How can the fire department attract and retain staff members who reflect the diversity of the community?
Project Description: The Hamilton Fire Department (HFD) recognizes that its workforce is not currently representative of the diversity of the community. The 10 Year Fire Service Delivery Plan that was endorsed by Council in 2019 recognizes the need to further develop recruitment strategies to increase diversity and inclusivity within our organization. According to the 2016 census, 1 in 5 Hamiltonians identifies as a visible minority. In order to have a workforce that is more reflective of the city’s population, the HFD has developed the following objective and initiatives:
Objective: Skilled and Diverse Workforce
Initiative: Identify strategies using an equity, diversity, and inclusion (EDI) lens to build a diverse workforce that reflects the community.
Specifically, we are looking to partner with students and faculty on some or all of the following projects:
What opportunities can be utilized to encourage residents who are currently under represented in the workforce to apply for available positions through strategic communications and outreach within the community?
What potential or existing barriers exist to employment opportunities that may not enable participation in the process?
What current opportunities exist to enhance our recruitment efforts?
What opportunities are available for HFD to continue to support and encourage an environment that fosters retention and success?
City Staff: Helen Klumpp, Executive Officer, Hamilton Fire Department, City of Hamilton
Deliverables: Primary Research (i.e. conducting surveys and/or collecting data), Secondary Research (i.e. review of literature and finding information from books and online), Business Case, Policy Paper, Marketing Report, Marketing Campaign, Advertising Report
Project Start Date/ Availability: Winter 2021 (January-April)
Location: City-Wide
City Strategy Priority: Our People and Performance, Community Engagement and Participation, Culture and Diversity
