YES Employment Services

What YES Employment Services does

YES Employment Services is a non-profit, community-based employment services organization headquartered at 1116 Waterford Street, Thunder Bay, Ontario, Canada, founded in June 1981. It operates as a designated Employment Ontario service provider, delivering free employment assistance to job seekers and recruitment support to employers across Thunder Bay and surrounding Northwestern Ontario communities (including Nipigon and Red Rock) through outreach services and a toll-free contact line. All services are funded by Employment Ontario, the Government of Canada, and the Government of Ontario, with no fees charged to participants.

The organization's core offerings comprise five Employment Ontario-funded programs: Employment Service (career counseling, resume help, job matching), Youth Job Connection / Empower You(th) (paid pre-employment training plus 8-week paid work placements for ages 15-30), Youth Job Connection Summer (paid summer jobs for ages 15-18), Better Jobs Ontario (up to 52 weeks of skills training with up to $28,000 in financial support), and the Canada-Ontario Job Grant (employer training subsidies up to $10,000-$15,000 per trainee). Operational technology is modest and largely prescribed: a WordPress website with the WP Job Manager plugin powering the YES Job Bank, government-prescribed case management software, and an in-house DataTrack client check-in system. The organization additionally hosts workshops (NextGen Resume Builder, Smart Serve certification) and operates a Service Hub co-located with Contact North (distance education, AR/VR learning room, e-Channel literacy platform) and Working Warriors (Indigenous workforce development).

YES generates no commercial revenue; its sole revenue stream is multi-level government funding administered through Employment Ontario. Distribution is delivered through a small headcount of 11-50 staff via walk-in resource area, scheduled appointments, telephone, text, email, video conferencing, job fairs, and hybrid workshops. Its customer base is dual-sided: job seekers (general, youth, newcomers, career changers, Indigenous clients) and local employers across healthcare, hospitality, construction, landscaping, and trades, with no individual employer representing material revenue concentration.

Name

YES Employment Services

Legal name

YES Employment Services

Website

https://yesjobsnow.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1981

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

YES Employment Services is a Thunder Bay-based non-profit, founded in 1981 and funded by Employment Ontario, that delivers free employment services, paid youth training, and employer recruitment support to job seekers and businesses across Northwestern Ontario.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Employment Services

NAICS

Employment Services (5613), Employment Placement Agencies and Executive Search Services (56131), Employment Placement Agencies (561311), Educational Services (611), Educational Support Services (611710), Vocational Rehabilitation Services (6243)

SIC

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

akta.pro primary industry

Workforce Development & Inclusive Employment (Job Training, Placement) (BPAGALAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Job Placement, Matching & Career Navigation Services (EDAAAOAL), Workforce Support Services & Case Management (Coaching, Wraparound) (EDAAAOAK), Workforce & Job-Seeker Services (Community-Based) (EDAAAFAM), Supported Employment & Job Coaching (EDAKANAE)

Keywords

• Employment services
• Job search assistance
• Career counseling
• Workforce development
• Employer recruitment

Headquarters

HQ city

Thunder Bay

HQ country

Canada

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Government-Funded Employment Services: YES Employment Services is a charitable organization that operates as a Service Hub partner under Employment Ontario. The organization receives funding from the Government of Canada and Government of Ontario to provide free employment services to job seekers and employers. All programs and services are delivered at no cost to participants.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

YES Employment Services provides free employment services to job seekers and employers in Northwestern Ontario. Its offerings include job search support, career counseling, employer recruitment assistance, skills training, and targeted programs for youth, newcomers, Indigenous people, francophones, and persons with disabilities.

Product overview

YES Employment Services is a non-profit employment services organization offering a coordinated suite of programs funded by Employment Ontario. The core offerings include the Employment Service program for job seekers of all ages, the Youth Job Connection (YJC)/Empower You(th) program for youth 15-30 facing barriers, and Youth Job Connection Summer for youth 15-18. Employer-facing products include the Canada-Ontario Job Grant for training subsidies and Job Fairs for recruitment. The YES Job Bank serves as the online job listing platform, complemented by an Employer Dashboard for posting management. Additional services include the Resource Area with workshops (Resume Builder, Smart Serve certification), Better Jobs Ontario for skills training with financial support up to $28,000, and a Service Hub partnership with Contact North and Working Warriors for integrated education and training.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Empower You(th): Youth employment program for young people aged 15-30 designed to help develop skills and gain experience needed to transition into the labour market.
• Youth Job Connection
• Employment Service
• Better Jobs Ontario

Products and services

• Job Search Assistance Free job search support services for individuals seeking employment, including resume help and job matching.
• Employer Recruitment Services Recruitment assistance for employers including job posting, candidate pre-screening, and access to government-funded training incentives.
• Youth Employment Programs Targeted employment programs for youth including career counseling, skills training, and job placement support.
• Newcomer Employment Programs Employment services tailored for newcomers to Canada, including settlement-linked employment support.
• Indigenous Employment Programs Employment services tailored for Indigenous clients with culturally appropriate career support.
• Francophone Employment Programs Employment services delivered in French for francophone job seekers.
• Disability Employment Programs Employment services for persons with disabilities, including accommodations and job matching support.

