About the Conference - The Growing Your Workforce Conference is an annual event organized by the Workforce Planning Boards of Ontario. This year, the conference will be hosted by The Workforce Planning Board of Waterloo Wellington Dufferin, and will take place November 20th (Exact time TBD at a later date) at the Hampton Inn and Suites in Waterloo.
The conference focuses on addressing workforce development challenges and opportunities across Southwestern Ontario, and is a vital platform for bringing together partners, including employers, service providers, institutions, and decision makers. It is an event where ideas are exchanged, best practices are shared, and solutions are crafted to address the pressing issues facing our workforce, talent pipelines, and local labour markets.
All selected speakers and panelists will receive a complimentary conference ticket.
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Ideal conference topics include (but are not limited to):
- Recruiting and retaining apprentices
- Workforce retention
- Innovation in experiential learning
- Multi-generational workforces
- Meaningfully employing newcomers
- Innovative retention practices not focused on compensation
- How to effectively recruit qualified talent (from job postings to onboarding)
- How to partner with non-profits for funding opportunities
- Succession planning/knowledge sharing
- EDID: Equity, Diversity, Inclusion, and Decolonization
- Accessibility in the workplace
- Resources for rural employers
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Submission Deadline -
Your submission must be received no later August 31, 2025 to be considered for inclusion in the GYW 2025 Conference program. Any late proposals will be automatically added to a waitlist for consideration if spots become available.
Before Starting Your Proposal Form -
- The following will be among the information requested on the Proposal Form:
- Type of presentation: presentation, panel, or other
- Session title (up to 60 characters), session description (up to 300 characters), and 3 learning outcomes (up to 100 characters each)
- Names, contact information, and biographies (up to 300 characters) for each presenter
- Photos of each presenter (high-resolution: 300 dpi, larger than 800 px width) in either JPEG, EPS, or TIFF format. Each photo must use the following naming format: Last name, First name.
- A list of other conferences you’ve presented at and links to your presentation slides or video recording, if available
- Accessibility needs
- Social media handles
Financial Support Available
*Note, if accommodation, travel, or any additional costs associated with your presentation are a barrier to your participation at the conference and you require additional support, please indicate so at the end of the form.
Privacy Notice
Any personal information collected on the proposal form will be kept in the strictest of confidence, in compliance with the Workforce Planning Board of Waterloo Wellington Dufferin's Policy. Note, if you are selected to present, your name, bio, title, photo, and session information will be used in promotional materials.
Questions? Please email Bennett at bennett@workforceplanningboard.com