Workforce Development

📊 Local Labour Market Plan 2026–2027 – Highlight #3

Our workforce is aging.

Nearly half of workers (49%) are aged 25–54, while over 22% are 65+. As more experienced workers approach retirement, this shift has important implications for employers and the broader economy.

Planning for workforce transitions is essential to ensure continuity and long-term success.

Workforce planning today means succession planning for tomorrow.

📖 Read the full report:
https://workforcedevelopment.ca/local-labour-market-plan/

Stay tuned for more insights from the Local Labour Market Plan.

The Local Labour Market Plan (LLMP) is an annual deliverable of the Workforce Planning Boards, funded by Ontario's MLTSD. It captures the significant changes in the past few years in the local economies and labour markets, as well as the community action tailored to ensure economic growth and resilience development. Workforce Development and Planning Board EMO invite you to review their LLMP at https://workforcedevelopment.ca/local-labour-market-plan/

✨ Elevate 2026 — A look back at last week
It was an inspiring morning, bringing together business leaders and HR professionals for meaningful conversations on legal clarity, workforce strategy, employer branding, and responsible AI.

📊𝗟𝗼𝗰𝗮𝗹 𝗟𝗮𝗯𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗠𝗮𝗿𝗸𝗲𝘁 𝗣𝗹𝗮𝗻 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟲–𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟳 | 𝗛𝗶𝗴𝗵𝗹𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁 #𝟮

Employment in the region grew by 𝟮𝟮% 𝗯𝗲𝘁𝘄𝗲𝗲𝗻 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟬 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟱, adding over 𝟳𝟳,𝟬𝟬𝟬 𝗷𝗼𝗯𝘀.

Where the jobs are:

🔹Largest share: Sales & service, trades, business/admin, social services
🔹Fastest growth: Sciences, management, culture & recreation

At the industry level:

🔹𝗛𝗲𝗮𝗹𝘁𝗵 𝗰𝗮𝗿𝗲, 𝗿𝗲𝘁𝗮𝗶𝗹, 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗺𝗮𝗻𝘂𝗳𝗮𝗰𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴 are the backbone of employment
🔹𝗖𝗼𝗻𝘀𝘁𝗿𝘂𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻, 𝗲𝗱𝘂𝗰𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻, 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗳𝗶𝗻𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲/𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗹 𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗮𝘁𝗲 grow steadily, bringing stability

This is one of several insights from the 𝗟𝗼𝗰𝗮𝗹 𝗟𝗮𝗯𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗠𝗮𝗿𝗸𝗲𝘁 𝗣𝗹𝗮𝗻 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟲–𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟳, highlighting workforce trends across 𝗘𝗹𝗴𝗶𝗻, 𝗠𝗶𝗱𝗱𝗹𝗲𝘀𝗲𝘅, 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗢𝘅𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗱.

📖 Read the full report:
https://workforcedevelopment.ca/local-labour-market-plan/

The Oxford County Career Expo is almost here and this is your chance to connect directly with employers who are actively hiring on-site.

💼 Explore opportunities in:
Manufacturing • Healthcare • Skilled Trades • Retail • Government • Transportation • Non-Profit & more

Why you should be there:
✔️ Meet employers face-to-face
✔️ Discover in-demand careers
✔️ Learn about training pathways
✔️ Apply on the spot

📍 Woodstock Fairgrounds
🗓️ March 26
⏰ 2:00 – 6:00 PM

💡Bring your resume and be ready to make real connections!

More info: https://workinoxford.ca/career-expo

Sold out.

Elevate 2026 – Business Strategies for Success has officially reached capacity.
We are incredibly grateful for the response from business leaders, owners, and HR professionals across London and the surrounding region.

This March Masterclass was designed to help organizations prepare for what is ahead in 2026 with practical, actionable insight on:

• Legal and HR risk clarity
• Workforce planning trends
• Strategic branding for growth
• Responsible AI implementation
• Employee benefits and retention strategies

Our waitlist is now open and we will notify individuals as seats become available.
If you want early access to future HRBG events before they sell out, join our email list. Subscribers receive registration announcements first.

Work smarter. Not harder.

If you are attending, let us know in the comments.
If you are on the waitlist, comment “Waitlist” below.

Want priority access to future HRBG events before they sell out?
Join our email list here:

https://mailchi.mp/d883bb98d6c4/hrbg-networking-and-masterclass-events-signup

💡 “Put a face to your resume” means being remembered.

Stop being just another application in the system.
At a job fair, you’re not a file. You’re a face, a conversation, a connection.

Here’s how to stand out:

✔️ Show genuine curiosity – ask about the day-to-day, the team, the hiring process, and more. It’s also a chance to see if you really want to work there.
✔️ Make a strong first impression – dress for the job you want and speak confidently.
✔️ Bring printed copies of your resume – show that you’re prepared.
✔️ Follow up – connect with recruiters online afterward and mention something from your conversation that shows you were actively listening.

