Forward Ready Tourism is a collaborative solution designed to meet the evolving workforce needs of Ontario’s tourism industry. Facilitating access to a range of workforce attraction and retention support has never been more critical as the industry continues to face workforce challenges to varying degrees across the province. Results of recent focus groups facilitated by TIAO and conducted with tourism operators underscored the importance of balancing immediate workforce needs such as improving access to training and skills development, with long-term talent pipeline strategies.
The goals of the Forward Ready Tourism project are aligned with what TIAO heard from industry stakeholders and will help Ontario’s tourism industry maximize its inclusive economic potential through:
- Skills development for both new and seasoned talent
- Connecting job ready talent with employment opportunities through partnerships with education and community employment services providers
- Building awareness of career opportunities in tourism with the next generation of talent
In partnership with industry, regional tourism organizations, and workforce development leaders, TIAO is pleased to spearhead this initiative. The Skills Development Fund Training Stream is designed to support projects across all sectors that address challenges to hiring, training, or retaining workers, to drive Ontario’s economic growth. Through Round Five of the program, TIAO is receiving $850,000 to support the Forward Ready Tourism initiative, which will provide training and support to 590 workers in the tourism sector across the province.
“We are proud to support the Forward Ready Tourism initiative through the Skills Development Fund,” said David Piccini, Minister of Labour, Immigration, Training and Skills Development. “Workers in the tourism industry put Ontario on the map, keep us competitive and keep our economy moving forward. This investment will help ensure our tourism industry can thrive and grow, while making sure workers in the sector have the tools and resources they need to land rewarding, well-paying jobs.”
Through this project, tourism businesses and workers, as well as Ontarians looking to start their career in tourism, will have access to training and resources to upgrade their skills and ensure they are prepared with the skills needed to succeed, today and in the future.
Partnerships are at the heart of this initiative, as indicated in the project name and include regional tourism organizations, Indigenous Tourism Ontario, Destination Northern Ontario, in addition to the sector’s leading workforce development organizations including the Hospitality Workers Training Centre, Ontario Tourism Education Corporation (OTEC), and Tourism HR Canada. The combined years of workforce development expertise and the tailored sector-specific training that these partners provide will ensure that individuals, whether looking to start their career in tourism or those already working in the sector and who are eager to upgrade their skills, are prepared to meet the future workforce demands of the sector.
“Ontario’s tourism industry is at a turning point — our Forward Ready Tourism initiative puts our new strategic plan into action by tackling one of our greatest challenges head-on: building a resilient, skilled workforce. By working together to attract, train, and retain talent, we can unlock tourism’s full potential to drive inclusive economic growth and prosperity across every region of the province. Now is the time to invest in our people — because when our workforce thrives, our communities and our economy thrive too.” Andrew Siegwart, President & CEO, Tourism Industry Association of Ontario (TIAO)
To learn more visit: tiaontario.ca/forwardreadytourism
To get involved, please contact Kim Marshall, Project Director, at kmarshall@tiaontario.ca.
For media inquiries, please contact media@tiaontario.ca.