Employers across Niagara are always looking to the future. They are thinking about how to grow, adapt, and stay competitive, what the next trend is on the horizon, and how they can continue to be the economic engine of the Region. Around the Niagara Workforce Coalition table, we consistently hear from members that workforce development is a top issue. At the core of this challenge is attracting the right people to the right seats and ensuring staffing needs are aligned with both current and future business priorities.
One avenue to address these challenges is building a youth talent pipeline to support entry level and long-term needs across the organization. Youth will not solve all staffing needs. There will always be demand for highly skilled and experienced talent. However, taking a chance on a young, engaged, and educated student is a long-term investment with significant potential. The project described below culminated in the Attracting Student Talent tool, which is live and you can visit it now!
According to Experiential & Work-Integrated Learning Ontario (EWO), hiring or collaborating with students provides meaningful support while advancing organizational goals. It’s an effective option when businesses are growing, projects are delayed, staff are stretched thin, or organizations are exploring new technologies and seeking fresh perspectives. Students can also provide valuable support during peak seasons or when permanent staff are on leave. They often bring fresh ideas and creativity, strengthen your brand among young professionals, and, when still enrolled, benefit from guidance and support from their educational institution.
In this context, the Niagara Workforce Coalition met in October 2025 to explore co-operative education from a high school perspective. The conversation focused on opportunities, challenges, and how the Coalition might co-create solutions. One of the most significant challenges identified was a lack of awareness of the full range of opportunities available for employers to engage with students. It is not that employers are unfamiliar with co-op or internships in general. More often, they lack awareness and time to navigate the system, or they simply have an established contact at one institution and that relationship defines the extent of their engagement with the education sector.
From that conversation, a clear “how might we” question emerged. How might we coordinate a Niagara-wide approach to help employers navigate the student talent system? Coalition members spoke to the complexity of the local education landscape. With nine educational partners offering some form of work integrated learning, navigating these pathways can be challenging. Once an employer has identified one option, they are unlikely to explore additional opportunities.
Taking a collective look at these barriers and opportunities, work began on developing a Niagara student talent navigation website. The goal was to create a simple, effective, and consistent resource that helps employers quickly understand their options and connect with the right people to continue the conversation.
Workforce Collective, on behalf of the Coalition, led consultations with key partners from education, employers, and service providers. These voices provided valuable insight into how opportunities should be presented and what information employers need to move forward. This included clear pathways to connect directly with schools, concise information to support initial conversations, and a deliberate effort to reduce education sector jargon by focusing on employer-friendly language.
Following consultations, beta testing, and feedback from staff and collaborators, the Attracting Student Talent tool was officially launched at the Niagara Workforce Coalition Breakfast in December 2025. We know from the data that youth unemployment is a challenge across Niagara and Canada, and we see this tool as one practical step toward addressing that challenge.
This resource is made possible through the leadership and engagement of the Niagara Workforce Coalition and its members. We would like to recognize the following education partners for their contributions: David Cristelli, Niagara Catholic District School Board; Dana Davies, Sheridan @ CCTT; Christina Farrow, Niagara College; Chip Morningstar, District School Board of Niagara; Andrew Liu, Cappa College; Cherie Simms, University of Niagara Falls Canada; & Julia Zhu, Brock University. We would also like to thank Jordan Sherlock, Niagara Industrial Association; Cara Krezek, Talent Strategy Collective and our community & industry partners who tested the site before launch for functionality and feedback.
Interested in exploring student talent opportunities? Visit the Attracting Student Talent tool to see what is available across Niagara. If you are not sure where to begin, reach out to Workforce Collective. Our team is always happy to help you find the right connection and start the conversation.