17 September 2015

PRESS RELEASE – You drive by them, you hear about them, people in your social network are employed there, but do you really know the companies in Sherbrooke’s manufacturing sector? On October 23 and 24, seize the opportunity to attend the event Portes ouvertes sur l’industrie (Industry Open House). Following a successful first edition, this year, Sherbrooke Innopole is inviting you to visit 15 companies and one technology transfer centre, which are located in two zones: Sherbrooke’s regional industrial park and Fleurimont.

Created and organized by Sherbrooke Innopole, this industry open-house event aims to provide concrete support to manufacturing companies with respect to their challenges to find labour, while enabling the public to discover unusual companies nearby that are usually unaccessible.

Students, job seekers, and the general public will have the opportunity to discover unique products, interesting trades that are in demand, innovative work environments, and especially to meet truly engaged workers! The event’s slogan, “Fabriqués à Sherbrooke. Par des gens comme vous” (Made in Sherbrooke, by people just like you), reflects the sense of pride inspired by companies from the area and the exciting career opportunities.

“Considering that several manufacturing companies are facing labour shortages that are limiting their growth and that supporting them in their development is at the heart of our mission, we had to act,” explained Sherbrooke Innopole’s Director General, Josée Fortin. “Since the education programs linked to these positions have not been attracting enough students, with our partner educational institutions, we have developed an event that proposes a concrete and virtually turnkey solution to this common problem, for companies and schools.”

According to an evaluation of the first edition of the industry open house, held last year, the event met its objectives. More than 2270 people visited 11 Sherbrooke manufacturing companies. Some 67% of the visitors stated that their opinion of the manufacturing sector had improved and 98% said that they would most probably attend a second edition.

“As for the students, 62% said that the activity sparked their interest in the sector,” indicated Sherbrooke Innopole’s Communications Director, Marie-Ève Poliquin. “The benefits have been tangible for participating companies, which were able to not only boost their applicant database, but also staff about 10 positions as a result of the event.”

» See photos of the press conference

» Watch the press conference (French)

» Watch the promotional video of 2015 Sherbrooke Industry Open House (French)

A larger-scale 2015 edition

Building on this success, the event is back for a larger-scale second edition, thanks to the renewed support of its partners, the Cégep de Sherbrooke, the Commission scolaire de la Région-de-Sherbrooke, and the Maison régionale de l’industrie, and the addition of two major stakeholders: Emploi-Québec and the Chambre de commerce de Sherbrooke, as well as members of the National Assembly, Karine Vallières (Richmond), and Luc Fortin (Sherbrooke).

The number of companies that will be opening their doors and of institutions invited to take part in the school tour day has increased compared to last year. “Many of the Portes ouvertes sur l’industrie’s objectives are in line with Emploi-Québec’s mission. It is important to enable job seekers, particularly youth, to discover an innovative and dynamic work environment. In the end, this will lead to a better match between the needs of employers and the training of young people and job seekers,” said Anne-Marie Éthier, Regional Director for Emploi-Québec Estrie.

The 2015 cohort is made up of the following companies:

Sherbrooke’s regional industrial park sector: North American Cabinets, Artopex, Cooper Standard, De La Fontaine, Dettson, Ideal Combustion, FilSpec, Garlock of Canada, Milan Conception, Plastech, Technologies DUAL-ADE, and Verbom.

Fleurimont sector: Centre de productique intégrée du Québec, Physipro, Portable Winch, and Sherlic.

As last year, the two days of the event will welcome different clienteles. Friday, October 23, will be reserved for visits by school groups and employability support organizations. Secondary 3 and 4 and vocational and technical training students, as well as groups of newcomers will have the opportunity to meet and discuss with employees and potential employers. Saturday, October 24, is intended for the general public who will participate in guided tours in companies that will open up their doors for the occasion, as well as for job seekers who will be able to apply for the many posted positions.

This event is entirely free and open to all of the Estrie region’s population, but limited to people ages 12 and older for safety reasons. Saturday’s schedule has been extended by one hour compared to last year, with the event starting at 9:30 a.m. and ending at 3:30 p.m. A shuttle service, also free, will be available for travelling from one 2015 cohort company to the next, both in Fleurimont and the regional industrial park sector. There is an interactive map on the Web site for those who would like to use their own means of transportation.

The Web site www.viensvoirlesindustries.com provides all of the details on the Portes ouvertes sur l’industrie 2015 event, including fact sheets for each company being toured, jobs available in these companies, as well as the specific features of each company visited. The Web site, for which a mobile version is available, also includes a profile of Sherbrooke’s manufacturing industry and identifies numerous types of jobs that can be found as well as the training required.

“The Saturday visits are an exceptional opportunity for job seekers: not only can they apply for several positions on the same day, but they can also visit potential workplaces and chat with people who work there. Company managers, on the other hand, establish initial contact with an available workforce. It is a win-win situation!” explained Marie-Ève Poliquin.

The Portes ouvertes sur l’industrie event will be the subject of a major Internet, radio, and print promotional campaign throughout the coming weeks. A map locating and describing the companies to be toured in the context of the open house event and a special supplement on Sherbrooke’s manufacturing industry will be published in La Tribune in the days leading up to the event.

“This industry open-house event is a great example of collaboration, which brings the economic, government and educational sectors together under a common and shared objective. Teamwork leads to the best possible results!” concluded Josée Fortin.

Source: Sherbrooke Innopole