✨ Be ready for the upcoming job fairs in our region!

👀 Looking for a job or a new opportunity?

Great news! Job fairs are happening across Elgin, Middlesex, and Oxford — and they’re the perfect place to meet employers face-to-face and explore what’s out there.

📍 Here’s what’s coming up:

👉 Oxford County Career Expo 2026
📅 March 26 | ⏰3pm to 6pm |📍 Woodstock Fairgrounds
🔗Register here: https://workinoxford.ca/career-expo-jobseekers

👉 Job Fair 2026 St Thomas Elgin County and Area
📅 April 15 |⏰1pm to 5pm |📍 Joe Thornton Community Centre
🔗Register here: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/job-fair-2026-st-thomas-elgin-county-area-job-seekers-tickets-1982908817652

👉 London and Area Works Job Fair 2026
📅 April 21 |⏰2pm to 6pm |📍 White Oaks Mall
🔗Register here: https://www.ledc.com/event/london-and-area-works-job-fair-2026

✨ Meet local employers
✨ Learn about available jobs
✨ Bring your resume and make connections

💡 Tip: Register ahead of time to get the full list of employers and opportunities.

📢 Share this with someone who’s job hunting!

📊 𝗟𝗼𝗰𝗮𝗹 𝗟𝗮𝗯𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗠𝗮𝗿𝗸𝗲𝘁 𝗣𝗹𝗮𝗻 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟲–𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟳 – 𝗛𝗶𝗴𝗵𝗹𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁 #𝟭

Our region continues to grow.

The London Economic Region reached 830,922 residents in 2025, representing a 12.6% increase since 2020, outpacing Ontario’s overall population growth.

Population trends influence labour supply, housing needs, infrastructure, and the services our communities depend on. These insights help employers, community organizations, and policymakers plan for the future.

📖 Read the full Local Labour Market Plan:
https://workforcedevelopment.ca/local-labour-market-plan/

Stay tuned as we share more highlights from the report over the coming weeks.

👀 𝗦𝗻𝗲𝗮𝗸 𝗣𝗲𝗲𝗸: 𝗘𝗺𝗽𝗹𝗼𝘆𝗲𝗿𝗢𝗻𝗲 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟲 𝗥𝗲𝘀𝘂𝗹𝘁𝘀

We’re giving you an exclusive first look at what employers in the London Economic Region are saying about hiring, workforce quality, and recruitment trends.

💼 Hiring Remains Steady: Almost 80% of employers hired last year, with full-time roles making up 47% of hires.
🌟 Worker Quality Improving: More employers rated the quality of workers as “excellent” or “good.”
🔍 Recruitment Methods: Word of mouth works best, but private job boards produce the most hires.
✅ Top Hiring Criteria: Willingness to learn, strong work ethic, and cultural fit are key.

📅 𝗗𝗼𝗻’𝘁 𝗺𝗶𝘀𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗳𝘂𝗹𝗹 𝗿𝗲𝘀𝘂𝗹𝘁𝘀! 𝗝𝗼𝗶𝗻 𝘂𝘀 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗘𝗺𝗽𝗹𝗼𝘆𝗲𝗿𝗢𝗻𝗲 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟲 𝗥𝗲𝘀𝘂𝗹𝘁𝘀 𝗥𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗮𝗹 𝘁𝗼𝗺𝗼𝗿𝗿𝗼𝘄 𝗮𝘁 𝟯 𝗣𝗠.

👉 𝗥𝗲𝗴𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗲: https://forms.office.com/Pages/ResponsePage.aspx?id=Q3jViVrRQU-KOUx--4xXIM24TpL6lkRJsjVPgiQ1rsJURFM4S01OMlZGWU9QUTNZMkkyNTdQMjFEQyQlQCN0PWcu

Join us in celebrating the incredible women in our workplace and community!

We are especially proud to recognize the women on our team — 𝗣𝗲𝘁𝗿𝘂𝘀𝗶𝗮, 𝗝𝗮𝗻𝗲, 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗙𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮 — and the women across 𝗘𝗹𝗴𝗶𝗻, 𝗠𝗶𝗱𝗱𝗹𝗲𝘀𝗲𝘅, 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗢𝘅𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗱, whose dedication, expertise, and leadership help move our communities forward and create stronger organizations.

At 𝗘𝗠𝗢𝗪𝗣𝗗𝗕, we are committed to fostering workplaces built on 𝗿𝗲𝘀𝗽𝗲𝗰𝘁, 𝗿𝗲𝗰𝗼𝗴𝗻𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻, 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗲𝗾𝘂𝗮𝗹 𝗼𝗽𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁𝘂𝗻𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗲𝘀 for all.

Today, we celebrate women's impact and reaffirm the importance of building workplaces where 𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘆𝗼𝗻𝗲 𝗰𝗮𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗿𝗶𝘃𝗲.