Student Onboarding Guide

The Government of Canada

Welcome to Employment and Social Employment Canada (ESDC). Now that you are working for the Government of Canada, please find some basic information about how the federal government works.

The federal government is composed of Canada’s prime minister and cabinet ministers. They always share a political party affiliation, which usually has the most members in the House of Commons (unless there is a minority government in power). The federal government takes care of citizenship, foreign policy, currency, banking, national defence and postal services, among other responsibilities that fall under the Canadian Constitution.

The federal government is part of Parliament, which consists of the Governor General (who represents the Queen), the House of Commons (known as the “lower house”) and the Senate (known as the “upper house”).

Members of Parliament (known as MPs) are elected by the public and make up the House of Commons. Senators are appointed by the Prime Minister and make up the Senate.

Of those Members of Parliament, the Prime Minister appoints ministers to his Cabinet. The Cabinet directs the federal government by determining priorities and policies, as well as ensuring their implementation. These ministers are responsible for a portfolio/government department.

The Government of Canada currently has 201 departments and agencies. Of these, ESDC is the fourth largest department after the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP), the Department of National Defence (DND) and the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA). Each of the these departments are responsible for one or more federal government activities, which are grouped into administrative units, called branches, directorates and sections, which fall under the immediate authority of a deputy minister.

Where does ESDC fit?

You are now part of one of the largest departments in the federal public service. It is important to become familiar with it to help understand your role with us. ESDC provides services across Canada, and more than 65% of its employees work outside of the National Capital Region. The Department is responsible for strengthening Canada’s social foundations by fostering the welfare of citizens, families and communities.

ESDC mandate

The mission of ESDC, including the Labour Program and Service Canada, is to build a stronger and more competitive Canada, to support Canadians in making choices that help them live productive and rewarding lives and to improve Canadians’ quality of life.

ESDC delivers a range of programs and services that affect Canadians throughout their lives such as, providing seniors with basic income security, supporting unemployed workers, helping students finance their post-secondary education and assisting parents raising young children.

The Labour Program is accountable for labour laws and policies in federally regulated workplaces, with Service Canada delivering ESDC’s programs to Canadians as well as other Government of Canada programs and services.

We design and deliver some of the Government’s most well-known programs or services.

In order to fulfil the mission, the Department’s breadth of responsibility ranges from:

• developing policies that ensure all can use their talents, skills and resources to participate in learning, work and their community;
• delivering programs that help Canadians move through life’s transitions, from school to work, from one job to another, from unemployment to employment, from the workforce to retirement;
• providing income support to seniors, families with children and those unemployed due to job loss, illness or caregiving responsibilities;
• helping Canadians with distinct needs such as Indigenous peoples, persons with disabilities, the homeless, travelers and recent immigrants;
• overseeing federal labour responsibilities; and
• delivering programs and services on behalf of other departments and agencies.

In addition, ESDC contributes to the Government’s commitment to making it easier to access government services online and to establishing new performance standards for federal services.

Departmental Structure

The following organizational chart shows the structure of our organization and the relationship between ESDC, Service Canada, and the Labour Program.

Employment and Social Development Canada

Chief Financial Officer (CFOB)

The CFOB provides direction, guidance and leadership of the management of ESDC’s financial resources. The branch is responsible for the financial frameworks, policies, systems and tools that support the management and operation of programs within ESDC and its central agencies. The Chief Financial Officer (CFO) is accountable for all aspects of financial management, stewardship of corporate investments and is a key player in supporting the Deputy Ministers.

Corporate Secretariat

The Corporate Secretariat provides quality services, advice and assistance to ESDC Ministers, Deputy Ministers and Branches based on an understanding of the business requirements, along with the agility and innovation needed to respond to new and emerging challenges.

Five divisions support the mandate and vision of the Corporate Secretariat:

• Access to Information and Privacy Operations;
• Business Management and Executive Committees;
• Ministerial Services;
• Parliamentary Affairs; and
• Privacy Management.

Human Resources Services Branch (HRSB)

As one of the Department’s enabling service branches, HRSB, creates and manages the programs and services that help ensure that:

• employees are engaged in their work;
• managers are providing leadership that fosters creativity and innovation; and
• the Department, as a whole, has the workforce capacity it needs to continuously evolve and adapt to new priorities and changing needs of Canadians.

