What 2nd Chance Employment Counselling does

Second Chance Employment Counselling (Wellington) Inc. is a non-profit, community-based employment services organization headquartered in Guelph, Ontario, with operations across Guelph and Wellington County. Founded in 1974 as an addiction rehabilitation program and transitioned to employment counselling after receiving federal funding through the Employment and Immigration Commission, the organization has operated continuously for 50 years, serving job seekers of all ages as well as local employers. It is governed by a volunteer Board of Directors and led by Executive Director Chris Baginski-Hansen.

The organization's core offering is delivered through three physical offices: the main Guelph office on Norfolk Street, the Youth Resource Centre at Stone Road Mall, and the Fergus office serving Wellington County. Services include one-to-one employment counselling, resume and cover letter assistance, career exploration, interview preparation, access to training opportunities, and a community job posting board. Specialized programs include Employment Ontario (general adult services), Ways2Work (a 16-week pre-employment training program for youth aged 15-30 with certifications and minimum wage allowance), Women2Work (a 6-week program with a 12-week paid job placement pathway for women with disability-related barriers to employment), and Better Jobs Ontario (skills training for in-demand occupations). The organization also delivers Serco's EmployNext program and facilitates the federal Canada Summer Jobs wage subsidy program.

All services are provided at no cost to job seekers and employers. Revenue is derived almost entirely from government funding, primarily through Employment Ontario (Ministry of Labour, Training and Skills Development) and complementary federal programs. The customer base on the demand side includes major regional employers such as Cargill, Canadian Tire, Musashi Auto Parts, Bayshore Home Care, and Jaylor Fabricating, which use the free job posting board for recruitment. The organization has no proprietary technology platform, no AI/ML capabilities, and operates exclusively within Ontario, Canada.

Name

2nd Chance Employment Counselling

Legal name

Second Chance Employment Counselling (Wellington) Inc.

Website

https://2ndchance.ca

Company type

Private

Founded year

1974

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

2nd Chance Employment Counselling is a non-profit, government-funded community employment services organization in Guelph and Wellington County, Ontario. It provides free one-to-one counselling, job search support, specialized youth and disability programs, and employer recruitment services across three physical offices.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Employment Services

NAICS

Employment Placement Agencies (561311), Vocational Rehabilitation Services (6243), Employment Services (5613), Vocational Rehabilitation Services (624310)

SIC

Services-Employment Agencies (7361), Services-Social Services (8300), Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Job Placement, Matching & Career Navigation Services (EDAAAOAL)

akta.pro secondary industries

Employment & Job Readiness Support Services (BPAGAEAJ), Career Coaching, Mentoring & Placement Support Services (EDAAAKAO), Workforce Support Services & Case Management (Coaching, Wraparound) (EDAAAOAK)

Keywords

• Employment counselling
• Job search services
• Career counselling
• Youth employment programs
• Community employment services

Headquarters

HQ city

Guelph

HQ country

Canada

HQ region

North America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Government Funding (Employment Ontario): Funded by the Ministry of Labour, Training and Skills Development through Employment Ontario programs including Better Jobs Ontario, and delivers EmployNext services by Serco. All services provided at no cost to job seekers.
2. Canada Summer Jobs Wage Subsidies: Facilitates Canada Summer Jobs program which provides wage subsidies to employers including not-for-profit organizations, public sector, and private sector organizations with 50 or fewer full-time employees to create summer work experiences for youth aged 15-30.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

2nd Chance Employment Counselling is a non-profit, community-based organization that provides free employment services to job seekers of all ages in Guelph and Wellington County, Ontario. Its offerings include one-to-one employment counselling, resume and cover letter assistance, interview preparation, workshops, job posting access, and specialized programs such as Ways2Work (youth pre-employment training) and Women2Work (women with disabilities). For employers, it offers recruitment support, job posting, candidate screening, and access to training incentives at no cost.

Product overview

2nd Chance Employment Counselling operates as a community-based employment services organization offering a unified suite of free counselling and job placement services. The core offering includes Employment Ontario services (one-to-one counselling, resume support, career exploration), supplemented by specialized programs including Ways2Work (youth pre-employment training), Women2Work (women's employment program with job placement), and the Youth Resource Centre (physical space with job search resources). The organization also maintains an online Job Posting Board and delivers group workshops (Career Decision Making, Ace the Interview, Job Seekers Network). For employers, recruitment and hiring support services are provided at no cost. The company delivers these services across three office locations in Guelph and Fergus, Ontario.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Employment Ontario Services Free and confidential employment services providing one-to-one counselling, resume and cover letter assistance, career exploration, job search support, and access to training opportunities for adults at all office locations.
• Ways2Work A 16-week pre-employment training program for youth aged 15-30 providing essential employment skills, certifications (Smart Serve, First Aid, Safe Food Handling, WHMIS), and a minimum wage allowance while attending.
• Women2Work A 6-week skill-building program for women experiencing disability-related barriers to employment, offering interactive workshops on career decision-making, job search, networking, mental health, and financial literacy, with potential for a 12-week paid job placement.
• Youth Resource Centre A physical space at Stone Road Mall providing free internet, computers, comfortable seating, and knowledgeable employment staff for youth job seekers, with access to job postings, photocopying, resume writing, and interview help.
• Better Jobs Ontario A program funded by the Ministry of Labour, Training and Skills Development providing support to unemployed individuals for skills training in in-demand occupations, focusing on programs of 52 weeks or less including micro-credential programs.
• Employer Recruitment Services Free recruitment support for employers including access to job seekers, posting on office boards and website, job fair participation, candidate screening, office space for interviews, and access to apprenticeship incentives.
• Job Posting Board Online job board displaying current employment opportunities across Guelph and Wellington County, filterable by job type (full-time, part-time, summer) and proximity to public transit.
• Employment Workshops (Career Decision Making, Ace the Interview, Job Seekers Network) Group workshops held at office locations covering career decision making using the Career Cruising platform, interview preparation (behavioral, panel, virtual formats), and networking strategies to access the hidden job market.

