New program gets airport workers on the job, faster

Joshua Acheampong, 21, from Etobicoke, was surfing around online for a new job when he spotted the new Ready to Work pilot program at Toronto Pearson. He was intrigued by how the program appeared to work “in his favour and around his schedule,” so he quickly signed up and began getting ready to work. Weeks later, he says the program was “opened me up and helped me learn how to express myself in interviews and figure out where I want to work at the airport.”

 Ready to Work recruits go through three to four weeks of training and airport orientation to prepare them for a job while they wait for the Transport Canada clearance that has traditionally taken place after hiring. By the time precleared recruits graduate, they are oriented and ready to work when one of the roughly 400 companies working at the airport – such as WestJet, Dufry, Aviation and Airport Services Canada or ASP Security – is ready to hire them. 

Acheampong was ultimately hired by WestJet. He has just completed his training as a WestJet Ramp Service Agent. He says he “definitely recommends the program” – not just because of the head start but also because “the people are nice, calm, cool, collected and chill.” 

For new employees, Transport Canada clearance can take weeks or months, delaying the process of getting hired and started on the job. The Ready to Work pilot program allows would-be employees to enter a pool of precleared candidates before applying for positions.  

Donna Strathearn, training advisor at WestJet, says Acheampong is the perfect example of the program in action. She says having potential employees with security clearance is a “huge bonus for employers,” and says it gives a potential airport worker “really good awareness of the Pearson community, so they can figure out where they think they might fit in.” Strathearn would love to see the program become permanent. 

Twenty-three job seekers were selected for the first cohort of the pilot program. Of those, 19 completed the program and 18 received job offers from the four companies participating in a related hiring event. There are more opportunities to join – the second cohort starts in July 2023. Another starts in September 2023. 

If you’re interested in airport work – or a friend or family member is – here’s how to apply!