Work in Quinte Program

The Work in Quinte program was designed in response to the growing workforce needs in the Quinte Region. The main objective of this program is to connect employers located within the Quinte Region with qualified job seekers to fill current job vacancies.

The Work in Quinte website was launched in March 2022 with the objective to provide an online database of local job listings and resumes. The website allows all employers within the Quinte region to create an account and view resumes that have been uploaded by job seekers at no cost to them. Job seekers can also apply to job postings directly through the website.

At this time, approximately 200 employers access the Work in Quinte website and over 600 resumes are available for employers to view. The Work in Quinte program has been able to connect the Quinte Region employers with a free tool and resource that supports their hiring and training activities in a cost effective manner. Many local employers have found successful candidates through the Work in Quinte website and the Work in Quinte Career and Training Fair has resulted as a product of the program.

The Work in Quinte Career and Training Fair occurs bi-annually to support local employers in the spring and fall. Attendance ranges from 300-600 job seekers and 50-70 employers actively looking to hire. By providing a neutral space that allows employers and jobseekers to connect, this is an excellent opportunity for local jobs to be filled. An interview room is provided on site as it is not uncommon for hiring to be done on the spot. As of 2022, the EI rate for the region had dropped to 2%, the lowest rate ever recorded.

Business Retention and Expansion activities in Belleville and Quinte West have identified accessing skilled labour as the biggest obstacle that businesses must overcome to succeed. In its original form, the Work in Quinte program did not have the online platform and the promotion needed to increase community awareness of the program. Through additional funding, the program was able to establish a web and community presence substantially increasing the use and effectiveness of the program.

The target audience of this program is businesses that operate in the Quinte Region. As this program provides much needed HR support, small to medium businesses are the primary target. This includes businesses in all sectors that are looking to hire skilled labour. The Work in Quinte program has been used as an attraction investment feature to promote the region as an excellent place to do business.

Since the inception of the Work in Quinte program, it has been successfully managed in part by the City of Quinte West and the City of Belleville with the support of a working group of key local stakeholders. This working group includes representation from the Quinte Economic Development Commission, Bay of Quinte Regional Marketing Board, Loyalist College, and the Centre for Workforce Development. These parties have contributed time, valuable insight, and in-kind marketing to support this program as a regional collaboration to support workforce development in the Quinte Region business community.

In 2022, the Work in Quinte program was the successful recipient of a $90,000 Rural Economic Development Fund grant. This funding was earmarked for the build and delivery of the Work in Quinte website as well as rebrand and promotional costs associated. This funding gave the program the opportunity to contract a web development company that specializes in user experience and solutions for municipal government. With the completion and implementation of the official Work in Quinte website, both the City of Belleville and the City of Quinte West have allotted budget for the continued management and delivery of this program as well as the Work in Quinte Career Fair. The program is currently transitioning to management on behalf of the Bay of Quinte Regional Marketing Board to fulfill capacity requirements.