- Become more aware of your post secondary education options
- Become better prepared for the workforce
Educator Benefits
- Connect with employers to create meaningful work opportunities for students
- Help to better prepare students for post secondary education and the workplace
- Gain access to an extensive employer database
Media Release
RONA Home & Garden Receives 2009 Passport to Prosperity Employer Champion Award
TORONTO (April 28, 2009) – RONA Home & Garden in Nepean, Ont. today received the 2009 Passport to Prosperity Employer Champion Award in recognition of its outstanding commitment to providing meaningful work experiences for local high school students.
“By providing valuable workplace experiences to high school students, these employers are helping young Ontarians make some of the most important decisions in life, including setting career goals and choosing what type of postsecondary education and training to pursue,” said Minister of Education Kathleen Wynne. “School-work partnerships are critical to boosting student achievement and helping more kids graduate.”
