Community Employment Serves celebrates grand opening

For job seekers and employers alike, N105 isn’t your typical office space – it’s where opportunity knocks, and where Niagara College opens doors.

Community partners and guests gathered to celebrate the new on-campus location on Feb. 25. For many, it was their first step inside the recently opened site, on the main floor of the Daniel J. Patterson Campus in Niagara-on-the-Lake. Previously situated in downtown St. Catharines, the move marked a new chapter for CES, centralizing the government funded supports it offers to an on-campus location alongside many academic areas.

In his address to a standing-room-only crowd, President Sean Kennedy highlighted the important services that CES provides, and how the team exemplifies the College’s core values: student-focused, trailblazing, passionate, and welcoming.

“The work of Community Employment Services is truly all about enriching peoples’ lives and helping them fulfill dreams,” said Kennedy. “Congratulations to our Community Employment Services Team for all that you do every day. Your dedication, commitment and professionalism makes a difference in the lives of so many people.”

Crystal Issacs, Services Delivery Consultant, FedCap Canada, thanked the CES team and especially front-line staff, for their commitment and service to the Niagara community.

“You are the ones who turn strategy into meaningful individual outcomes. Every day, you help people navigate the complexities of life and work, and that dedication truly makes a difference in the community and the lives of those who live here,” said Issacs.

“Today marks the opening of a new office, and quite literally, a new door to opportunity.”

Issacs noted that the space is more than just a physical location; it represents access, support, confidence, and possibility – for job seekers and employers.

“At FedCap, Canada, our mission is to create opportunities for people with barriers to reach economic wellbeing. And so, they can achieve long-lasting self-sufficiency. That mission comes to life right here in spaces just like this one, where support turns into progress and progress turns into opportunity,” said Issacs. “So today, we don’t just open a new office. We open new possibilities, and I have no doubt that the work happening here within these walls will continue to change lives in Niagara.”

Jeffrey Post, Dean of Interdisciplinary Studies and Teaching Excellence, CAE, spoke about a hairstylist he recently met who had turned to CES during a period of unemployment, which later inspired her to enrol at the College to pursue a new career.

“She chose Niagara because of the experience she had in CES, and I think that speaks to our core values,” said Post. “I think that speaks to the work we all do.

“Maybe we take it for granted that we sometimes change peoples’ lives, but that’s what we do here, on a daily basis.”

The CES office at N105 is located just steps from the front entrance at the Daniel J. Patterson Campus. It is equipped with a community resource area to ensure clients have the tools they need – including computers and printers – to conduct independent job searches or meet with employment advisors.

CES offers job-seekers free one-on-one support through every stage, from pre-employment to securing a position. They serve approximately 1,600 job seekers per year and work with hundreds of employers throughout Niagara to support their hiring needs.

“I’m incredibly proud of the impact our team makes every day. The Open House was an opportunity to showcase how we support job seekers, collaborate with community partners, and strengthen our local workforce,” said CES Manager Gary Bruce. “Our goal is simple: to create pathways to meaningful, sustainable employment for everyone we serve.”

CES is open to anyone looking to land a new job or interested in a career change. For looking to retrain, CES can connect them with programs like Better Jobs Ontario.

College employees and students are encouraged to swing by and check out the new location. The CES team plans to host an event for the NC community during the weeks ahead. A date has not yet been announced.

For info about services offered at CES, visit niagaracollege.ca/ces.

The CES Open House was supported by the College’s Community Relations and Events team. Customized CES cookies served at the open house were prepared by Baking and Pastry Arts students from NC’s School of Culinary Arts.