Navigating Decentralized Employer Relations: Challenges, Solutions, and Best Practices
In a decentralized employer relations (ER) model, multiple career offices, faculties, and work-integrated learning (WIL) units may engage employers independently—often leading to inefficiencies, employer confusion, and inconsistent student access to opportunities.
This panel brings together employer relations professionals who have firsthand experience navigating decentralized systems. Panelists will share practical strategies to improve coordination, minimize duplication, and enhance employer engagement while respecting the autonomy of different units.
Key discussion points include:
- Helping employers navigate decentralized structures and find the right point of contact
- Reducing duplication of employer outreach and fostering collaboration across departments
- Ensuring equitable student access to employer opportunities across programs and faculties
- Implementing shared employer engagement tools, tracking systems, and communication strategies
- Strengthening the institutional brand while balancing decentralized approaches
Whether you’re working in a centralized or decentralized model, this session will offer valuable insights and concrete strategies to enhance employer engagement and student success.
Colleen Slade
Employer and Community Engagement Coordinator, University of Saskatchewan
Tammy Kim-Newman
Associate Director, Employer and Alumni Engagement, York University
Chrys Tsilibes
Assistant Director, Center for Career Development and Life Skills, University of Connecticut
Leesa McLeish-Diaz
Employer Engagement Coordinator - EDI, Academic Advising & Career Centre, University of Toronto Scarborough
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