This industry which is made up of about 4,000 business, mostly small to medium-sized operations with less than 100 employees, directly employ 125,000 people.
The people of these businesses are food scientists, skilled trades professionals, bakers, cheese makers, quality assurance specialists and production leads just to name a few.
Food and beverage processing is a vital and essential industry that has proven its resilience and commitment during the Covid-19 global pandemic — after all everyone needs to eat and it is something we enjoy together with our families and as a community.
However, this industry also has a challenge. By 2025, it is estimated that there will be an employment gap of about 25,000 people. That’s a lot of jobs demanding a variety of skill sets available to Ontarians and newcomers to Canada.
To connect Ontario employers with jobseekers and students for career opportunities, Food and Beverage Ontario delivers CareersNOW! — the industry's leading workforce development initiative.
This initiative provides free resources to employers, jobseekers and students such as an employment platform, job fairs, skills training and job coaching to facilitate successful recruitment and retention for businesses.