New innovative skills development solutions helping the industry recover
Skills Council of Canada is supporting the Canadian hospitality industry by reimagining skills development training and delivery through their sustainable and accessible online platform. Skills Council of Canada is proud to partner with restaurants across Ontario to provide upgraded and customized skills solutions that give access to a new, blended, and mobile-first offering, supporting all current employees as well as helping attract new talent to the industry.
Earlier this year, Ontario’s Ministry of Labour, Training and Skills Development (MLTDS) SDF RD2 awarded Skills Council of Canada with $3,824,399 in funding to support their Project - Breaking Down Barriers – Skills-To-Employment Collaborative Support Ecosystem (“CSE”). Skills Council of Canada’s CSE project is working to solve the totality of our province’s fragmented skills industry by bringing together and integrating educators, employers, service providers, government agencies, mentors, career development support resources, and sustainable technologies all within the Skills Council of Canada’s platform.
The hospitality industry experienced a significant negative impact since the start of the pandemic and to this day continues to struggle through a slow recovery. One of the main challenges has been an inability to attract and retain talent. Throughout multiple pandemic-caused lockdowns, restaurants have either been forced to close their doors or have experienced an unprecedented turnover of staff. This level of employee drain affects all levels of staff and is further compounded when a restaurant operates several locations across the province or country.
Skills Council of Canada is proud to announce a partnership with Lone Star Texas Bar and Grill, which alone saw a nearly 100% staff turnover rate during COVID-19. “I was excited that Lone Star was going to be our first restaurant to support in upgrading their skills and training programs to a seamless, online solution using Skill Council of Canada’s CSE platform. Having worked for Lone Star for close to three years prior to the pandemic, I have a unique perspective on the benefits of working at Lone Star, constantly learning new skills, building confidence, working as a team, and developing lifetime friendships,” said Eric Loiselle, Skills Implementation Lead for Skills Council of Canada.
Starting from a humble beginning on Baseline Road in Ottawa, Lone Star now employs close to 1,400 people across 23 locations in Ottawa, Southern Ontario, the Greater Toronto Area, and Eastern Ontario. "The hospitality industry workforce continues to be challenged even several months following pandemic restrictions being lifted. It was necessary for our business to find a more efficient and effective way to onboard, train, and follow up with our new employees, and to provide our current employees with the tools and skills necessary to reach their career goals. Skills Council of Canada is just what our industry needs, a training solutions-based company that cares deeply about the industries they support and wants nothing more than to see people get the necessary training required to reach their personal goals.
"Skills Council of Canada’s training experts has worked directly with our team to help us integrate the tools and technology platform necessary for us to onboard, train, and provide ongoing career learning for all our team members. Their knowledge and expertise in learning, training, and development have helped provide our company and the industry with a uniquely competitive and employment advantage." Mark Findlay - CEO Lone Star Texas Grill.
Skills Council of Canada is currently developing comprehensive microlearning skills development programs to support all types of restaurants with a more robust and accessible training option. These programs will support all staff workforce development efforts as well as those interested in exploring trade opportunities within the industry.
About Skills Council of Canada Inc.
Skills Council of Canada Inc. (Skills Council of Canada) based in Ottawa, Ontario is a social impact-focused organization building holistic integrated solutions that support Canada’s Sustainable Development Goals with a prime focus on education-to-employment. Operating in collaboration with Indigenous and non-Indigenous organizations, Skills Council of Canada promotes skills development for the development of good health/well-being, access to quality education and equal employment, gender equality, access to clean drinking water, affordable clean energy, decent work for economic growth, innovative technology ecosystems, infrastructure, reducing inequality, sustainable communities, and developing partnerships required to support these efforts.
Skills Council of Canada’s Collaborative Support Ecosystem (CSE) includes thousands of skills courses, thousands of job role assessments and subject-based assessments, access to thousands of one-on-one mentors, tutors, career counseling, wellness coaches, and so much more, all managed by Skills Council of Canada’s robust learning management system. The CSE program also enables Skills Council of Canada to provide its entire offering for free to all participants and partners.
