Final report summary: Challenge Factory

Recipient: Challenge Factory
Project: Veteran Ready: Hiring Modules and Employment Impact Study
Province: Ontario
Period: 16 May 2021 - 30 December 2022
Funding: $ 299,754.00

Overview:

Challenge Factory used funding from the Veteran and Family Well-Being Fund to create companion tools to accompany The Canadian Guide to Hiring Veterans, a publication that helps small and medium sized businesses hire and retain Veterans.

Project goals:

The goals of this project were as follows:

  • Develop companion online hiring modules and a podcast using the tools and resources provided in the guide; and
  • Evaluate the impact of the modules, podcast and The Canadian Guide to Hiring Veterans on Veteran hiring practices.

Project activities:

To achieve these goals, Challenge Factory:

  • Reviewed existing learning supports for employers, service providers, and Veterans;
  • Identified up to six hiring module topics, using the tools and resources from the guide;
  • Designed and tested the modules’ curricula and content, building integrated workplace activities into the program;
  • Created a companion podcast and integrated its episodes into the online modules;
  • Launched the hiring modules through Challenge Factory’s learning platform;
  • Established the recruitment, data collection, analysis, and reporting protocols for the impact study; and
  • Used the survey results from 26 research participants (business owners, organization leaders and hiring managers across Canada) to evaluate the impact of the tools.

Project results:

  • Developed hiring modules called The MasterClass in Hiring: Tap into the Hidden Talent Pools of Canada’s Veterans, using the tools and resources from the guide, and launched the modules, free to users, through Challenge Factory’s existing learning platform;
  • Created a podcast called Hidden Talent: A Challenge Factory Podcast, integrating its episodes into the online modules, as well as marketing it as a standalone resource for employers;
  • Raised awareness of the guide and its companion tools by directly contacting over 4,400 businesses and individuals and reaching an additional 18,500 contacts through extended networks;
  • Determined that these resources changed how employers think about Veterans and can lead to positive Veteran hiring outcomes and stronger overall recruitment and retention practices; and
  • Developed recommendations for Veteran-serving organizations to improve their own employer-focused tools.