YMCA Newcomer Connections Organizes OSCO Hiring Fair To Provide Opportunities To Newcomers
“YMCA Newcomer Connections is excited to collaborate with OSCO Construction Group and grateful for their commitment towards welcoming newcomers,” said Kathryn Melvin, General Manager of Newcomer and Community Connections of YMCA of Greater Saint John. “Our YMCA always has advocated for creating a more diverse, inclusive, caring, and welcoming community for all newcomers and is dedicated to supporting newcomers from all walks of life settle down in the Greater Saint John region.”
During the National Workplace Inclusion Forum in October 2021, OSCO Construction Group and the YMCA of Greater Saint John’s Newcomer Connections announced a strategic partnership under the Newcomer Employment Champions [NEC] to improve and modify the hiring and onboarding processes in OSCO, find ways for them to be an equal opportunity employer, and facilitate inclusivity.
Under this partnership, the YMCA Newcomer Connections team organized the OSCO Hiring Fair on July 7, 2022, at the Saint John Regional Y. The fair was a way to create a pipeline of employment for newcomers, connect them with influential members of the community, and support their long-term growth in Saint John. Corporate recruiters from OSCO met over 110 newcomers to fill both trade-based and professional positions in their organization.
“We are so pleased with the incredibly positive outcome of the targeted career fair with YMCA Newcomer Connections. So many wonderfully gifted individuals were in attendance to speak with representatives from OSCO about the available opportunities within our working community,” said Camila Ugarte, Corporate Recruiter from OSCO Construction Group.
“We will continue to work in partnership with the Y to help their clients with the means to support themselves and their families and to ensure Saint John becomes their permanent home.”
At the hiring fair, representatives from WorkingNB provided information about accessing their services, while the Canadian Council Rehabilitation and Work (CCRW) informed about the support options available to newcomers related to accessible opportunities, overcoming and combatting the many intrinsic barriers to employment, as well as meeting labour market demands for the local employers.
“WorkingNB is proud to join with community partners, such as the YMCA, and local employers, such as the OSCO Construction Group, to provide newcomers with the opportunity of employment,” said Jeff Warren of WorkingNB.
The [NEC] fosters such collaborative projects, in addition to the tools and best practices provided to employers to hire, onboard, and retain newcomer employees. The [NEC] Program Coordinator works with employers to tailor the services per their needs to ensure newcomers feel included.
“We look forward to partnering for more such initiatives with OSCO,” said Melvin. “Our team is glad to support all employers seeking to support newcomers through our Employment Services and help the employers go above and beyond through the [NEC].”
The [NEC] is funded by WorkingNB and delivered by YMCA Newcomer Connections. To participate in the [NEC], employers can connect with the Program Coordinator, Racheal Adeyemo, at [email protected].
This story is sponsored by YMCA Newcomer Connections.