Bi-Weekly Newsletter
Volume 9: Issue 1. Sept 11, 2026 |
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Leaders in Workforce Development
Hamilton's Labour Market Connection
Labour Market Updates, News & Community Info
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The Latest From WPH
Your source of Labour Market Information in Hamilton
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📊 Hamilton Labour Market: August 2026
What’s happening in Hamilton’s labour market? Our August 2026 Monthly Overview highlights the latest employment trends, unemployment rates, and job demand across the city.
Hamilton’s unemployment rate remained below Ontario’s 6.9% and matched the national rate of 6.5% in August.
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👋 Welcome Back to Hamilton Youth Workforce!
We’re excited to get Hamilton Youth Workforce back up and running! 🎉
This page will once again be sharing regular updates focused on Hamilton’s youth labour market, including:
📊 Youth labour market information & trends
📰 News and updates affecting young workers
💼 Job, career, and employment opportunities
🎓 Resources to help youth explore education and career pathways
📈 Insights into Hamilton’s changing workforce |
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💻 Explore Workforce Planning Hamilton’s Web Tools!
Did you know Workforce Planning Hamilton has a variety of online tools to help you explore local jobs, skills, sectors, and labour market data?
🔎 Job Board: Search job postings from multiple sources, all in one convenient place, with listings filtered for Hamilton.
And many more!
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Hamilton Community Updates
Find out what's happening in the city!
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Hamilton Career Conversations |
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💼 Hamilton Community Career Conversations
Are you a Hamilton youth looking to explore your career options and learn what it’s really like to work in different fields?
Join us for Hamilton Community Career Conversations: “Engaging Hamilton Youth in Career Conversations” and connect directly with professionals from a variety of careers.
✨ Ask questions & hear real stories
✨ Explore career options you may not have considered
✨ Learn about education and career pathways
✨ Build confidence for your future
✨ Connect with real professionals and hear about their experiences
📅 September 22, 2026
🕤 9:30 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.
📍 225 King William Street, Suite 503, Hamilton
🥐 Breakfast included!
🎁 Prizes to be won!
Reserve your spot today!
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Do you know an international student or graduate in Hamilton?
Share the *New* International Grad Guide to Thriving in Hamilton.
This guide provides international students and new graduates with all the “need to know” resources, job boards, and networks to support establishing yourself in the community.
This guide aims to answer questions:
• What organizations support mental health, housing and mentorship?
• What resources are available to me if I am looking to start a business?
• Are there any job boards that I am not leveraging and I should be?
• What does my alumni network offer?
Download the resource to help you answer all these questions and more! |
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☀️ Summer Job Market
From May to August, the Labour Force Survey collects data about students who attended school full time in March and intend to return to school full time in the fall.
The unemployment rate for returning students aged 15 to 24 in July 2026 was 15.1%, compared with 17.5% in July 2025. Still, the rate was higher than the 12.6% average in July from 2017 through 2019, before the COVID-19 pandemic.
The majority of employed students aged 15 to 24 who returned to school in July were employed in:
🛍️ Retail trade — 24.8%
🍽️ Accommodation and food services — 22.0%
🎭 Information, culture and recreation — 14.5%
💰 Average weekly wages: $523.05, up 2.9% compared with 12 months earlier. |
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FREE Food Handler Certification Course – Five Additional Spots Available!
Hill Park Learning Centre has opened five additional registration spots for its FREE Food Safety Training – Food Handler Certification Course.
Interested in working in the food service industry or learning how to safely prepare and handle food at home? This course covers the basic principles of safe food handling and provides Food Handler Certification.
Eligibility requirements include:
- Must be 18 years or older
- Must be an Ontario resident
- Must be able to attend independently without a support worker
- Have less than Grade 12 education OR be assessed as needing to improve reading, writing, or math skills
- Newcomers to Canada require Canadian Language Benchmark (CLB) Level 5 or 6 in reading, writing, speaking, and listening (some Level 7 participants may be accepted)
All participants must pre-register before the course begins, including completing in-person registration forms and an assessment to confirm suitability. Support is available throughout the registration process.
📅 To book an in-person registration appointment, scan the QR code or click below. |
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Manufacturing Conversation |
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Join the Conversation: Women in Engineering & Manufacturing
Workforce Planning Hamilton and YWCA Hamilton invite HR, Engineering, Manufacturing, and Operations Managers to participate in a virtual discussion focused on attracting, retaining, and advancing women in engineering and manufacturing.
This collaborative conversation will provide an opportunity to share your expertise, discuss workforce challenges, and explore strategies that can help shape the future of women in the workforce and support Hamilton’s workforce development.
📅 Date: Tuesday, September 15, 2026
🕘 Time: 9:00–10:30 a.m.
💻 Location: Zoom
Your perspective can help influence future workforce strategies and ensure they reflect the experiences and needs of Hamilton employers.
🔗 Register: bit.ly/Me4Change2026
We look forward to hearing your perspective and working together to help shape a stronger, more inclusive workforce in Hamilton. |
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Help Shape Hamilton's Manufacturing Talent Network |
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Help Shape Hamilton’s Manufacturing Talent Network
IEC Hamilton is inviting local manufacturers to share their experiences and help address workforce challenges related to recruiting and retaining talent for entry-level and skilled roles.
With funding from the Future Skills Centre, IEC Hamilton is exploring a potential three-year, employer-led Talent Pipeline Management® (TPM) pilot to help strengthen Hamilton’s manufacturing talent pipeline.
Manufacturers can participate in a way that works for them, including:
- Needs Assessment Survey
- One-on-One Interview
- Employer Collaboration
- Co-Design Workshop
Share your workforce needs, recruitment and retention experiences, and ideas for building local talent pipelines.
Participation is voluntary and flexible.
📩 Interested in participating or learning more?
Contact Lauren Walker at lauren.walker@iechamilton.ca. |
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What's In The News?
Latest updates!
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What if career exploration began not with “What occupation should I choose?” but with a more compelling question: “What problems in the world would I most like to help solve?”
I recently had the privilege of presenting Career Callings – in two sessions – to leaders and members of a working group of the Asia Pacific Career Development Association (APCDA). The thoughtful discussion and enthusiastic response reinforced my belief that this approach has relevance across countries, cultures, education systems and labour markets.
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Staying updated on the latest labour market developments, inclusion strategies and career development theories is vital for supporting jobseekers in a rapidly shifting economy. This month’s selection of webinars offers career development professionals valuable insights into subjects such as ethical practice, accessible technology and Indigenous inclusion. Explore these upcoming learning opportunities to expand your professional toolkit this September.
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Did you know, you can now request data from Workforce Planning Hamilton using our Data Request form?
Workforce Planning Hamilton’s labour market information can help identify:
- In-demand Industries, Skills & Jobs
- Workforce demographics
- Growing, declining & changing trends
- Job vacancy data
- Labour force supply & demand
- Immigration into the workforce
- Currently hiring skills & positions
- And More!
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