KEYS Employment & Newcomer Services

Call Directions Website

KEYS Employment & Newcomer Services KEYS is a registered charity. We help change lives.

As the largest provider of comprehensive employment & newcomer services in Kingston and surrounding areas, we provide services to the whole community. KEYS has four locations to serve you:

Kingston
182 Sydenham Street
255 Bagot Street


Gananoque
375 William Street S

Elgin
10 Perth Street

Small Business Week is a good time to celebrate the entrepreneurs, makers and small business owners who bring ideas to l...
10/22/2026

Small Business Week is a good time to celebrate the entrepreneurs, makers and small business owners who bring ideas to life, create jobs, and add so much to the strength and character of our communities. At KEYS, we’re proud to support people at different stages of that entrepreneurial journey.

Through our Creating Enterprise Opportunities (CEO), aspiring and emerging women entrepreneurs can explore an idea, build their business skills, connect with resources and move toward creating sustainable businesses of their own; and at the Harbour Community Kitchen, our shared commercial kitchen and business incubator gives participants access to licensed production space, equipment and a supportive community as they test, develop and grow their food businesses.

What we see every day is that entrepreneurship is about much more than starting a business - it’s about creating opportunity; building confidence and independence; turning skills and ideas into income. It’s about creating businesses that contribute to the communities around them.

This Small Business Week, we’re celebrating the entrepreneurs already building something of their own - and those who are just beginning to imagine what might be possible. Entrepreneurship starts with an idea. Support helps turn that idea into opportunity.

This morning, KEYS welcomed City of Kingston - Municipal Government representatives for a sneak peek at our civic engage...
10/21/2026

This morning, KEYS welcomed City of Kingston - Municipal Government representatives for a sneak peek at our civic engagement curriculum, supported by an Ontario Trillium Foundation Seed grant.

Thank you to City staff for sharing their expertise and helping bring it to life!

Next up: we’re planning an engagement event together for newcomers to Kingston. Stay tuned!

💙💜 KEYS Lights It Up for NDEAM 2026! 💜💙Our team proudly joined the Light It Up! for NDEAM campaign in recognition of Nat...
10/16/2026

💙💜 KEYS Lights It Up for NDEAM 2026! 💜💙

Our team proudly joined the Light It Up! for NDEAM campaign in recognition of National Disability Employment Awareness Month (NDEAM).

By wearing blue and purple, we stand together in support of inclusive workplaces where people of all abilities have access to meaningful employment opportunities and can contribute their talents, skills, and perspectives.

At KEYS, we believe that building accessible and inclusive communities strengthens our workforce and helps create opportunities for everyone to succeed.

Thank you to our staff across KEYS locations for helping us Light It Up! 💙💜

Donate now!Our Winter Clothing Drive has helped hundreds of newcomers access essential winter clothing at no cost. This ...
10/09/2026

Donate now!

Our Winter Clothing Drive has helped hundreds of newcomers access essential winter clothing at no cost.

This year, we’re expanding the initiative to support all KEYS clients who may need a little extra help preparing for the colder months.

If you’d like to support the drive but don’t have winter clothing to donate, a financial contribution can help us purchase the items most needed.

Every contribution, big or small, helps us make sure more people in our community can face the winter with warmth and dignity.

Give warmth this winter. Make a financial donation here: https://ow.ly/nqt650ZU3gI

Has your business registered for an Employer Account with KEYS? Your account gives you access to resources and services ...
10/07/2026

Has your business registered for an Employer Account with KEYS? Your account gives you access to resources and services designed to support your hiring and workforce needs.

Recruitment Services
KEYS can help you connect with potential employees who have the skills and experience your business needs. Additional recruitment support includes interview space, job fairs and an online job board.

Training
KEYS can prescreen candidates to help ensure they have the right training for the position. They can also help candidates access financial support for sector-specific or mandated training, such as Working at Heights and forklift certification.

Financial Incentives & Grants
Employers may be eligible for financial incentives to help offset the cost of wages and training when hiring new employees through job placements, typically ranging from 12 to 20 weeks.

Apprenticeship Incentives
Apprenticeship training can help you develop your future workforce while benefiting from government-supported in-class training. KEYS can help employers navigate opportunities that support both their workforce needs and the needs of their industry.

KEYS can help you find and develop the talent your business needs to grow. Visit: https://ow.ly/SxnM50ZTBLe

KEYS is looking for an Employer Services ConsultantStart: ASAPPay: $29.60 | 35 hours/weekđź“Ť Kingston, ONđź“© Apply to hr@key...
10/06/2026

KEYS is looking for an Employer Services Consultant

Start: ASAP
Pay: $29.60 | 35 hours/week
đź“Ť Kingston, ON
đź“© Apply to [email protected]
👉 More info: https://ow.ly/EMx250ZUAlK

Only those applicants selected for an interview will be contacted.

This posting is for an existing vacancy. KEYS does not use AI in its recruitment process. KEYS is committed to employment equity. We encourage members of designated groups to apply and self-identify.

KEYS is also committed to an inclusive, barrier-free selection process.

We will make appropriate accommodation throughout the recruitment and selection process for applicants with disabilities.