Named customers8 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Employment OntariocoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEmployment Ontario is the primary government program through which 2nd Chance delivers employment services. 2nd Chance is an approved Employment Ontario service provider offering free, confidential employment services to adults at all office locations.
• Ministry of Labour, Training and Skills Development (Ontario)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerProvincial government ministry that funds Better Jobs Ontario program and Employment Ontario services. 2nd Chance delivers programs funded by this ministry to help unemployed individuals gain skills training for in-demand occupations.
• Canada Summer JobscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFederal government program providing wage subsidies to employers to create summer work experiences for youth aged 15-30. 2nd Chance connects job seekers with employers hiring through this program.
• EmployNext by SercocoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEmployNext is delivered by 2nd Chance as a Serco subcontractor/partnership. This comprehensive program provides essential support to job seekers of all ages including resources, training, and job placement assistance.
• Youth Resource CentrecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner2nd Chance is a founding member of the Youth Resource Centre located at 435 Stone Road West, Suite 213. Provides comfortable spaces with computers, job postings, resume/interview help, and knowledgeable employment staff for youth.
• Conestoga CollegeminorStrategic or Co-development Partner2nd Chance staff visit Conestoga College to provide workshops and participate in special events targeting students seeking part-time work or career preparation.
• University of GuelphminorStrategic or Co-development Partner2nd Chance staff visit the University of Guelph to provide workshops and participate in special events for students.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights3 records

Direct peers

• YWCA Employment Services (Ontario): YWCA Employment Services in Hamilton and across Ontario provides free employment programs including specialized supports for women — directly comparable to 2nd Chance's Women2Work program and broader community-based employment services delivery.
• Job Skills (Ontario): Job Skills delivers Employment Ontario employment programs, including youth-focused employment supports and employer services, across multiple Ontario regions — directly comparable programming mix and funding model to 2nd Chance.
• VPI Working Solutions: VPI Working Solutions delivers Employment Ontario employment services across Southwestern Ontario — comparable geographic scope, government-funded employment counselling, and employer matching model to 2nd Chance's Wellington County operations.
• Career Edge Organization: Career Edge delivers government-funded employment programs in Ontario including paid internships and employment placements for career changers, youth, and people with disabilities — closely comparable programming to 2nd Chance's Ways2Work, Women2Work, and Better Jobs Ontario offerings.
• Goodwill Industries of Toronto, Ontario & British Columbia: Goodwill operates employment services, job coaching, and training programs funded by Employment Ontario targeting job seekers facing barriers — closely paralleling 2nd Chance's mandate to serve adult job seekers, youth, and people with disabilities in Ontario.
• COSTI Immigrant Services: COSTI delivers Employment Ontario-funded employment services, including job matching, mentoring, and settlement-linked employment programming across the Greater Toronto Area, mirroring 2nd Chance's government-funded, free, in-person employment counselling model.
• YMCA Employment Services (Ontario): YMCA Employment Services across Ontario delivers government-funded employment counselling, job search support, and newcomer employment programs under Employment Ontario contracts — directly comparable to 2nd Chance's community-based, free-to-client service model.

Broad incumbents

• ManpowerGroup (Canada): ManpowerGroup operates staffing and recruitment services across Canada, including serving employers in Guelph and Wellington County. Not a free or non-profit provider, but competes for the same employer relationships and job posting activity that 2nd Chance supports.
• Robert Half (Canada): Robert Half provides recruiting and staffing services across Canada including specialized finance, technical, and administrative placements. Comparable as a for-profit staffing incumbent competing for the same employers that 2nd Chance serves at no cost.
• Adecco (Canada): Adecco's Canadian operations provide temporary staffing, permanent placement, and workforce solutions to employers regionally — comparable employer services function to 2nd Chance's Employer Recruitment Services, though structured as a fee-based incumbent.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/16459609073
• Xx.com/2nd_chance_emp
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/2nd-chance-employment-counselling

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles10 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about 2nd Chance Employment Counselling