About Us
ELM Tree is a Toronto-based Not-for-Profit committed to helping individuals and organizations navigate the evolving world of work–particularly as AI reshapes how we learn, work, and connect.
We support leadership development, workforce readiness, and staffing strategies across diverse sectors.
OUR MISSION
Our mission is to build awareness for job seekers, support recruitment pipelines for industry, and develop leadership programs that prepare both candidates and employers to thrive
OUR VISION
Our vision is to empower employees and employers with the knowledge, tools, and confidence to navigate the changing workforce, fostering a future where we can all thrive alongside emerging technology.
Our Story
2017
After a decade of consultation with industry, students, recent grads, and Provincial Ministers of Training Colleges and Universities and Economic Development and Growth, ELM Tree was registered as a not-for-profit organization with the purpose to address a growing training and employment problem.
2020
In March of 2020, the organizational structure was significantly disrupted by the pandemic. Faced with the issue of pivoting the business to remain viable and eventually emerge successfully from the pandemic, the ELM Tree board decided to refocus its efforts to support demand-driven staffing solutions for sectors hardest hit by the pandemic. Â As the pandemic ensued, the recruitment and staffing issues faced by long-term care (LTC) became more widely known and society was able to see this situation in the way that it had been experienced by those working on the front lines. The term crisis is currently widely accepted to describe this staffing problem.
2021
In July of 2021, ELM Tree directed efforts to work on initiatives designed to address Personal Support Worker (PSW) and Nurse staff shortages in LTC and related health care settings. Industry studies by the Ministry of Long-Term Care directed much of ELM Tree's market research.
2022
After identifying the staffing gap in long-term care, ELM Tree's market analysis yielded a broader perspective of the shortages experienced among LTC organizations and other sources of elder and supportive care. This included hospitals, jurisdictions in remote locations and private care providers. This analysis allowed a new understanding of the need for skills and competencies to emerge. We were no longer looking at the market as a system of recruitment pipelines, rather, we started to see a recruitment web that connected our Provincial healthcare system.
2023
Sourcing talent and developing skills is a priority. ELM Tree also identified that people working in industry required support, competency development and leadership training. The goal for this year was to contribute to the Long-Term Care sector through the development of a people and leadership training program. The work naturally extended beyond LTC and we began to see how people were able to transition and navigate their career progression from sector to sector.
2024
The need to identify how workers transition from one sector to another is a main focus for industries across North America. ELM Tree's work focused on an analysis of reskilling and the development of a leadership training program. The work naturally extended beyond LTC and highlighted the growing need for us to provide training and transition support for individuals while working with industries and companies to address current recruitment issues while developing sound plans for tomorrow.
2025
The current employment and industrial landscape encouraged the ELM Tree team to recreate programming that addressed the most pressing issues faced by job seekers today. The result is a series of workshops that can address specialty topics like How to Prepare for Work and How to Leverage AI in Your Job Search, while also offering a full 20 hour series designed for the classroom and community settings. The programming addresses leadership development and strengths-based skills development essential for success in today’s job market.
A message from our board chair
​For many years, Canadians have experienced an industrial landscape in flux. Students investing in skills development and training have questioned the staying power of their degrees and diplomas. At the same time, employers faced challenges to identify and secure the talent to drive innovation. The past eight years have encouraged us to refocus our efforts on nimble career navigation and supporting industry to develop sound recruitment practices.
ELM Tree's mission is to deliver an efficient recruitment system to support candidates and employers and design bespoke professional and leadership development activities that keep the workplace engaging, motivating and current. Our vision has our eyes set on AI and the impact on our employment landscape. At ELM Tree, we are committed to equipping individuals and employers with the tools, insights, and support they need to navigate this transformation confidently. Whether you're a job seeker, student, or employer, we're here to help build a workforce that can grow and thrive in an AI-enabled world.
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As a registered Not-for-Profit organization, our focus will remain on delivering value to society and leveraging resources for the benefit of our employer and candidate stakeholders. We embrace our roles as researchers and program designers driving talent to meet opportunity
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- Roger Francis, Board Chair