WINDSOR, ONT. -- Workforce WindsorEssex has launched a new report that details what defines career success for youth.
“Defining Career Success in Windsor-Essex” was launched Thursday in partnership with ProsperUs.
Researchers say the brand-new research fills a gap in the region, as a definition of this measure did not previously exist for Windsor-Essex.
“There are many different factors that will affect the outcome of a child and youth’s life in Windsor-Essex, and perhaps one of the most important decisions a child will make in this regard is selecting a career path,” said Corey Shenken, project coordinator and researcher with Workforce WindsorEssex. “Career path choices will have a large effect on whether or not youth in Windsor-Essex believe they are able to reach their true potential and become successful.”
This report includes a data collection methods and costing analysis section, with recommendations moving forward, so that future tracking of youth career success in Windsor-Essex can be completed to support the initiatives of the ProsperUs Cradle to Career Initiative.
The Cradle to Career Initiative aims to create a directional plan for the Windsor-Essex community to help individuals making life-changing decisions.
The initiative aims to support Windsor-Essex children and youth from a pre-natal stage, all the way through to landing their first job as an adult.
“This research is critical to ProsperUs’ Cradle to Career strategy,” saidJanice Kaffer, CEO and President, Hotel-Dieu Grace Healthcare and co-chair of ProsperUs. “It helps us ensure that we are giving young people, particularly those facing barriers to education and employment, the opportunity to unlock possibilities for a positive future in Windsor-Essex County.”
To support this initiative and to measure success over the long term, ProsperUs community partners recognized that a wide range of community level data would need to be collected.
Defining Career Success in Windsor-Essex is the culmination of a six-month research process where Workforce WindsorEssex collected data, conducted a literature review of past career success research and best practices for defining career success, surveyed youth aged 19-29 in the Windsor-Essex region, hosted focus groups with various demographics, and consulted employers, educators, and service providers on how they define career success.
Through this research, youth career success in Windsor-Essex was defined as: having a stable job that is enjoyable and provides opportunities for growth, but is also able to support a young adult financially.
