Residents in Orillia will soon have improved access to job and social support services, thanks to a new collaboration between Georgian College Career & Employment Community Services and the County of Simcoe, with help from Employ Next powered by Serco. Starting April 1, 2026, Georgian College will be offering its Career & Employment Community Services right at the County’s Social and Community Services (SCS) office located at 250 West Street North.
The West Street North location is already a key resource for various social and human services, including the Ontario Disability Support Program as well as different community health and family resources. By adding Georgian College’s employment services, it creates a smoother, one-stop experience for people looking for help with job searches, career planning, or re-entering the workforce.
This upgraded service comes with backing from Employ Next powered by Serco, which serves as the Employment Ontario Service System Manager (SSM) for Simcoe County in the Kitchener-Waterloo-Barrie (KWB) area. In this capacity, Employ Next coordinates Employment Ontario services on a systemic level while supporting local service providers and enhancing connections among employment, social, and community supports.
For many years now, Georgian College and the County of Simcoe have worked together to assist local job seekers throughout the region including those on Ontario Works. Their partnership was further strengthened during Ontario’s Integrated Employment Services (IES) transformation in 2024 that aims to improve coordination between employment services and social assistance to provide better support for individuals seeking jobs.
This initiative shows Georgian College’s ongoing dedication to the community as a leading post-secondary institution and partner in workforce development. Through its Career & Employment Community Services department, Georgian collaborates with municipalities, employers, and community organizations to aid job seekers while boosting local economies. Co-locating these services will make referrals easier, improve team coordination, and eliminate obstacles for those entering or re-entering the job market. This integrated approach aims for more efficient person-centered service delivery while helping residents connect with all necessary supports.
About the County of Simcoe
The County of Simcoe consists of sixteen member municipalities that deliver essential public services to residents along with providing paramedic and social services to Barrie and Orillia. Check out our website at simcoe. ca.
About Georgian College
At Georgian College, students are central to everything we do. As a leader in hands-on learning focused on careers, Georgian offers much more than just education-it’s an experience! We provide over 130 programs tailored to current market demands including degrees, diplomas, certificates and apprenticeships. With small class sizes supporting applied work-integrated learning alongside comprehensive student services our commitment yields results: Georgian consistently ranks among Ontario’s top colleges with a graduate employment rate of 90.3 percent. We are also proud to be Canada’s only Ashoka U Changemaker College recognized for excellence in social innovation which significantly contributes to economic growth across our regions.
About Employ Next
Employ Next powered by Serco is a publicly funded manager of employment services systems backed by the Government of Ontario through funding from the Ministry of Labour, Immigration, Training and Skills Development (MLITSD). By partnering with service providers as well as community partners and employers it helps streamline employment services according to local labor market needs. The focus is on collaboration along with integration providing person-centered support aimed at reducing barriers while improving overall job outcomes.
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