Website devoted to EV careers in southwestern Ontario is live

A new website and worker registry tool is now online for the electric vehicle (EV)manufacturing sector.

It's meant to connect job seekers with employers.

EVCareers.ca is funded by the federal government as part of its $7.7 million accelerator to support long-term growth in the EV industry in and around Windsor-Essex. The strategy includes a dedicated "talent attraction" specialist.

Both senior levels of government have gone all in for the EV sector this year, pledging $28.2 billion in production subsidies to batteryplants in Windsor and St. Thomas, according to the Parliamentary Budget Officer.

The online tool is a collaboration between Invest WindsorEssex, Workforce WindsorEssex, St. Clair College, the University of Windsor and WEtech Alliance.

Why the web portalapproach?

The CEO of Workforce WindsorEssex says the website allows people to research a career,understand what training, education and upskilling programs are available as well as funding resources and how to access them.

Justin Falconer calls it a proactive approach by building an inventory of skills and worker leads, no matter if they're local or abroad.

"We've been working on this for a while and really eager to get our community involved and also to tell more people about our community and sort of the exciting workforce opportunities ahead," he said.

Falconer says the portal also allows industry players to push information to the job seekers about things such as career fairs.

"I think we'd be way too late if we sat back and waited for the job postings to go up and just, you know, pray and hope that we get everyone we need and all the skills filled."

Falconer is unaware of this kind of specific information for this sector being assembled in one place in Canada before.

Filomena Tassi says the career portal is a one-stop shop for people who want to work in the specialized manufacturing field.

The minister of the federal economic development agency for Southern Ontario says it's about investing in people, their potential and in possibilities.

"We are bringing together technology, data workers and post-secondary to position Canada's electric vehicle industry for success," said Tassi.

She saidone of the program's highlights is that job seekers can look for work with the skills they want to use, not only the ones that they are good at.

"For example, if someone has high leadership skills, but wants a job that uses problem-solving skills, then she can look for the jobs that require problem-solving skills. So all her abilities and her passions can be put to use."