Building the Job-Readiness Bridge: Spotlight on Career Coaching

Workforce Synergy, a division of the Workforce Planning Board of Grand Erie (WPBGE), is leading a new CERIC-funded research initiative called Building the Job-Readiness Bridge: Spotlight on Career Coaching.  This initiative aims to strengthen career development supports for youth and the professionals who guide them by examining how career development practitioners (CDPs) can be better equipped to respond to a rapidly changing labour market and help young people transition more confidently into meaningful work. 

Across Grand Erie and beyond, the proportion of youth aged 15–29 who are not in employment, education or training continues to grow. While systemic barriers such as transportation, housing and affordability play a significant role, many young people are also experiencing discouragement driven by uncertainty about the future of work. At the same time, parents, educators and employers often struggle to keep pace with labour market shifts shaped by automation, artificial intelligence, remote work and new skills demands. 

Career development practitioners, high school guidance counsellors, post-secondary career coaches and employment service job developers, sit at the intersection of these challenges. Through their direct work with youth, they hold unique insights into how perceptions of work are changing and what supports young people need to build job-readiness in today’s economy. However, CDPs themselves often report being disconnected from industry, operating in silos, and lacking access to timely, practical information about emerging workforce trends. 

This project will tap into the expertise of CDPs working with youth to explore how the changing nature of work is influencing career guidance, where the most significant knowledge gaps exist, and how career development practices can evolve to better support young people, particularly those facing systemic barriers. It will also examine how employers, educators, parents and service providers can work more cohesively to deliver clearer, more consistent guidance to youth. 

Project Goals 

This project aims to strengthen the career development ecosystem and build a more connected, proactive job-readiness bridge for tomorrow’s workforce. Specifically, it will: 

• Identify current gaps and best practices in career development supports for youth navigating a rapidly evolving labour market. 
• Explore how shifts such as automation, AI and remote work are affecting CDPs’ ability to build job-readiness among young people. 
• Clarify the roles of parents, educators, employers and service providers in supporting career development, and identify opportunities to align. messaging and supports 
• Highlight emerging trends in career development and assess their feasibility within the Grand Erie context. 
• Generate actionable insights for policymakers, workforce interestholders and community partners to improve youth engagement and employment outcomes. 

Deliverables 

• Final Research Report: A synthesis of findings outlining gaps, opportunities and strategic priorities for strengthening youth career development supports. 
• Short Film/Guide for Policymakers: An accessible resource to help policymakers better understand what young people need from their government and community to build job-readiness in a changing world of work.
• Five Learning Guides: Tailored resources for CDPs, parents, educators, employment service providers and employers to support more co-ordinated and effective career guidance. 
• Educator and Interestholder Session: A knowledge-sharing event to present findings, showcase tools and strengthen connections across the youth support network. 

Timeline 

The project runs through 2026, with findings and resources to be presented at the Cannexus conference in January 2027, Canada’s largest career development conference. 

About the Project Partners 

Workforce Synergy is a division of the Workforce Planning Board of Grand Erie (WPBGE), delivering research, project and event management, fundraising support, and strategic advisory services in collaboration with organizations and businesses. Through a partnership-driven approach, Workforce Synergy helps organizations reduce risk, seize opportunity and achieve greater collective impact. 

The Workforce Planning Board of Grand Erie is the community-based labour market expert serving Brantford, Brant, Haldimand, Norfolk, Mississaugas of the Credit First Nation and Six Nations of the Grand River. Established in 1999, WPBGE is one of 25 non-profit workforce planning boards in Ontario mandated to provide labour market intelligence and lead workforce development initiatives. 

While this project is rooted in the Grand Erie region, its insights and tools are designed to be scalable and relevant across Canada.