Single Publication - less than 5 pages

Careers Round Up


Submitted ByRegional Municipality of Durham

The Invest Durham Weekly Careers Round Up began as a weekly post. We used it to promote the kinds of exciting careers available in Durham Region, to support employers in their talent attraction goals, and to build awareness of the Invest Durham Linkedin page.

When Linkedin then launched the “newsletters” feature to the platform, we transformed a weekly post into a weekly newsletter. Linkedin Newsletters are automatically suggested to followers for subscription. Those who subscribe receive a Linkedin push notification of publishing, and a copy to their email inbox (if they receive emails from Linkedin).

We launched the newsletter in August 2022, and nearly 1000 followers subscribed in the first 24 hours. As of August 2023 have just under 2000 subscribers. Average subscription growth in 2023 is just under 5 per cent growth month over month.  Growth is driven by shares, both from Invest Durham into the feed, but also through users sharing the newsletter. This has created growth both for the number of subscribers as well as the Invest Durham page.

The newsletter drives growth of the Invest Durham Linkedin page by establishing it as a trustworthy and useful source of local information. It supports local employers in reaching a highly engaged local workforce, while also promoting that their business is in Durham Region. It increases awareness among residents that there are good career opportunities in Durham Region, reducing the sentiment that residents need to commute to Toronto. It strengthens Invest Durham’s brand identity. It has led to an inbound investment request, an invitation to a facility opening, is used in investment attraction packages as an example of a service we offer, and has been noted as useful in the classroom setting by local professors.

The key challenge of producing a comprehensive newsletter each week is the human element of searching for opportunities. To do this, we leverage Linkedin’s robust job searching tool, but not all employers use Linkedin. We also use Google Jobs, the Durham Workforce Authority’s Job Portal, and other sources, to create a strong and region-wide list of career opportunities.

The target audience is people within Durham Region. However, the reach is now broadening, and subscribers are from across Ontario and beyond. We ensure the career opportunities have offerings that suit recent post-secondary graduates, mid-career, and senior level roles. In general, we do not include careers available in any community of a similar size (ie nursing home staff). Instead we focus on our primary industry clusters. We include select roles in tourism businesses such as golf courses, spas, fine dining, and creative industries. Overall, we work to align our list of opportunities with our sectors of focus to promote that Durham Region is home to a talented workforce that suit the industries we work to attract.

Reducing out-commuting is a goal of Invest Durham. By creating and consistently communicating the exciting career opportunities available in Durham Region, we are helping local workforce access local opportunities, supporting employers, and strengthening Durham’s business community through interconnectedness.

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