Community Employment Services Belleville Cuts Ribbon on New Location on Loyalist College Campus

Belleville, ON, Feb. 2, 2026 – Community Employment Services (CES) officially opened its new location on Loyalist College campus last week with a ribbon-cutting ceremony at the college’s Pioneer Building, located at 284B Wallbridge-Loyalist Rd., marking an exciting new chapter for the long-standing employment support provider. 

For more than 50 years, CES has connected local job seekers and employers with the resources they need to succeed. The team offers free, personalized services such as resume and cover letter assistance, job search support, financial training supports, interview preparation, skill development and access to funding programs. CES also supports local employers with job postings, employee recruitment and staff training.

The official opening brought together community partners and stakeholders, with remarks from Mark Kirkpatrick, President and CEO of Loyalist College; Joanne Leith, Manager of Employment Services at Community Employment Services; and Katy Mitchell, Employment Services Manager at Serco Direct for the Kingston–Pembroke region. Speakers highlighted the role of employment services in connecting job seekers with life-changing career opportunities. They also emphasized the importance of building a strong, responsive workforce that meets the needs of employers across the region.

“When I first came to Community Employment Services, I was looking for work and feeling unsure about my direction in life,” said Kevin Morin, a former CES client and Loyalist College student who attended the event. “They supported me every step of the way, from being a sounding board and offering guidance, to helping me complete testing and earn my educational equivalencies. With their support, I was able to apply to the Social Service Worker program at Loyalist. Now I have the opportunity to be a voice for people in their time of need and help them navigate their own journey.”

“CES is part of the fabric of this community, helping thousands of people prepare for and secure meaningful employment,” adds Warren Gee, Loyalist College’s Senior Director of Career Services and Community Development Initiatives. “Many of our staff have been with us for years — some for decades — and we’re proud that our clients will still see the same familiar faces and receive the same exceptional service they’ve always known, now in a location that opens even more doors for them.”

With this move, CES now shares space with Loyalist College post-secondary programs and Career and College Prep program, as well as Bay of Quinte Business Centre resources, including Trenval Business Development Corp., the Quinte Economic Development Commission (QEDC), the Business Development Bank of Canada (BDC) and the Small Business Centre.

“CES’ new location is helping to establish a centralized hub for regional education, employment and business development resources, strengthening connections between community partners who share a common focus on supporting regional prosperity and growth,” said Loyalist College President and CEO Mark Kirkpatrick. “This also benefits people and employers across the region. With these services co-located in one place, we’re improving access to career opportunities for job seekers and supporting workforce development across the Bay of Quinte.”

For more information about Community Employment Services, visit loyalistces.ca.

About Loyalist College

Loyalist College is built upon the lands governed by the Dish with One Spoon wampum agreement. We affirm and thank the Haudenosaunee, Anishinaabeg and Huron-Wendat nations for their continued caretaking of the land. At Loyalist, we empower our students with wraparound support services and hands-on training to succeed on any path they choose. Our academic programs are responsive and innovative, designed to solve pressing social and economic challenges and meet the evolving needs of our regional industry and community partners. Our graduates enter the workforce equipped with the knowledge they need to be better global citizens, and with future-focused skills to lead change in their fields. With a presence in Belleville, Bancroft, Port Hope, Tyendinaga and Toronto, we believe our institutional responsibility extends beyond the classroom to seeing the big picture for the communities we serve. Our expertise in applied research and deep connections to local industry support economic development, to the benefit of businesses, entrepreneurs, changemakers and innovators. Our commitment to decolonization, and the pursuit of a more inclusive, equitable world, means we hold ourselves accountable to the diverse perspectives, cultures and experiences that shape our communities. 

– 30 –

Contact: 
Hannah Brown 
Director of Marketing and Communications 
hbrown@loyalistcollege.com