Hamilton's Settlement and Integration Services Organization held its Annual Employer Recognition Event Nov. 27 at the Hamilton Chamber of Commerce.

A number of employers were recognized for making efforts to integrate diversity into their workforce, through creative recruitment, hiring and promotion of Internationally Trained Professionals and Tradespeople (ITPTs). Award winners for 2007 include: Royal Bank, City of Hamilton, Coppley Apparel Group, Scotiabank, Diet Kontrol, McMaster University School of Nursing, TD Bank, fpm3 Marketing and Design, Maids Home Service, Protocol Integrated Direct Marketing, Bank of Montreal and UPS.

This year's Employer of the Year winner was the City of Hamilton - Water and Wastewater Treatment, Public Works Department, led by Abdul Khan.

The Water and Wastewater Division is responsible for providing 130,000 customers with water and wastewater services. The city provides residents with on average approximately 340 million litres of water a day to drink and treats of approximately 368 million litres of wastewater a day.

The City of Hamilton has partnered with the programs offered by SISO to facilitate a mutually beneficial relationship in the transition of the internationally-trained professional to the workplace.

They have employed five Internationally Trained Professionals in the Water and Wastewater Division over the past one year period.

"Without SISO and their programs, we would not have such highly trained professionals working with us," said Mr. Khan. "We are humbled and honoured by this award."

SISO also used the event as an opportunity to showcase its brand new Workplace Development Toolkit resource, available online at www.thetoolkit.ca.

The Workplace Development Toolkit provides employers with information, tools and resources to assist in planning for a future work force.

This interactive and resourceful Web site will teach employers how to adapt company policies and procedures to reap the benefits of an increasingly diverse workforce and to make the most of recruitment, selection, hiring, orientation, retention and promotion

This toolkit can help you improve your bottom line, by making effective use of global talent, skills and experience.