Income Security and Social Development (ISSD)

The ISSD develops social policies and design programs to ensure that children, families, seniors, people with disabilities, homeless individuals and families as well as those at risk of being homeless, communities and others who are facing social and economic challenges have the support, knowledge, and information they need to maintain their well-being and facilitate their participation in society.

Innovation, Information and Technology (IITB)

The IITB’s mandate is to provide modern, secure, effective and efficient information and technology services that brings the greatest value to clients and to securely connect information and technology for clients, partnerships and citizens.

Internal Audit Services (IASB)

The IASB is composed of a group of professional auditors and support teams, headed by the Chief Audit Executive, who reports directly to the Deputy Minister. The people in the Branch bring various professional designations and years of internal audit experience in both the public and private sectors.

Learning Branch

The LB helps Canadians attend colleges, universities, and trade schools by encouraging saving for post-secondary education and giving loans and grants to students and apprentices.

Legal Services

Justice Canada has established dedicated legal services units (LSUs) for most government departments and agencies. The LSU provides legal services to support the programs, operations and key initiatives, including legislative and regulatory initiatives of ESDC, Labour Program, Service Canada, and Veterans Affairs Canada.

Public Affairs and Stakeholder Relations (PASRB)

The PASRB is ESDC’s communications branch and is responsible for:

• Provide Canadians with information on policies, programs and services that are relevant to their lives.
• Facilitate an open and interactive relationship between ESDC and stakeholders, other levels of government and Canadians on ESDC’s policies, programs and services.
• Serve as the focal point for strategic and operational communications advice, products and services in support of departmental outcomes, as well as initiatives and priorities.

Skills and Employment Branch (SEB)

The SEB contributes to enhancing competitiveness of Canadian workplaces and increasing labour force participation, reducing barriers for those seeking to enter or re-enter the labour market, creating opportunities for Canadians through training and mobility, as well as investing in, recognizing and using skills in and for the workplace.

Our vision is for all Canadians to be able to access the skills and supports they need to fully participate in the labour market and contribute to growth and innovation.

Our mandate is to promote skills development, enhancing labour market participation, and supporting an inclusive, resilient and effective labour market.

Strategic and Service Policy Branch (SSPB)

The SSPB was created to provide greater alignment of strategic, program and operational policy across the Department, while maintaining connections with regional operations and program delivery and strengthen the Departments corporate planning processes.

SSPB’s mandate is to function as an enabler for the Department by:

• Advising Ministers on strategic and horizontal policy to support ESDC’s mandate in the medium and longer term, and developing service policy to improve program implementation;
• Generating and managing data, information and knowledge that is essential for decision making by both the Department and our partners; and
• Coordinating departmental efforts to advance Government of Canada initiatives, foster external relationships, support corporate planning and performance, and meet legislative accountability and reporting commitments.

Service Canada

Service Canada regions support the Department and the Government in delivering on key commitments and in responding to the unique service delivery needs of citizens in the areas they serve. Regional offices are critical to the delivery of the Department's services, operating an extensive network of Service Canada Centres and outreach clinics throughout the country. Services are also provided to clients in the regions through specialized call centres and processing centres. Quality assurance and compliance services, business expertise and management services for most of the Department's programs are also managed through our regional offices. To achieve excellence and efficiency in the delivery of services, the regions work with local communities, other levels of government, Members of Parliament and external stakeholders. Although the main focus of our regional service delivery network is the day-to-day operations of serving Canadians, the regions are uniquely placed to pursue collaboration with local partners and other levels of government.

• Atlantic Region
• Quebec Region
• Ontario Region
• Western Canada and Territories Region

Citizen Services Branch (CSB)

The CSB supports service excellence for Canadians by providing functional guidance regarding the in-person service network, official languages for service to the public and the Passport program. Through its web publishing, 1 800 O-Canada, Customized Information Services and GC information repository, CSB makes government information available to Canadians. Lastly, CSB also strives to develop client understanding through gathering and using client feedback from such sources as the Office for Client Satisfaction and client experience surveys and journey maps.

Integrity Services Branch (ISB)

The ISB's mission is to ensure that error, fraud and abuse are prevented, detected, and addressed; that critical and essential services are managed; and, that employees work in an environment that is safe and secure.

