TORONTO – BUSINESS – From June 2 to 8, the Association of Canadian Search, Employment & Staffing Services (ACSESS) and its 1,500 member offices celebrate Staffing for Canada week to recognize the $15 billion industry’s more than 500,000 employees and the two million job seekers they place each year.
With Canada’s unemployment rate at 5.7 per cent (for May, 2019), the staffing industry plays a vital role in helping businesses get the right, sometimes scarce, talent on board in a timely manner.
“Last year our members, which include established recruiting, executive search and staffing service firms, placed more than 600,000 candidates and generated approximately 80 per cent of the staffing industry’s overall revenue in Canada,” says Mary McIninch, Executive Director, ACSESS. “ACSESS members place ‘just in time’ candidates of all career levels in temporary to full-time positions, which are a strategic fit for the client’s business and the job seeker’s needs. Flexible workforce solutions help startups to enterprise firms address unexpected business growth, assess fit before hiring, access scarce skill-sets, fill long-term or unanticipated absences or meet special project/seasonal needs.”
ACSESS works with its members to reinforce best practices, ethical standards and workplace safety through professional development, a members’ code of ethics, safety group, a thorough certification program and other initiatives. It also advocates for balanced legislation and keeps members on top of changes to protect the mutual interests of their organization, clients and candidates.
To mark Staffing for Canada Week, ACSESS invited its members’ candidates and field workers to enter an ‘Exceptional Experience Contest’ and share their experience via writing or video.
“Our members’ professionalism and attention to candidates’ needs and preferences is reflected in the submissions received from throughout Canada,” says McIninch. “I’m pleased to congratulate all of the winners. Our first place winner Ashish Koshy, from Calgary, wrote about his exceptional experience with Sheila Musgrove, owner at TAG Recruitment and recruiter Jake Hulse.”
Koshy described how: “TAG set up an interview to know about my goals and interests…and I got some tips on sending out applications that can make an impact with employers.” In a short time, TAG placed him in a desired Supply Chain industry role that “…indicated that they took the time and effort to properly assess me and see how well I would fit the role,” he wrote. “It was very encouraging to see TAG always checking up on me and giving me feedback being shared to them by the employers, on a regular basis. Timely payments being made without any reminders shows that the firm takes customer service seriously and in doing so, has always lived up to expectations.”
Runner up winners include:
Second Place: Jackson Bender, a university student from Ottawa, who wrote about his exceptional experience with recruiter Veronical Hariski at Adecco. – “I had never really given much thought to working as an auto temporary employee before. However, it offered many advantages that I am grateful for. I ended up finding a position that was exactly what I was looking for – close to home, short-term in length, great pay and perks, plus the opportunity to gain some additional experience in a different industry and meet some interesting people.”
Third Place: Napoleon Viloria, from Edmonton, who recalled his exceptional experience with recruiter Grace Estrella at Kelly Services. – “I just got absorbed in Industrial Scientific this month as Associate Service Technician. Without their help and guidance while I am still under their agency, I would not be able to perform well in my work. It is really advantage to know that the team of your staffing agency is approachable and committed with their staff.”
ACSESS began to record case study examples about some of its members’ candidates/employees in its Champion feature, which is here on its website.
First introduced in Edmonton in 1980 as ‘National Temporaries’ Week,’ Staffing for Canada Week has become widely recognized in both Canada and the United States, based on the growing number of contract and temporary workers who contribute to the skilled labour force, in all industry sectors.
The celebration is endorsed by local dignitaries and Canada’s political leaders – from provincial premiers to our Prime Minister, for the staffing industry’s key role in our economy.
