NEWS RELEASE
TOWN OF INNISFIL
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The Town of Innisfil and the City of Orillia are teaming up to support newcomers integrating into the local workforce.
Two workshops will take place on Jan. 28, 2025 to help employers overcome cultural barriers in the workplace and newcomers achieve career success.
“Newcomers are integral to the growth of our region,” says Innisfil Mayor Lynn Dollin. “In addition to supporting our regional workforce and allowing businesses to expand, newcomers add unique perspectives, skills and vibrancy to our communities. It’s important we welcome and support this growing demographic.”
The DMZ Innisfil program, delivered by the Town of Innisfil economic development team through Toronto Metropolitan University, is an accelerator program designed to help founders start and scale their business. The DMZ Innisfil All Access event series allows all entrepreneurs, employers and working professionals across the region to tap into this support through open-access workshops and educational sessions.
Fuel Innovation, the City of Orillia’s Innovation Collective, is managed by the city’s business development, tourism, and modernization division and is supported by the Innovation Collective operating committee. Fuel Innovation is committed to growing the local economy in Orillia & Lake Country (Chippewas of Rama First Nation, townships of Ramara, Severn and Oro-Medonte) through entrepreneurship and corporate innovation. Fuel provides advisory support to innovators, facilitates access to capital through grant writing, and fosters connections with local partners.
In a joint effort to support the newcomer workforce, two virtual workshops will be delivered by Smart Goose Academy:
- Mastering Cross-Cultural Communication (Jan. 28, from 12:30 to 1:30 p.m.) is designed for local employers and will cover:
- Strategies for effective communication across cultural boundaries;
- Overcoming language and cultural barriers in the workplace; and
- Building cultural intelligence for global collaboration.
- Building a Personal Brand for Career Success (Jan. 28, from 5 to 6:30 p.m.) is designed for local newcomers and will cover:
- Understanding the fundamentals of personal branding;
- Leveraging storytelling to own your narrative; and
- Creating a strong LinkedIn profile and online presence.
Tickets are free and open to all residents of Simcoe County, Barrie and Orillia. Registration is required. Attendees can register for Mastering Cross Cultural Communication at Innisfil.ca/MasteringCrossCulturalCommunication and can register for Building a Personal Brand as a Newcomer for Career Success at Innisfil.ca/BuildingaPersonalBrand.
“Supporting newcomer innovators is key to building an inclusive community,” says Orillia Mayor Don McIsaac. “These workshops will help equip the participants with the tools and resources they need to thrive and contribute to our region’s growing entrepreneurial landscape.”
This project is funded in part by the Ontario government through the Rural Economic Development Program.
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