Career Education Council (CEC) Guelph Wellington Dufferin

Sharing Recipient Stories

2023 Dufferin County Community Grant Recipient
$3,000

Sharing our grant

To further enhance educational and career development opportunities for the youth in Dufferin County, the Career Education Council (CEC) is keen on building on the success of two of its flagship projects – the Career Exploration Portal and the Career Pathways Dufferin/Dream Dufferin event.

Career Pathways Dufferin/Dream Dufferin is a career fair that is undoubtedly one of the most significant undertakings by the CEC in Dufferin County. The event obtains a rich history of partnerships with like-minded organizations and employers wishing to engage and inspire their
future workforce. In 2023, we proudly partnered with the Dufferin Board of Trade to connect Career Pathways Dufferin with their successful Dream Dufferin initiative. Our collected effort meant that employers could come out to one central event to engage youth from grades 8 through high school.

The latest career fair brought together 41 workplace exhibitors and 648 enthusiastic youth, creating a platform for exploration, learning, and inspiration. This event aimed to bridge the gap between education and career by providing students with firsthand exposure to various career
pathways. From engaging with professionals in different fields to interactive exhibits showcasing diverse industries, the event was a resounding success in helping young minds envision their future career trajectories.

One educator who attended the Dream Dufferin event stated, “the interactive exhibits were a brilliant touch, providing a hands-on experience that brought abstract career concepts to life… The energy and enthusiasm carried back to the classroom, creating an ongoing dialogue about career aspirations and the steps needed to achieve them”.

A Grade 11 who helped volunteer at the event said, “I came to this event for a volunteer opportunity but was interested in the exhibitors and the stories that had about their careers.”

Kelly Schafer, Executive Director of the CEC said, “we were really thrilled to join forces with the Dufferin Board of Trade this year to combine Dream Dufferin with Career Pathways Dufferin. Combining both events meant that employers and other exhibitors maximized their time to reach as many youth as possible with valuable insights about career pathways, volunteerism, and community resources in Dufferin. The committee was impressed by the lengths that employers went to with offering engaging and interactive booths. We appreciate every effort made by employers to join is providing youth with opportunities to see themselves in the local workforce.”

The CEC’s Career Exploration Portal is a regionally-focused resource hub centered around career exploration and skill development tools for job-seekers and the future workforce. The portal includes several Dufferin-based businesses and obtains 1,600 overall monthly visitors. This virtual programming has proven to be an asset to employers, high school co-op and Specialist High Skills Major (SHSM) programs, and local job-seeking youth who have faced limited in-person training resources since 2020.