Managed by EnerQuality, the OHBA Job Ready Program recruits, pre-screens, and qualifies prospective workers and provides the necessary training and skills development required by the Ministry of Labour.
Interested employers can hire these job-ready workers for a six-month, full-time paid placement, typically into non-unionized entry-level positions.
There is no cost to participate in the program. Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) is provided to all participants and employers could receive up to a $3,000 incentive (per hire) with the ability to convert participants to full-time employees at the end of their placement.
We caught up with David Gladwin of Gladwin Building Services to learn how their Job Ready participant helped them grow.
Gladwin Building Services Inc. specializes in kitchen, bathroom, and basement renovations, including furnace replacement, hot water tank replacement, and air conditioning.
What were your employees responsible for?
OHBA Job Ready participants worked on tool maintenance and organization and learned how to do demolition in a clean and efficient way. They were also involved in every stage of drywall, from installation and taping to plastering, trim work and sanding. They also primed and painted.
How did the program improve your recruiting and onboarding processes?
The program changed their recruitment process for the better: “I had become discouraged with the quality of the applicants using more traditional recruiting methods. The OHBA Job Ready Program provides a short list to interview.”
“I appreciated that they received safety training prior to starting. That was one item we did not have to focus on as much while bringing them up to speed.”
What value did the job ready participants bring to your team?
The participants “brought an eagerness to learn new things, a positive attitude, and punctuality that instilled confidence and trust in the client.”
What was the most impactful part of the program for you?
“My Job Ready participant learned quickly and soon could be left alone to complete specific tasks, thus allowing me to take care of things off site during the day.”
Looking to fill your entry level construction role quickly with a qualified candidate? Check out the OHBA Job Ready Program website to get started.
OHBA Job Ready Blog Series
Learn more about how we provide the most thorough pre-jobsite entry level training in the construction industry in our blog series:
