Career Compass

Career Compass Career Compass is a modern employment service by Community Living Essex County promoting meaningful employment and inclusive hiring.

Community Living Essex County (CLEC), a not-for-profit charitable organization, has been committed to assisting people of all ages who have an intellectual disability and their families throughout Essex County since 1961 (communitylivingessex.org). The goals of CLEC are that all persons can live in a state of dignity, share in all elements of living in the community, and have the opportunity to participate effectively. Employment is one of the best examples of inclusion; it allows people to be an active member of their community while giving back. For many years, CLEC has provided Employment Services to people with intellectual disabilities, providing guidance with job development, job coaching and job retention. In April of 2015 CLEC’s First Choice – Employment project began. One of the initiative’s goals was to modernize the service delivery model specifically for its Employment Services. After a rebranding exercise, CLEC’s “Ready to Work” program was refreshed, and relaunched as “Career Compass”. Career Compass aims to create a diverse and inclusive workforce across Essex County by providing direction to job seekers searching for meaningful employment and guiding employers in inclusive hiring. This is achieved by working with both job seekers and business employers to meet these four criteria:

- have a direct employment contract with the employee
utilizing our services;
- pay the employee at least minimum wage;
- provide a work space where the employee works
alongside other employees;
- and provide a work environment where the employee has the opportunity to be engaged in workplace culture. Customer service is a new focus for Career Compass. Providing exceptional customer service experiences to the job seekers and families we work with, but also to the business employers we work with is our priority. For job seekers, we take the time to learn about each individual person, ensuring the job match is a perfect fit. Our team is always available to job seekers and their families even after meaningful employment has been found. We continue to check in with anyone receiving our services periodically. Workplaces change, and so do people’s interests. If more job coaching or a career change is need we can help. Employers can use us as an extension of their Human Resources Department to provide pre-screened candidates that meet their employment needs. We also hop to foster trust in our relationships with them. If an employee isn’t working out then our team can step in to provide extra on site job coaching. We also understand that no employer wants to fire their employees, which is why that fear is can be alleviated by our outplacement services: if the employee receiving our services simply is not the right fit – we will find them another place of employment and provide you a new employee better suited to that position. This is an exciting time for Career Compass! We’re combining our years of experience with a new modernized approach, and a brand new face. This page will document the life changing work we do with job seekers, and business employers across Essex County.

Congrats to Allen on his new Facility Monitor role at the Municipality of Lakeshore Atlas Tube Recreation Centre! 🎉 From...
02/19/2026

Congrats to Allen on his new Facility Monitor role at the Municipality of Lakeshore Atlas Tube Recreation Centre! 🎉 From greeting visitors and overseeing activities to spotting hazards and keeping the space safe, clean, and welcoming, he’s making a real difference every day.

Community Living Essex County
Windsor Regional Employment Network

Breaking Barriers with Career Compass!Job searching can be tough, but our team works one-on-one with job seekers to expl...
02/10/2026

Breaking Barriers with Career Compass!
Job searching can be tough, but our team works one-on-one with job seekers to explore goals, develop skills, and use resources like the jobs portal to find success.

Neil is making great strides and is excited to find employment and give back to his community. Keep it up, Neil!

Congratulations to Dee! Dee has been promoted to the role of Facility Attendant at the Atlas Tube Centre in the Municipa...
02/05/2026

Congratulations to Dee! Dee has been promoted to the role of Facility Attendant at the Atlas Tube Centre in the Municipality of Lakeshore. Her hard work, dedication, and commitment over the past year did not go unnoticed, and this promotion reflects the positive impact she continues to make every day.

Well deserved, Dee — congratulations on this next step! 🌟

Community Living Essex County
Windsor Regional Employment Network
Windsor Essex Employment Group

🌟 Get ready for our exciting virtual employment chats! Join us every Wednesday at 10 AM and 4 PM on Microsoft Teams to c...
02/04/2026

🌟 Get ready for our exciting virtual employment chats!

Join us every Wednesday at 10 AM and 4 PM on Microsoft Teams to connect, share insights, and discuss your career journey!

Don’t miss out—let’s elevate your pre employment knowledge together! 🚀

Contact Career Compass to be added to the email list!
📞 519-776-6483 Ext 234
✉️ careercompass@communitylivingessex.org

Community Living Essex County Windsor Regional Employment Network Windsor Regional Employment Network

The Career Compass Team meets with our job seekers twice a week to dive into everything employment-related. From healthy...
01/23/2026

The Career Compass Team meets with our job seekers twice a week to dive into everything employment-related. From healthy eating and workplace etiquette to health & safety and everything in between; Career Compass covers it all...and then some!

Job seekers also have the opportunity to share their experiences, skills, and accomplishments; building confidence and connections along the way with a laugh or two sprinkled in.

This week we were fortunate enough to be joined by Zuki and Ben for our morning session as we discussed the importance of nutrition and eating well for work.

Join us as we navigate the path to meaningful and inclusive work, one conversation at a time.

Happy Holidays from the Career Compass Team! 🎄✨ Wishing you joy, laughter, and good times with loved ones.Community Livi...
12/24/2025

Happy Holidays from the Career Compass Team! 🎄✨ Wishing you joy, laughter, and good times with loved ones.

