General Search Tips
Ontario’s Job Bank is a government-run search engine with the unique feature of narrowing down the job search by the date it has been posted, like within the last 7 days or even the last 48 hours. This allows you to save time if you check back frequently. Other search options include selecting the region and job category. The Ontario Public Service Careers website has a helpful search engine specific to public service jobs in Ontario. Narrow your search by city, region, job category and minimum salary, or if you know the job in particular you are searching for, type in the Job ID. Internships
If you think an internship is for you, you might want to check out the government-run Ontario Internship Program. The program is great for recent graduates interested in a two-year paid entry-level position in a variety of agencies in the Ontario Public Service field. Applicants must have graduated with a degree, diploma or certificate within two years from beginning this internship. Work areas include Human Resources, Communication and Labour Relations with competitive salaries range from $43K to $50K per annum. The majority of the placements are in the Greater Toronto Area with some opportunities outside of this region. The application process is fairly rigorous, consisting of an online application, a written communications test, interviews and reference checks. The application process begins in early January and job offers are made in mid to late April. The job begins in June. Check their website for more details and eligibility requirements. The Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources has an internship program for both current college and university students as well as recent graduates. Paid entry-level positions in sustainable management of Ontario's natural resources is a great place to begin a career. Internship positions include biologists, financial officers, park planners, economists, communications officers and policy specialists. MNR interns participate in two 40-week placements in the field. Check the eligibility requirements on their website and instructions on how to apply. Career Edge, a non-profit organization, operates in Eastern Ontario and is an agency that facilitates long and short-term paid internships across the country. Their service is designed for recent graduates who want to work in Canada. Apprenticeships
Employment Ontario, a division of the Ontario Ministry of Training, Colleges and Universities, has a wealth of resources on skilled trades. If you're seeking an apprenticeship (learning a skilled trade through on-the-job training), there is information about the many ways to find apprenticeship opportunities. Other resources, like information on trade certification and a career finder, as well as financial help makes Employment Ontario a great place to start your search for a career in trades. If you're a senior high school student, the Ontario Youth Apprenticeship Program is a cooperative education course that allows students to participate in an apprenticeship while also completing their Ontario Secondary School Diploma. Careers include construction, industrial, automotive and service. The Ontario Youth Apprenticeship Program currently serves the Bluewater District Schoolboard. If you live outside this region but are interested in a similar program, make an appointment with your school guidance counsellor about a co-op placement in the skilled trades. OneStep Ontario, or the Ontario Network of Employment Skills Training Projects, is an umbrella agency which unites Ontario non-profits in job training and employment. Their Opportunities Conference is a chance to network with employers and learn about the trades in workshops and through keynote speakers. Other job fairs like the Opportunities Conference are great for becoming better versed in a field of prospective employment and to make contacts in the field. Volunteering
Volunteer Opportunities in Ontario are widespread. Beginning your search by using an umbrella organization can help you compare different opportunities all in one place. The Ontario Volunteer Centre Network is one of those organizations with 23 volunteer centres across Ontario. Since Ontario high school students are required to complete 40 hours of community service in order to graduate, the OVCN is a great place to start your search. Click "Ontario Volunteer Centres" for a comprehensive listing on all the centres across Ontario. The Ontario government's Citizenship Ontario website focuses on the Change the World campaign, a three-week volunteer challenge to get high school students involved in their communities. Check out their website for more information on opportunities available to you. Volunteer Canada's Ontario section is a useful page of links to many organizations that need volunteers across Ontario; include United Way and various volunteer bureaus across the province. Job Fairs
Toronto Jobs is a useful resource for upcoming job fairs in and around the Toronto area. The site breaks down the “who”, “what”, “where” and “when” for the next big job events and is updated regularly. The Canada Job Fairs blog features various job fairs hosted by different companies in article-style. Presented twice annually, the National Job Fair and Training Expo in Toronto at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre is open to the general public and attracts Ontarians from across the province to their comprehensive recruitment event. Like any job fair, this one is a chance for direct contact with recruiters and an opportunity to learn more about your career options. The event takes place over two days and features over a hundred organizations. Check out their website for registration details. Student Exchange Programs