Quantifiable outcome

• Youth participants receive paid pre-employment training at minimum wage equivalent and 8-week paid work placements
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers10 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and supporting.

• Employment OntariocoreOthersPrimary funding partner. Employment Ontario is a provincial government program that helps job seekers access employment and training services. YES Employment Services operates as a designated Employment Ontario service provider delivering programs including Employment Service, Youth Job Connection, and Canada-Ontario Job Grant.
• Government of CanadacoreOthersFederal government funding partner through Employment Ontario. Provides funding for employment programs and services delivered by YES Employment Services to job seekers and employers in Thunder Bay.
• Government of OntariocoreOthersProvincial government funding partner through Employment Ontario. Provides funding and program oversight for employment services delivered by YES Employment Services.
• Contact North / Contact NordcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerService Hub partnership providing online education and training opportunities under one roof at YES office. Contact North is Ontario's community-based bilingual distance education and training network. They have an Education and Training Advisor on-site at YES and have set up an AR/VR room for hands-on learning experiences. They deliver e-Channel web-based literacy training platform.
• Working WarriorscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerService Hub partnership providing Indigenous workforce development under one roof at YES office. Working Warriors is a management platform that assists Indigenous communities with workforce identification, economic development assets, and industry partnerships. They connect job seekers to employment opportunities in mining and other industries and provide on-site placement opportunities.
• Thunder Bay Multicultural AssociationmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCommunity partnership for newcomer settlement and employment support. TBMA connects newcomers to YES for employment assistance. Joint initiative included donation of personal care items for refugee families arriving in Thunder Bay.
• Dennis Franklin Cromarty High SchoolsupportingOthersIndigenous high school partnership for youth employment outreach. YES participates in Services and Programs Fair and job fairs at the school.
• Service CanadasupportingOthersFederal government partnership for employment services coordination. Service Canada presenters provide information to YES staff and clients about EI, CPP, and My Service Canada Account programs.
• Ontario Native Women's Association (ONWA)supportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerCommunity partnership providing Youth in Transition Worker and Housing Supports program information to YES staff. ONWA presenters conduct sessions at YES to support wrap-around service for Indigenous women and families.
• Canada-Ontario Job Grant Employers (Various)supportingChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorEmployers who access Canada-Ontario Job Grant training funding through YES. Large employers (100+ employees) contribute 1/2 of training costs with grant covering up to $10,000 per trainee. Small employers contribute 1/6 with potential for 100% funding up to $15,000 per trainee when hiring unemployed individuals.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• LinkedIn: Global professional networking and recruiting platform with growing share of employer recruitment activity in Canada. Competes with YES for professional and mid-skill employer placements and job-seeker attention.
• Job Bank (Government of Canada): Federal government job-matching platform that serves as both a referral source for YES and a competing free service for employers. Adjacent to Employment Ontario ecosystem and influences job-seeker expectations.
• Indeed Canada: Largest online job board in Canada offering free and sponsored job posting, resume search, and AI-enabled candidate matching. Competes for employer recruitment attention even as YES positions its personalized service as differentiated.

Direct peers

• Skills for Change: Ontario non-profit delivering employment, settlement, and language training for immigrants and refugees. Comparable in target population (newcomers), funding mix, and integrated service delivery model.
• COSTI Immigrant Services: Non-profit providing employment, settlement, and language services across Ontario with strong newcomer employment focus. Comparable in free service delivery, government funding, and emphasis on special populations.
• Achēv (formerly VPI Working Solutions): Ontario-based non-profit delivering Employment Ontario services including job placement, employer recruitment, and newcomer settlement services. Directly comparable in scope, funding model, and target population.
• ACCES Employment: Ontario non-profit focused on employment services for newcomers, with Employment Ontario service contracts across multiple regions. Directly comparable for newcomer employment programs and government-funded delivery.
• YMCA Employment Services: Operates Employment Ontario service hubs across multiple Ontario regions offering free job matching, career counseling, and employer recruitment services funded by government. Closest comparable peer given shared Employment Ontario mandate and non-profit delivery model.
• JVS Toronto: Toronto-based non-profit employment services organization offering job matching, career counseling, and skills training funded by Employment Ontario. Comparable in mission, funding model, and integrated service approach.

Regional players

• North Superior Workforce Adjustment Committee: Northwestern Ontario-focused workforce adjustment and employment service provider operating in overlapping Thunder Bay geography. Regional peer with similar Employment Ontario mandate but smaller community footprint.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

Compliance3 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 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 YES Employment Services