YouthConnect - The CivicAction Leadership Foundation

Now in its fifth year, YouthConnect’s tradition of opening virtual doors for youth across the region will extend farther and deeper than ever before. This year, we are embedding a new Future of Work curriculum, and will continue the training over the course of the full year through free LinkedIn Learning licences, giving youth and youth workers access to specially curated in-demand skills training. Focusing on skills such as financial literacy, building resiliency and digital literacy, this award-winning program will launch its new curriculum on October 18^th, 2019.

Are you a youth looking to build skills? Check out our resources with the buttons below!

With nine interactive events since November 2014, YouthConnect has trained 750 front-line youth workers, with the capacity to reach approximately 32,000 youth.
Additionally, over 400 youth and over 100 employers have been trained on 21st century job-search skills.
Over 80% of ESP’s who attended YouthConnect 2018 agreed that it was an excellent use of their time and would recommend it to fellow peers.
Over 90% of Youth said they would recommended attending YouthConnect to peers and friends.

What skills are in demand? How can you build them? How do you showcase them? How do you use them? Click here for more resources if you're an ESP.

In-demand Skills

Today’s workforce demands more creativity, innovation and complex relationship building than ever before. We explored some of these topics in our SkillsConnect report released earlier this year. Here are six in-demand foundational skills employers are looking for in entry-level candidates:

Communication:

Communication is a broad cluster of skills which includes body language, active listening, writing emails, asking questions, and general verbal and written skills.

Growth Mindset:

Having a positive attitude towards constructive feedback and professional development demonstrates a growth mindset. Employers are looking for young people who show a desire to learn, willingness to be trained, and adapt to changing needs.

Collaboration:

Being a strong team players means you are able to maintain positive relationships in the workplace. By contributing your ideas, listening actively, and solving problems with your co-workers, you can demonstrate strong collaboration skills.

Empathy:

Empathy is a very important leadership skill. Showing empathy means you are sympathetic and compassionate. It showcases humility, sensitivity and cooperation.

Creativity:

Creativity is the act of bringing imaginative ideas to life. You’re a creative person if you draw connections between problems or questions from unrelated fields; look at a situation and find new ways of doing things; ask questions that are uncommon or challenge the status-quo; meet people with different ideas and perspectives; like to experiment and observe the results.

“65% of Hiring managers say strong communication skills are more important in entry-level applicants than their college majors.”

“Many organizations identify collaboration as the most important skill for success in the workplace”

Build Your Skills

Want to explore and develop in-demand skills? Try LinkedIn Learning!

LinkedIn Learning is an online learning platform where you can access 13,000+ expert-taught courses on a wide range of topics.

If you’re interested in getting a FREE one-year licence to LinkedIn Learning in October, 2019, have your local employment service provider or youth worker contact us at info@civicaction.ca.

Showcase Your Skills

Have you had a great experience through your first job, playing sports or volunteering in your community? You can add it to your profile! Learn how to showcase all the skills you’ve gained from your different experiences to employers both online and in person through an interview or a meeting. You can even add events where you learn specific skills like YouthConnect to your profile. Make sure you add on the certificate if you attended.

Get the low down on creating an online and in person presence that screams “I’m the right hire!” with these resources from YouthConnect.

LinkedIn Profile Best Practices

Use this guide to build a profile that quickly tells an impactful, professional story. Be strategic and choose one or two themes that strengthen your value and make you easy to remember.

Build a Great LinkedIn Profile

Want to give viewers a glimpse into who you are and get them excited to learn more? Learn all about how to rock your LinkedIn profile with this guide.

LinkedIn Profile FAQs

Not all your questions were answered in the LinkedIn profile guides? Curious about what to do when you have an experience gap, or how to adjust privacy settings? This FAQ has you covered!

Transferable Skills List

No work experience? No problem! This document has some examples of activities you may have participated in and the transferable skills you may have gained.

Mastering the Mock Interview

Have you landed a meeting or an interview for an opportunity? Check out this nifty guide on how to prepare through mock interviews.

A Mock Interview Excercise

Looking to practice your interview skills and not just read about them? Grab a friend, parent, or family member and use this guide to practice!

Exploring Careers

Wonder what it’s like to work for a big company? It’s hard to know the options and what skills employers are looking for. Below, join our youth host Fatema, as she takes a peak into two major corporations to better understand their expectations, career paths and workplace cultures.

Once you’ve checked out the videos take a look at our guide to career exploration and our networking tips that’ll help you meet new people who can tell you about their career!

Manulife:

Fatema takes a tour of Manulife’s offices in Toronto & Kitchener where she gets a chance to meet with employees Rob, Emma and Monique. She learns about their career journeys, and the skills and experience needed to work at a big corporate office such as Manulife. Check out career opportunities at Manulife here.

IBM:

Fatema makes a trip to Markham where Jean-Marc gives her a tour of the IBM head office. She gets to speak with Michelle, Carmen and Faham about their careers at IBM. Take a look at employment opportunities at IBM’s new collar initiative.

Are you an ESP looking for resources?

Find the presentations and worksheets from previous YouthConnect events to help you and your youth learn more about career and skills exploration and using LinkedIn to find jobs and to connect with people and opportunities.

If you are interested in registering your youth clients between the ages of 18-29, for a FREE one-year licence to LinkedIn Learning in October of 2019, or you’d like to attend this year’s YouthConnect on October 18^th 2019, share your information with us here.