To obtain a copy of this posting and job description in an alternate format,
or to request any accommodation, contact us directly at:
[email protected] | 613.546.5559 Ex. 247 | TTY: 613.546.0511
Information received relating to accommodation requests will be addressed confidentially.

KEYS is located on the traditional homelands of the Haudenosaunee, Anishinaabe, and Huron-Wendat. We strive to support all those impacted by colonialism.

We’re happy to share that we are starting our second year of the HIPPY and SMART programs at KEYS!During our first year,...
10/05/2026

We’re happy to share that we are starting our second year of the HIPPY and SMART programs at KEYS!

During our first year, 16 families and 18 children participated in the programs, and we are excited to continue building on this work.

HIPPY and SMART are free home-visiting early learning programs for parents with children ages 2–5. The programs recognize parents as their children’s first and most important teachers and give them practical tools, activities, and support to help their children learn and grow at home. The program also supports the parents to be the primary cultivators of their children’s physical, cognitive, emotional, and social growth

Through weekly home visits, families receive learning materials and activities that parents can use with their children at home. Families also receive children’s books and take part in monthly enrichment opportunities, including seminars and workshops, nature- and land-based learning activities, and trips to cultural and historical sites.

The programs help children build important early learning skills such as reading, counting, and problem-solving while preparing them for school success. They also support parents in building confidence, strengthening relationships with their children, connecting with community resources, and communicating with teachers and schools.

As we begin our second year, we look forward to continuing to offer culturally applicable parenting and child development education, cultural and Indigenous learning opportunities, community connections, and experiential and nature-based learning.

We’re excited for another year of learning, connection, and growth with our HIPPY and SMART families!

On October 4, we honour missing and murdered Indigenous women, girls, Two-Spirit and gender-diverse people, and stand wi...
10/04/2026

On October 4, we honour missing and murdered Indigenous women, girls, Two-Spirit and gender-diverse people, and stand with the families, survivors and communities who continue to carry their memories and call for justice.

Today, we hold space for those who never came home, those whose lives were taken, those who survived, and the families who continue to seek answers and justice.

What happens when you give young people the chance to try something, ask questions and imagine where their interests mig...
10/01/2026

What happens when you give young people the chance to try something, ask questions and imagine where their interests might take them? You get some pretty great career conversations.

KEYS was delighted to be part of Level Up! Skilled Trades Career Fair this week, joining hundreds of high school students exploring the incredible range of opportunities available in the skilled trades.

Our team brought along hands-on activities designed to be fun, interactive and - most importantly - a way to start a conversation. Students stopped, participated, laughed, competed, and stayed to talk.

Those conversations gave us an opportunity to ask about job goals, interests, and dreams - and to remind young people that they don't need to have their entire career figured out today. Sometimes the next step is simply discovering something you didn't know was an option.

It was also a wonderful opportunity to introduce students to KEYS youth programs, including Start Here and Next STEP, and to talk about how we can help young people move from exploring possibilities to gaining skills, experience, and connections with employers.

Events like Level Up! matter because career exploration is so much more powerful when young people can see it, touch it, try it and talk to someone about it.

Kudos to the organizers at Skilled Trades Ontario and to everyone who helped create such an engaging opportunity for young people to discover the skilled trades.

đź‘Ź And a special shout-out to the KEYS team who brought the energy, creativity, and conversations to our space throughout the event.

Join us for a four-day, hands-on workshop designed to help you better understand the Canadian job market, strengthen you...
10/01/2026

Join us for a four-day, hands-on workshop designed to help you better understand the Canadian job market, strengthen your applications, build professional connections, and approach your job search with a clear plan.

đź“… October 13, 14, 15 & 16
⏰ 9:30 AM–3:30 PM
📍 182 Sydenham Street – Group Room 4

Please RSVP by October 5. đź“©
To register or learn more, contact [email protected] or 613-546-5559 ext. 814

What will you learn?
🔹 Day 1 – Know Yourself & Understand the Job Market
Identify your skills, understand Canadian workplace expectations, explore the local job market, and learn how to read job postings effectively.

🔹 Day 2 – Build Your Professional Brand
Create targeted resumes and cover letters, tailor applications to employers, and strengthen your LinkedIn presence.

🔹 Day 3 – Networking & Getting Through the Door
Build professional relationships, practise your elevator pitch, and learn how networking, informational interviews, and mentoring can support your job search.

🔹 Day 4 – Interviews, Resilience & Action Planning
Practise interview techniques, learn strategies for navigating workplace culture and rejection, and create your own Job Search Action Plan.

🥗 Lunch and refreshments will be provided.

🎓 Participants who complete all four days will receive a Certificate of Completion.

Address

182 Sydenham Street
Kingston, ON
K7K3M2

Opening Hours

Monday 8:30am - 12:30pm
1pm - 4pm
Tuesday 8:30am - 12:30pm
1pm - 4pm
Wednesday 8:30am - 12:30pm
1pm - 4pm
Thursday 8:30am - 12:30pm
1pm - 4pm
Friday 8:30am - 12:30pm
1pm - 4pm

Telephone

+16135465559

Website

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when KEYS Employment & Newcomer Services posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Shortcuts

Share

Category