Centre for Skills Development

What Centre for Skills Development does

Centre for Skills Development is a Canadian non-profit charitable organization that delivers government-funded employment, skills-training, newcomer-settlement, and language-instruction services across the Halton and Peel regions of Ontario. Founded in 1999 and headquartered in Burlington with additional service centres in Oakville, Milton, and Mississauga, the organization serves more than 20,000 people annually through job-search coaching, resume and interview support, pre-apprenticeship trades programs (CREW, MEP, WIST, Get In Gear), credential-recognition support via TradesLink Ontario, English-language instruction (LINC, ELT, Language Instruction for Work), and employer recruitment services. The organization employs between 101 and 250 staff and operates with no proprietary technology platform, relying instead on standard case-management and client-tracking systems.

The business model is structurally a contracted service provider to multiple Canadian and Ontario government programs. Centre for Skills is funded through Employment Ontario (Ministry of Labour, Training and Skills Development), the Canada-Ontario Job Agreement, Immigration Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) for settlement and language services, the Better Jobs Ontario provincial program, and a Foreign Credential Recognition Program contract awarded in October 2025 by the Government of Canada. All programs are delivered free of charge to clients — job seekers, newcomers, skilled-trades aspirants, and employers — with no direct revenue from participants. The go-to-market motion is community-led: in-person and remote service delivery augmented by partner referrals from local libraries, employer relationships (including a job board and wage/training incentive programs), and a content-marketing function built around blog articles, workshops, and an email newsletter.

The product surface spans four core service lines (Employment Services, Skilled Trades Programs, Newcomer Services, Employer Services) plus sub-programs such as Doorways, STAR, Community Connections, Settlement Information Services, Academic Upgrading, LINC, ELT, and Better Jobs Ontario. The organization maintains regulatory compliance with FIPPA, PIPEDA, the CSA Model Code, CASL, AODA, and WCAG 2.0/2.1 Level AA. Ownership is independent — no parent company, no equity backing — and leadership is headed by CEO Lisa Rizzato, with Senior Program Manager Ellen Faraday overseeing the TradesLink Ontario program.

Name

Centre for Skills Development

Legal name

Centre for Skills Development

Website

https://centreforskills.ca

Company type

Private

Founded year

1999

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Centre for Skills Development is a Burlington-based Canadian non-profit that delivers free, government-funded employment services, skilled-trades training, language instruction, and newcomer settlement support across Halton and Peel, serving 20,000+ people annually through four physical locations and remote delivery.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Workforce Development Services

NAICS

Apprenticeship Training (611513), Educational Support Services (611710)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Workforce Development & Continuing Education Divisions (Noncredit) (EDAHADAG)

akta.pro secondary industries

Professional & Applied Skills Noncredit Certificates (Non-licensure) (EDAAAEAD), Technical & Digital Skills Training (BPACANAB)

Keywords

• Employment services
• Skilled trades training
• Newcomer settlement services
• Language instruction programs
• Workforce development

Headquarters

HQ city

Burlington

HQ country

Canada

HQ region

North America

Offices4 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Government Funding: Funded by Employment Ontario (Ministry of Labour, Training and Skills Development), Government of Canada under Employment Insurance Act, and IRCC for newcomer services. Programs are delivered free of charge to clients.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Centre for Skills Development is a non-profit charitable organization that delivers free, government-funded employment services, skilled trades training, English language instruction, and settlement services to job seekers, newcomers to Canada, skilled trades aspirants, and employers across the Halton and Peel regions of Ontario. Programs include one-on-one job search coaching, resume and interview preparation, pre-apprenticeship trades programs (CREW, MEP, WIST), credential recognition through TradesLink Ontario, Language Instruction for Newcomers to Canada (LINC), and employer recruitment support.

