Hiring & Retaining Diverse Students : Employer Toolkit

Abstract

Recruiting and retaining diverse talent is key to developing and maintaining inclusive, successful and impactful workplaces and a responsive and thriving labour market. To support Indigenous and equity-deserving students and recent graduates, the University of Toronto, in collaboration with peer provincial institutions, has developed a series of self-paced employer-facing modules that share effective strategies and approaches for equity-centred hiring, onboarding, and retention practices.

The intended audience for this toolkit is employers or professionals in experiential and work-integrated learning (e.g., co-op, work study), or those who hire students and recent graduates into their organizations. It can be effectively utilized by individual organizations and integrated into the programs, services, and resources of post-secondary institutions and career centres. The toolkit includes downloadable samples, resources and templates, an action plan, and a certificate of completion to demonstrate learning.

Module 1 guides the learner through the hiring process, from job posting and marketing through to interview assessment. Through interactive activities and structured learning, it provides strategies for making these processes more equitable and inclusive for diverse candidates, with a strong focus on fostering an inclusive environment throughout this process.

Module 2 guides the learner through understanding the importance of thorough and intentional on-boarding as integral to ongoing equity, inclusion and success in the workplace. There is a strong focus on supporting and valuing identity in the workplace, building communities of support through mentorship, building the learner’s capacity as an ally, and providing opportunities for growth and development.

Module 3 guides the learner through effective retention and engagement of diverse candidates, focusing on the integration of both business-centred and human-centred approaches to creating an inclusive work environment. There is a strong focus on policy as a foundational aspect of building diverse, equitable, inclusive, and accessible workplaces, the importance of relationship-building across an organization, the development of Employee Resource Groups, and strategies for career development. This module supports learners in considering equitable hiring as a holistic experience, from recruitment through to growth and success in the organization.

Although we recommend progressing through the series, each module can be used as a stand-alone resource that may be supportive for individuals with different roles within an organization. Learners do not need to complete the first two modules in order to complete module three, for example, but are encouraged to engage with the entire toolkit to consider the full experience of a diverse candidate, from application through to employment.