Ontario Public Service Summer Employment Opportunities is a provincial government-run program which hires several thousand youths annually for summer employment in the Ontario Public Service field. Positions range from full-time to temporary positions between 7 and 16 weeks in length over the summer months. While some placements occur in offices and in the outdoors in Ontario, there is a Quebec Summer Exchange Program which allows bilingual Ontario students to work in Quebec. Navigate their website for details about the application process and eligibility requirements. The Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources has an Aboriginal Youth Work Exchange Program which facilitates Aboriginal youth between 15 and 24 to complete an eight-week work placement over the summer in various parts of the province. The recruitment process for this exchange is a partnership effort with participating First Nations communities in Ontario, and the hiring season takes place between April and June. Check out their website for specific positions available. Entrepreneurial Opportunities
The Ontario Ministry of Economic Development and Trade is a provincial government-led initiative that has an annual Summer Company program designed for students between 15 and 29 who want to start a business. The organization grants up to $3000: $1500 for start-up costs, and $1500 upon completion of the Summer Company program. The application process is competitive and they recommend beginning early. For high school students, the time commitment is 8 consecutive weeks, and for post-secondary students it is 12 consecutive weeks. Both must commit to a minimum average of 35 hours per week. The Summer Company coordinators set you up with mentors in your field to guide you through the entrepreneurial process. Browse their Summer Company application guideline for deadlines, eligibility and more information about how the program works. Canada Business Ontario's website has a useful Youth Entrepreneurship Info-Guide with introductory information for young entrepreneurs such as information on tax and financing. The site offers other information about opportunities for youth including Job Connect, Summer Jobs Service and the Ontario Youth Apprenticeship Program. The site lists useful resources pertaining to entrepreneurship and other summer opportunities for students. The Canadian Youth Business Foundation (CYBF) describes itself as "Canada's Go-To Place for Young Entrepreneurs" and is a national charity working to strengthen the job market for young entrepreneurs in Canada. Watch videos and read testimonials from successful student entrepreneurs on the website or take an entrepreneurship assessment quiz to see where you fit in. The CYBF program lends students up to $15,000 towards their ventures as well as coaching, financing options and marketing tips. Camp Jobs
Camp Page's website has a section on summer camp jobs in Ontario. The section features Ontario camps with openings, outlines the position title and salary range, as well as job requirements and information on how to apply. The listing often includes director and counsellor positions as well as maintenance and kitchen staff jobs. Serving Jobs
In Ontario, serving alcohol in an establishment requires a Smart Serve Certification. Smart Serve is a non-profit organization in Canada specializing in responsible alcohol service education, training and certification. It is a division of the Hospitality Industry Training Organization of Ontario and is recognized by the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario. Smart Serve equips those in the hospitality industry with the knowledge to serve alcohol consciously and responsibly. The Smart Serve Responsible Alcohol Training Program explains the Liquor License Act, effects and signs of intoxication, prevention for over-service, intervention strategies and customer service strategies where alcohol is involved. The training can be done online or through a DVD training package and costs between $24.95 and $44.48. The fee for the retraining program is $24.95. The program consists of articles, videos and quizzes, and successful applicants receive a Smart Serve Certificate card which they recommend carrying while working in Ontario. Environmental Jobs
If you're interested in a job in Ontario’s great outdoors this summer, you might want to check out Parks Blog a web blog on Ontario Parks. The blog features descriptions of various summer jobs in Ontario parks across the province. Depending on your age, the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources has youth programs in the outdoors. The Summer Experience Programis a 7-week program for the Ontario government for students ages 15 to 24. The majority of the placements are at parks in Ontario with positions like Park Ranger, Park Resource Education and Marketing Assistant. If you're between 16 and 17 and enrolled in an Ontario school, you may be interested in the Ontario Stewardship Rangers Program. This program is also under the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources. Ontario Stewardship Rangers lasts for 8 weeks and allows you to work in a location in your own community in natural resource management projects like maintaining wildlife habitats, removing invasive species, cleaning streams and more. Applications are due in May, so be sure to check the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources website for details. If you're interested in agriculture, the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs has a Rural Summer Jobs Service. Applications are due early, so check the site fairly early for more information. As a school in the heart of the Greater Toronto Area, York University's Faculty of Environmental Studies has a webpage on useful summer job links.From parks and recreation work to government initiatives hiring students and not-for-profit agencies, there are a variety of environmental jobs that might be of interest. | 