Community Living Essex County
Windsor Essex Employment Group
Windsor Regional Employment Network

We wrapped up the season with holiday celebrations that brought together the employment team and Employment Supports sta...
12/23/2025

We wrapped up the season with holiday celebrations that brought together the employment team and Employment Supports staff at Career Compass. These gatherings were filled with laughter, music, sweet treats, and plenty of festive spirit.

Kase has become a valued part of the FreshCo. Leamington team, brightening up the store every shift he works. Always eag...
12/18/2025

Kase has become a valued part of the FreshCo. Leamington team, brightening up the store every shift he works. Always eager to help, he’ll proudly tell you how much he loves his job and how great his managers are!

Congratulations, Kase, and thank you for your hard work and positive energy!

Community Living Essex County
Windsor Essex Employment Group
Windsor Regional Employment Network

Earlier this week, Tammy and Will had the pleasure of attending this year’s Jingle Mingle, hosted by the Leamington Cham...
12/05/2025

Earlier this week, Tammy and Will had the pleasure of attending this year’s Jingle Mingle, hosted by the Leamington Chamber.

In between the jinglin’ and minglin’, the Career Compass team loved reconnecting with long-time Leamington businesses and employers - and building new connections to carry into the new year.

Today is a reminder that advancing disability inclusion requires more than awareness. It calls for removing barriers and...
12/03/2025

Today is a reminder that advancing disability inclusion requires more than awareness. It calls for removing barriers and building workplaces where people can work, contribute, and fully belong.

Today, on the International Day of Persons with Disabilities, we pause to reflect on what disability inclusion really means for our society and why employment must remain at the centre of that conversation.

Across Canada, 1 in 4 people identify as having a disability. Yet 850,000 Canadians who have a disability are ready and able to work but remain unemployed. This gap has real consequences: reduced income, higher poverty rates, and fewer opportunities to participate fully in community life.

This year’s global theme, “Fostering disability-inclusive societies for advancing social progress" is a reminder that progress doesn’t happen through awareness alone. It happens when workplaces change systems, remove barriers, and create environments where people who have disabilities can thrive.

Inclusive employment is one of the strongest ways to drive that progress. When organizations remove obstacles and design workplaces where everyone belongs, communities grow stronger, and businesses benefit from diverse talent, perspectives, and innovation.

To mark today, we are highlighting a recent episode of the ODEN Podcast that explores inclusion through a wider lens: Ep. 40: The Intersection of Disability and Poverty. In this episode, we unpack how disability and poverty intersect in Canada and why fixing our systems, not individuals, is key to true inclusion. Find the full episode here : https://www.odenetwork.com/ep-40-intersection-of-disability-and-poverty-intersectionality-series-pt-2/

Let’s continue building workplaces where every person has the opportunity to work, contribute, and belong.

Address

372 Talbot Street North
Essex, ON
N8M2W4

Opening Hours

Monday 8:30am - 4:30pm
Tuesday 8:30am - 4:30pm
Wednesday 8:30am - 4:30pm
Thursday 8:30am - 4:30pm
Friday 8:30am - 4:30pm

Telephone

+15197766483

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Our Story

Community Living Essex County (CLEC), a not-for-profit charitable organization, has been committed to assisting people of all ages who have an intellectual disability and their families throughout Essex County since 1961 (communitylivingessex.org). The goals of CLEC are that all persons can live in a state of dignity, share in all elements of living in the community, and have the opportunity to participate effectively. Employment is one of the best examples of inclusion; it allows people to be an active member of their community while giving back. For many years, CLEC has provided Employment Services to people with intellectual disabilities, providing guidance with job development, job coaching and job retention. In April of 2015 CLEC’s First Choice – Employment project began. One of the initiative’s goals was to modernize the service delivery model specifically for its Employment Services. After a rebranding exercise, CLEC’s “Ready to Work” program was refreshed, and relaunched as “Career Compass”. Career Compass aims to create a diverse and inclusive workforce across Essex County by providing direction to job seekers searching for meaningful employment and guiding employers in inclusive hiring. This is achieved by working with both job seekers and business employers to meet these four criteria: - have a direct employment contract with the employee utilizing our services; - pay the employee at least minimum wage; - provide a work space where the employee works alongside other employees; - and provide a work environment where the employee has the opportunity to be engaged in workplace culture. Customer service is a new focus for Career Compass. Providing exceptional customer service experiences to the job seekers and families we work with, but also to the business employers we work with is our priority. For job seekers, we take the time to learn about each individual person, ensuring the job match is a perfect fit. Our team is always available to job seekers and their families even after meaningful employment has been found. We continue to check in with anyone receiving our services periodically. Workplaces change, and so do people’s interests. If more job coaching or a career change is need we can help. Employers can use us as an extension of their Human Resources Department to provide pre-screened candidates that meet their employment needs. We also hop to foster trust in our relationships with them. If an employee isn’t working out then our team can step in to provide extra on site job coaching. We also understand that no employer wants to fire their employees, which is why that fear is can be alleviated by our outplacement services: if the employee receiving our services simply is not the right fit – we will find them another place of employment and provide you a new employee better suited to that position. This is an exciting time for Career Compass! We’re combining our years of experience with a new modernized approach, and a brand new face. This page will document the life changing work we do with job seekers, and business employers across Essex County.