Program Operations Branch (POB)

The POB represents the focal point of most Grants and Contributions programs at ESDC/Service Canada. As a part of Service Canada, POB leads on the Department’s Grants and Contributions Modernization Agenda, and advances work to improve the design, administration, and delivery of Grants and Contributions by:

• reducing administrative burden for applicants and recipients;
• streamlining and simplifying Grants and Contributions processing;
• increasing access to Grants and Contributions information and programming through on-line, web-based delivery;
• exploring innovative partnerships and approaches to improve Grants and Contributions delivery;
• engaging national Grants and Contributions stakeholders to seek feedback; and
• working with policy areas to operationalize policies and programs as designed to meet Government of Canada objectives

Transformation and Integrated Service Management Branch (TISMB)

The TISMB is responsible for transforming how ESDC delivers its services to Canadians. It was established in 2016 to enable the Department to align with the Government of Canada's priority of delivering citizen-focused services and to achieve the outcomes of the ESDC Service Strategy. We enable the Department to improve service delivery in a way that responds to needs of clients while providing employees with modern tools.

Labour Program

The workplace is changing rapidly and we are helping Canadians to adjust and thrive in the new global economy. We do this by conducting research about developing trends, such as work-life balance, and by providing the latest information on collective bargaining and agreements.

We develop, administer and enforce workplace legislation and regulations, such as the Canada Labour Code, which covers industrial relations, health and safety and employment standards, and the Employment Equity Act, which promotes workplace equality by removing the barriers faced by women, Aboriginal peoples, persons with disabilities and visible minorities while on the job. These laws cover federally regulated workers and employers.

We work closely with provincial and territorial governments, unions, employers, and international partners to enhance working conditions and ensure healthy and fair workplaces for all Canadians. Ultimately, the work we do and the information we provide covers subjects of interest to all Canadian workers and employers.

The Student Network Information

At ESDC, we want to ensure that you have access to essential information that will facilitate your integration in the workplace as well as answer questions you may have. When you have time, browse through the I am a Student page for more information.

The Student Network Champion

The Student Network Ambassadors

At ESDC, we want to ensure that all students are fully supported throughout their terms. In addition to your manager and/or peer mentor, you have a Student Network Ambassador.

Their primary role is to organize and promote ongoing activities throughout your term, including but (but not limited to):

• social events with other students;
• meet and greets with senior management;
• information sessions by some of our student-driven organizations;
• job shadowing opportunities.

Each branch and region has Student Network Ambassadors. If you are unsure of who they are, please email the following mailbox EDSC.IntegrationEtudiante-StudentOnboarding.ESDC to find out who your Ambassador is!

Learning and Training

Saba Cloud Learning Management System is the platform on which the ESDC’s Integrated Learning Management System (ILMS/SABA) is housed. Saba is the primary learning management system adopted by our department as well as by various other departments of the Government of Canada.

ILMS/Saba is the departmental gateway for all ESDC learners to:

• Search the learning catalogue and register for learning;
• Launch web-based courses;
• Add Informal and/or completed learning to your history;
• View learning history;
• Track learning;
• Complete evaluations.

All new employees (including you), are required to complete a series of mandatory courses within the first 90 days of their employment at ESDC. This curriculum is automatically loaded into your Saba profile.

The ESDC Mandatory Training Curriculum for Employees will improve your awareness of:

• Your role as a public servant;
• The core values of the Public Service of Canada, including Values and Ethics and Access to Information and Privacy (ATIP); and
• ESDC's culture and its obligation to ensure a safe and healthy workplace for all employees

Tips and Tricks

Building your network

Building your network within the public service is an important. It can help advance your career, develop your skill sets and help make the work you do feel more meaningful. The federal public service and ESDC in particular, offer many avenues in which you can build your network.

Below is a table of all the tools and communities in which you can explore:

Annex A - Acronyms

The following is a list of acronyms that are commonly used at ESDC. Check with your manager for anymore that you may need to be aware of.

Annex B – Additional tools and resources

Information on Compensation and Benefits:

• Leave Information
• Pay Information

Legislations and Policies:

• Student Employment Policy
• Terms and Conditions of employment for Students
• Standards on Email Management

Technical Help:

• National Service Desk (NSD)
  • This is where you can open a ticket to fix any IT issues, request particular services and all other IT related requests.
• Email Signature Help
• Connecting to a Printer
• Templates

Links to Bookmark:

• iService
  • From iService, you can link to Phoenix, PeopleSoft, SABA, myEMS, and many other resources. It is highly recommended that you explore around this website so you know what it can offer you.
• Glossary of terms and definitions

Graduating Soon?

• Read this article
• Preparing for the appointment process
• Post Secondary Recruitment – an annual government wide employment program open to all post-secondary graduates, even if they haven’t previously worked for the government