Services

Who We Serve

As the largest provider of comprehensive employment services in Kingston and its surrounding region, we provide services to the whole community.  Employers who require assistance to recruit and train staff; and job seekers who require job search support can find the help they need through KEYS. 

Whether you are employed or unemployed; looking for a job or exploring career options; a young or mature worker; a new Immigrant or an employer looking to hire the right staff; KEYS can help. Our success in helping our clients is based on our expertise and our understanding of the client groups we serve.

Those we serve fall into three main categories:

Job Seekers:

Adults – Individuals over 29 years old, who are either unemployed or underemployed.

Persons with Disabilities – Individuals who have a permanent disability and are not a student.

Youth – 16 to 29 years of age, out of school and not returning to school full-time.

Students – Students, who are looking for part time or summer employment.

Newcomers to Canada:

New Immigrants to Canada requiring settlement help, English training and job search support.

Employers:

Local employers within the Kingston – Gananoque area and surrounding region.

KEYS delivers a wide range of employment programs to meet the needs of our clients. These programs are supported by various levels of Government including:

• Ontario Ministry of Labour, Immigration, Training & Skills Development (Employment Ontario)

• Ontario Ministry of Children, Community and Social Services

• Employment and Social Development Canada

• Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada

The following programs are currently delivered by KEYS:

Canada-Ontario Job Grant – provides funding to employers to invest in their workforce, with help from the government.  The Job Grant will provide up to $10,000 in government support per person for training.  If you’re an employer with a particular skill demand, the Canada-Ontario Job Grant may be right for you and your business.  For more information, contact KEYS directly and ask to speak with an Employer Services Consultant.

Employment Ontario – Employment Services – a comprehensive suite of employment services for all job seekers. A fully staffed Employment Resource Centre, skilled Employment Advisors and a Job Matching and Placement service are all available to connect job seekers with employment opportunities and training options. This is also the point of access for Second Career.

English Language Classes for New Immigrants – English classes at no cost for Permanent Residents and Convention Refugees. KEYS delivers classes for students at CLB (Canadian Language Benchmark) 3 to 8. Classes run Monday to Thursday. Morning and afternoon classes are available. Courses focus conversation skills, test preparation and workplace preparation. On Fridays, we offer specialized programming for immigrants.

Immigrant Employment Specialist – Assists immigrants with their long-term goals.  Offers needs assessment, linkages with language and settlement programs, referrals to employment services and on-going support for credential assessment.

JobStart – Skills Link Programs – are offered at our Kingston and Gananoque locations and consists of pre-employment training, followed by a supported work placement. Participants get paid for attendance and have fun while they learn. We deliver information sessions to recruit for these programs, so keep checking the KEYS website for our next session.  Click Here to Apply.

Opportunities Fund (Persons with Disabilities) – This program is funded by Employment and Social Development Canada to help persons with disabilities prepare for, obtain and keep employment.

Professional Mentoring Partnership – KEYS matches immigrant professionals with established local professionals in the same field for mentoring and networking purposes. Different options are available to suit immigrant and volunteer interests and availabilities.

Wage subsidies and training incentives (Employers) – Certain government-funded programs are aimed towards helping employers by providing financial incentives. Contact us today to inquire about the eligibility of your employee(s).

Youth Job Connection – a year-round employment program for unemployed youth under 30.  YJC offers a combination of paid training and paid work placements.  YJC offers financial incentives to employers to cover the cost of training their new employee; and supports to the worker for costs like transportation or tools needed for the job.  You can apply from the KEYS home page; call and make an appointment; or come to one of our information sessions.

Youth Job Connection (Summer Program) – this student/youth program runs from June to August.  Participants can work 20-35 hours per week for 6 weeks and receive minimum wage.  If you are aged 15 to 18 and not currently employed, YJC – Summer may be for you.  We will be hosting information sessions at various locations in May-June, so check our website for information.

For more information about our programs, please call KEYS.

Community Partners at our Centres

CARE for Internationally-Educated Nurses, Kingston Chapter is a bridging program for IENs and is located at KEYS 182 Sydenham Street location.

Itinerant Services are also offered at KEYS in Gananoque by Resolve Credit Counselling.