Mississauga, Ontario (August 28, 2013) - Mississauga Board of Trade (MBOT) and Advantage Mississauga's Talent Connections project was selected as one of the three finalists in the Canadian Chambers Competition 2013 - Connecting with Educators on the Skills Gap.
Canadian Chamber of Commerce President Perrin Beatty challenged local chambers and boards of trade to make or improve their connections between educators and employers at their 2012 Annual General Meeting.
"The skills gap is a leading barrier to competitiveness for Canadian business. For the Canadian Chamber and for many chambers and boards of trade, this issue is a priority for our advocacy and actions," said Beatty.
As a result, the Canadian Chambers Competition 2013 was launched, seeking submissions of initiatives that demonstrated facilitation of education-industry linkages to help close skills gaps in their communities.
As the lead organization for Advantage Mississauga, MBOT helped develop the Talent Connections program, which has secured one dedicated personnel in MBOT's office whose role is to work with local businesses in translating their business needs and challenges into co-op, internships, team-project work and summer jobs for students at Sheridan College and University of Toronto Mississauga (UTM).
As part of its innovation agenda, helping to nurture the development and connection of students to jobs in Mississauga is a top priority for MBOT and Advantage Mississauga.
"For business and our economy to grow in Mississauga, organizations will have to do a much better job tapping into local talent, including students and recent graduates," said Sheldon Leiba, President & CEO, MBOT.
"There is a great opportunity to significantly increase experiential learning opportunities for students to get practical work experience as part of their academic curriculum, making them more employable upon graduation, and creating a pipeline of talent directly to our local businesses. This is what the Advantage Mississauga Talent Connections program is designed to accomplish."
MBOT will be joining other finalists Surrey Board of Trade and Regina Chamber of Commerce in presenting its projects as a sharing of best practices with chambers and boards of trade across the country at the 2013 Canadian Chamber of Commerce AGM on September 28, 2013 in Kelowna, British Columbia.
All finalists will be invited to have their own private meeting with the federal Minister of Human Resources and Skills Development.
More information on Advantage Mississauga and the Talent Connections program is available at www.advantagemississauga.ca
As the voice of business since 1976, Mississauga Board of Trade is a private-sector, not-for-profit business organization representing approximately 1,500 businesses, employing 65,000 people in Mississauga. MBOT is well positioned to meet the needs of business by using its considerable influence at all levels of government. As the forum for business, MBOT works together to influence public policy and promote a better understanding of the marketplace among policy makers, media and the general public.
-30-
Media Contacts:
Nigel Roberts, Executive Coordinator, Advantage Mississauga
Sheldon Leiba, President & CEO, Mississauga Board of Trade
| 
