A Three Fires Collaborative Quest
OVERVIEW
After a successful launch of the program, A Three Fires Collaborative Quest, we are excited to continue and expand this program in 2022.
A Three Fires Collaborative Quest is a collaboration between the Tourism Industry Association of Ontario (TIAO), Indigenous Tourism Ontario (ITO), and the Ontario Tourism Education Corporation (OTEC). Designed to fill critical gaps within the industry and encourage recovery and growth of the province’s tourism workforce, A Three Fires Collaborative Quest brought awareness of opportunities to potential Indigenous employees. We are building on the program’s foundation and adding new elements including an in-person job matching event, additional resources for businesses and industry, and additional training to encourage and promote opportunities within the tourism industry.
The program, A Three Fires Collaborative Quest, has three components we call “fires”–each managed by one of the three aforementioned partners.
Indigenous tourism businesses will receive one-on-one coaching and support from ITO’s Indigenous Business Advisory (IBA) Program to help them as we go into a busy reopening season. The resources available to participants of the IBA Program will address all areas of a tourism operation required for business sustainability and success and will follow market-ready standards established specifically for the Indigenous tourism industry.
Potential Employees
To be eligible for the program as a potential employee, you must be Indigenous. After being accepted into the program, you will have the opportunity to participate in frontline training workshops. These workshops are suitable for potential employees whether you are just starting in the tourism industry, or if you have experience but are seeking a new position within the industry.
To apply as a potential employee, click the button below:
The second fire is managed by OTEC, whose expertise will guide the development and delivery of workshops to provide customized frontline training for Indigenous tourism employees and employers.
Indigenous Tourism Workshop Series
The Indigenous Tourism Series Workshop falls under the second fire, which is the execution of workshops to provide customized frontline training for 100+ Indigenous tourism employees as well as those identified through an Indigenous Business Advisor (IBA). Workshops can be hosted in-person, virtually, or self-taught through OTEC’s online learning platform.
The Indigenous Tourism Series Workshop currently includes three different training topics:
- Service Excellence
- Leading for Excellence
- Coaching for Excellence
An overview, target audience, and learning outcomes on each of the trainings can be found here: Three Fires Workshop Overview
If you are interested in having yourself, your employees, or a group certified:
Please contact: IBA@IndigenousTourismOntario.ca
If you are interested in the self-taught online training, please follow the following instructions: “OTEC Registration“
The third fire, executed by TIAO, is an Employee-to-Employer (E2E) Matching program designed to bridge the gap between the other two fires by helping Indigenous tourism employees find employers, and conversely, tourism businesses (both Indigenous and non-Indigenous) find employees. TIAO will host a number of E2E Matching events- some virtual and some in-person.
Potential Employers
To apply for the program as an employer, you must be a tourism business in Ontario, and you must be willing to support your new employee’s training and development in collaboration with the program. Potential employees can participate in frontline training throughout the duration of the program.
Additionally, upon completion of the program, you will be eligible to receive a wage subsidy of up to 30%, with a maximum of $5,000 per employee hired.
WAGE SUBSIDY PROGRAM
Employers will be eligible for a 30% wage subsidy of up to $5,000 per employee, for those who participate in the Three Fires Program.
To apply as an employer, click the button below:
Employer to Employee (E2E) Matching Event
You will be invited to participate in the Employee to Employer Matching event taking place virtually on the following dates:
- April 25. 2022
- May 30, 2022
- June 27, 2022
- Fall 2022
In addition to our virtual events, we will host one (1) in-person job matching event.
- March 2023
For our virtual events, our online platform will allow you to schedule video interviews with potential employers, and vice-versa, in order to provide you the opportunity to secure employment in 2022.
BENEFITS
- Provides immediate financial support in the form of wage subsidies to enable operators to hire Indigenous employees.
- Provides training opportunities to frontline, supervisory and ownership positions through interactive workshops and coaching sessions.
- Provides Indigenous operators with direct support from Indigenous Business Advisors focusing on ITO’s Four Pillars.
- During the program, you will be eligible to receive a wage subsidy of 30%, to a maximum of $5,000 per employee hired.
- Offers recruitment and hiring support for the 2022 operating season by matching employees with suitable employers through the E2E program.
EMPLOYER COVID-19 INFORMATION
CONTACT
For more information about IBA 2.0 and the Three Fires Program, please contact IBA@IndigenousTourismOntario.ca.