Building Better Job Pathways for Workers in Newfoundland and Labrador

CORNER BROOK, NL (September 12, 2025) – A new NLWIC Playbook, as part of the Final Report on Job Transition Pathways in NL, aims to further strengthen the professional toolkit of career practitioners/counsellors as well as other employment and training service providers to meet the diverse needs of their clients.

Drawing from the Job Pathways Playbook, Building Pathways to Navigate Mid-Career Transitions, developed by the Dais team at Toronto Metropolitan University (TMU) in 2020, this new NLWIC Playbook provides clear and actionable steps, principles, and models for practitioners to use to assist workers with the transition from occupations which are declining or experiencing a labour surplus to growing occupations or industries in NL.

NLWIC Director, Sharon McLennon understands that job transitioning can impact workers and the economy in the future which is why it is imperative to find innovative solutions to workforce development.

“It is crucial to empower career practitioners and employment and training service providers with knowledge and tools to address workforce challenges,” she said. “This project demonstrates our investment/commitment to investing in the NL labour market to equip workers with the right skills, improve their career stability, while also supporting the social and economic prosperity of our province for the best employment and workforce outcomes.”

The Playbook, designed to be a practical guide, introduces job transition pathways models to reflect extensive research from the Fair Winds and Full Sails: Towards Long-Term Stability for Workers in Newfoundland and Labrador Report, co-authored by NLWIC and the Dais as part of the Job Transition Pathways (JTP) project.

Viet Vu, Manager, Economic Research at the Dais at Toronto Metropolitan University, expressed enthusiasm about the collaborative effort.

“We are thrilled to release the Final Report and Playbook in collaboration with NLWIC and the Dais, with support from the federal and provincial government, and the Max Bell Foundation. This marks the first time the Job pathways model, created by our team, was applied outside the Ontario context and I’m confident these insights will help the province plan and chart a path for its future labour force.”

The JTP research project findings offer one possible approach to demonstrate how efficiently workers can transition to alternate occupations and provide evidence-based recommendations to effectively tackle current workforce development challenges.

The Honourable Gerry Byrne, Minister of Jobs, Immigration and Growth, Government of Newfoundland and Labrador expressed his support for the initiative.

“The Newfoundland and Labrador Workforce Innovation Centre’s initiative provides workers in the province with a clear path to navigate career transitions. The new Job Transition Pathways Playbook is turning research into action by supporting individuals in identifying current and future opportunities, and guiding them toward more secure, long-term careers.”

The Playbook reinforces key recommendations from the Final Report by offering tailored strategies for occupational/sectoral job transitions, addressing the unique needs of diverse job seeker groups, and tackling transition barriers with practical solutions. It also serves as a comprehensive resource for labour market information. The nature of NL’s labour market demands agile, adaptable, and resilient workforce. The Playbook and Report can be leveraged by career practitioners/counsellors, employment service providers/workforce developers, employers, and policymakers, and used as a valuable guide, helping individuals explore alternative career opportunities while navigating their job search. Access the Playbook and Report.

Funding for the Job Transition Pathways research project collaboration is provided by the Department of Jobs, Immigration and Growth under the Canada-Newfoundland and Labrador Market Development Agreement, the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency (ACOA), and the Max Bell Foundation.

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Media Contacts:

Lana Roestenberg
Public Relations Specialist, NLWIC
Tel: 709.758.7350
Email: lana.roestenberg@nlwic.ca

Tanya Cole
Director of Communications, the Dais
Email: tanya.cole@torontomu.ca