A Success Story: ECO Canada’s Environmental Employability Pathways Program
Ensuring we bridge the gap between aspiring environmental professionals and industry demand is crucial for environmental job growth. ECO Canada’s Environmental Employability Pathways Program has been a successful example, creating valuable experiences for participants and hosts. This program was for small and medium sized businesses, helping them receive up to $12,000 in wage funding for their next hire. The program was open to participants ages 15-30, with a focus on an environmentally related role.
Let’s explore the outstanding statistics that highlight the program’s accomplishments.
Nationwide Impact
The program’s reach spans across Canada, with placements in various provinces and territories:
- Alberta: 78
- British Columbia: 119
- Manitoba: 17
- New Brunswick: 3
- Newfoundland and Labrador: 4
- Northwest Territories: 2
- Nova Scotia: 23
- Ontario: 236
- Prince Edward Island: 1
- Quebec: 88
- Saskatchewan: 13
- Yukon: 3
Focus on CleanTech
76.08% of placements were dedicated to CleanTech, aligning with the growing emphasis on sustainable technologies and practices.
Duration and Demographics
The average placement length of 167.36 days highlights the program’s commitment to providing substantial experiential learning opportunities. Participants, with an average age of 24.25 years old, are guided through meaningful experiences tailored to start their environmental careers.
Gender diversity is an important aspect of the program, with 342 female, 213 male, and 32 unidentified participants over three years.
Embracing Diversity and Inclusion
ECO Canada’s commitment to diversity shines through with equitable representation across various groups:
- Visible Minority: 27.43%
- Disability: 7.5%
- Indigenous: 5.28%
Excellent Outcomes
The outcomes speak volumes about the program’s effectiveness:
- 89.49% of participants achieved successful outcomes, either securing employment with their host or elsewhere or returning to school for further education.
- Over three years, 65.58% of participants were employed with their host post-placement, a testament to the program’s role in fostering lasting connections.
- 76.62% of participants landed their first full-time job in the Canadian environmental sector through this program.
Host and Participant Satisfaction
Feedback from both hosts and participants reflects high satisfaction:
From Hosts:
- 92.99% expressed interest in future participation.
- 96.29% reported that participants met or exceeded expectations.
- 98.49% rated ECO Canada’s involvement in wage funding as good to excellent.
- 98.87% rated satisfaction with the program as good to excellent.
From Participants:
- 99.05% reported satisfaction with skill development.
- 97.52% acknowledged the program’s contribution to long-term employability.
- 99.56% expressed overall satisfaction with the wage funding program.
- 97.90% reported an increase in soft skills.
- 90.64% received adequate support from their employers.
ECO Canada’s Environmental Employability Pathways Program is a testament to effective collaboration between industry, aspiring professionals, and environmental stewardship. As we continue to grow our employment programs, we’re celebrating achievements and continuing to build the leading environmental workforce.