Product overview

Centre for Skills Development is a non-profit charitable organization offering a comprehensive suite of government-funded employment services and training programs across Halton and Peel regions. The organization operates as a multi-service platform serving job seekers, newcomers to Canada, skilled trades aspirants, and employers. Core offerings include Employment Services (job search coaching, resume writing, interview preparation), Skilled Trades Programs (pre-apprenticeship training including CREW, MEP, WIST, and TradesLink Ontario for credential recognition), Newcomer Services (LINC language classes, Enhanced Language Training, Settlement Information Services, Community Connections programs), and Employer Services (recruitment support and workforce development). Programs like Doorways, STAR, and Better Jobs Ontario provide academic upgrading and financial assistance. All services are free and funded by the Government of Canada and Government of Ontario through Employment Ontario.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Employment Services One-on-one job search coaching, resume and cover letter development, interview preparation, and career development support for job seekers at any skill level.
• Skilled Trades Programs Free pre-apprenticeship training and skilled trades exploration programs including CREW (Residential Electrical and Carpentry), MEP, WIST, Get In Gear, and Machining for Newcomers.
• TradesLink Ontario Support services for internationally trained tradespeople to navigate skills and credential recognition or certification process in Canadian skilled trades.
• Newcomer Services Settlement information services, English language classes (LINC, ELT, Language Instruction for Work), Community Connections programs, and integration services helping newcomers settle into Canadian society and workforce.
• Employer Services Free recruitment support, access to pre-screened candidates, wage and training incentives, customized skilled trades training, and workforce development services for employers.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 20,000 people served annually
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves4 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Regional players

• Toronto Region Immigrant Employment Council (TRIEC): TRIEC is a GTA-focused council that connects internationally trained professionals with employers and provides programming through member organizations. Operates in the same Ontario immigrant employment ecosystem and partners with Employment Ontario service providers like Centre for Skills.
• WoodGreen Community Services: WoodGreen is a Toronto-based non-profit providing employment services, newcomer settlement, language training, and workforce development with government funding. Comparable multi-service community model and funding mix, though concentrated east of Centre for Skills's Halton/Peel footprint.

Broad incumbents

• Mohawk College Continuing Education: Mohawk College delivers non-credit continuing education, trades pre-apprenticeship, and workforce development programming in Ontario with public funding. Broader incumbent with overlapping trades training and continuing education offerings but operating through a post-secondary institution model.
• Conestoga College Continuing Education: Conestoga College operates continuing education, trades pre-apprenticeship, and workforce training programs across southwestern Ontario with public funding. Broader incumbent offering similar trades and workforce programs, serving as the institutional counterpart to Centre for Skills's community-based model.

Direct peers

• COSTI Immigrant Services: COSTI is a Toronto-based non-profit providing settlement, language (LINC), employment, and skills training programs funded by IRCC and Employment Ontario. Direct overlap in newcomer services, LINC language training, and employment placement for internationally trained professionals.
• YMCA of Greater Toronto – Employment Services: YMCA Greater Toronto delivers Employment Ontario-funded employment services, newcomer settlement, and language training across multiple GTA sites. A larger-scale operator providing the same community-led, government-funded service mix that Centre for Skills offers in Halton and Peel.
• ACCES Employment: ACCES Employment is a non-profit employment services provider across Ontario funded primarily through Employment Ontario and IRCC, focused on helping newcomers and job seekers find meaningful employment. Direct peer in employment services, newcomer employment bridging, and government-funded training delivery.
• JVS Toronto: JVS Toronto is a non-profit delivering employment, immigration, and skills training services across the GTA with government funding. Directly comparable in mission (employment services for job seekers and newcomers), funding sources (Employment Ontario, IRCC), and multi-site community delivery model.
• Skills for Change: Skills for Change is a Mississauga/Peel-based non-profit providing language training, employment services, and newcomer settlement under similar government funding streams. Strong regional overlap with Centre for Skills in the Peel Region service area and overlapping program verticals.

Others

• Peel Halton Workforce Development Group (Workforce Planning Board): Local workforce planning board covering the same Halton and Peel geographies as Centre for Skills, conducting labour market research and coordinating employment service providers. Indirect peer — funder-adjacent stakeholder rather than a direct service competitor.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/centreconnect
• Facebookfacebook.com/CentreForSkills
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/centreforskills

Compliance6 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 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 Centre for Skills Development