Friday April 20, 10am-12pm, Room 301

This information session will introduce the new Self Employment program to those who may be eligible.  We will discuss program details, eligibility, and the steps involved.

Who can attend?

Individuals interested in self employment who:

• are receiving Employment Insurance benefits currently or have within the last 3 years or 5 years where their benefits have been maternity or parental;
• or are receiving Income Assistance and are designated PWD (Person With Disabilities) or PPMB(Person with Persistent Multiple Barriers);
• or a person with disabilities who are neither EI or Income Assistance attached.

Where to sign up?

Contact our Duncan office by phone at 250-748-9880 or in person to attend.

Seating is limited to 15.

The B.C. government is considering a plan to help people get off welfare by flying them north to cash in on high-paying jobs in areas such as the oil and gas industry.

“There’s a boom happening in the northeast and the northwest of the province,” Finance Minister Kevin Falcon said Wednesday.

“We’ve got several ministries working together to see if we can put together something that would offer free airfare, accommodation — training if necessary — to get [welfare recipients] connected with work,” he said, noting he first announced the plan in last month’s budget…

“We think that can help serve two purposes: get people off welfare and get them into high-paying jobs.”

Falcon said the program would be voluntary, and would focus on single employable workers who are able and willing to move north.

“One of the areas we’re seeing a real growth in the welfare rolls is in what’s called the single, employable, expected-to-work category,” he said.

“I think the idea is it would be voluntary, it would be saying to single expected-to-work individuals, ‘All right, we’ve got a great opportunity for you.’”

Minister of Social Development Stephanie Cadieux, whose ministry is involved in planning the project, said she anticipates the program will be attractive to only a “modest number of people.”

She said the government will not force people into the program, or remove benefits from those who refuse to participate.

“Our intent is strictly to provide people more opportunity to link to jobs that they would not otherwise be able to because of their circumstances,” she said.

“We already have in legislation the requirements for active job searches,” she added. “We’re not anticipating any changes to what is already there.”

Cadieux also stressed the program is in its early stages, calling it a “somewhat aspirational program that we expect to become more tangible later in the year.”

Both Cadieux and Falcon said no new money is expected for the project, but they believe it can pay for itself.

“The beauty of a program like this is if it achieves its objectives it can be self-financing because you can get people off welfare, which is costing government money, and put them into a job,” said Falcon.

“There’s a real benefit there. We think we can do this on a revenue-neutral basis.”

The issue is not an insignificant one for Falcon, as his recent budget allotted an extra $122 million over the next three years to support an increase in the number of temporary income assistance cases resulting from the economic downturn.

Shauna Butterwick, an associate professor at the University of B.C. and a researcher for the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives, has penned two reports on creating meaningful training programs for welfare recipients in B.C. She said the proposed plan appears to have a “limited view” and does not factor in the reasons why many people are on welfare in the first place.

For example, she said, many people on social assistance are “entrapped” by multiple barriers, including addictions and chronic physical and mental illnesses. Such issues could be exacerbated by transplanting them up north.

“One thing that welfare studies have found to be really crucial is that the social networks [welfare recipients] create are the one thing that helps them survive,” she said. “You would be taking them from that. Those kinds of social networks you don’t just recreate overnight. I would expect a level of isolation and alienation.”

Jean Swanson, a coordinator at the Carnegie Community Action Project and organizer for the anti-poverty coalition Raise the Rates, said she had some concerns about the idea.

“A lot of people on welfare would love training … and there are probably a few who would like to go up north and work,” she said.

But she emphasized the workers would have to be part of the general labour pool – “not in a special one that gets lower rates.”

“It couldn’t be like workfare, where you go in there and work for your welfare, or work for a really low wage and undercut the existing workers.”

Bill Hopwood, also an organizer at Raise the Rates, said the cost of making such a program work would likely be higher than expected.

On the surface, he said, it looks like there is a lot of demand for jobs and the plan would be cheap for the government. “But to actually make it work, and give people the support that they need, it wouldn’t be cheap.

“The vast majority of people on welfare have some barriers to work. You have to have strategies to deal with that, in terms of if they have disabilities, if they have previous mental issues. All those sorts of things are part of why people struggle to get jobs. A lot of it is they would like a job, but they may not be able to hold down that regular, normal job.”

New Democratic Party critic for social development Carole James said the province should be focusing more on training to help those without skills get into high-paying jobs. “Many of those jobs are very highly skilled and you need training for those jobs.”

And she said the training and the jobs should go first to the people already living in the area.

“The people who are in the north who are unemployed, who are on income assistance, should probably be the first ones who should get that training.”

- Yukon Zinc Wolverine Mine – http://www.yukonzinc.com
- Nyrstar, Myra Falls (formerly NVI) – http://www.nyrstar.com

These representatives will be on hand along with North Island College to talk about the types of occupations in demand and skills required.  The panel will offer employers and NIC the opportunity to connect with job seekers directly regarding their mining operation and occupations in demand along with associated requirements from which participants can ask questions.

*Registration REQUIRED for these morning sessions. Contact NIEFS at (250) 286-3441.  For more information, check out www.niefs.net

Another out of area employer is holding a hiring fair in our region this coming Friday.  Baker Hughes, based in Calgary, provides a range of oilfield services and operates in locations all over the world.  Currently, the company is recruiting for Equipment Operators and Drivers with Class 1 or 3 Licenses, Electronic Technicians, Supervisors with Coil Tubing experience, Maintenance Journeymen and Apprentice Mechanics.

Check out their hiring fair from 9am onwards at the Grand Hotel in Nanaimo on Friday, February 10th.  Job seekers are recommended to bring a resume and submit one by email to  recruitcalgary@bakerhughes.com.

Tips Linda offered for local job seekers included:

• Ensure your resume is relevant to the employer you are targeting
• Present yourself well; no shades, hats, earbuds
• Go in person where you can, unless otherwise advertised, avoid busy times and at right store opening
• Meet the employer by yourself, do not go job searching in a group/with friends and family alongside
• Try to meet the Manager where possible, or get their business card so you can apply directly
• Send a thank you letter following an interview/meeting
• Look at ways you can volunteer in the community to build your experience and work references

As Linda discussed, the Duncan Mall is closely connected with the community, providing space to local non-profits for community activities including family events.  The mall is now also online at www.shopduncancentre.com.

View Event Poster

Join us:

Wednesday, February 15th, 2012
2pm – 3pm
at “Latest Leads”
Global Vocational Services
301-80 Station Street, Duncan

Please pre-register in the Resource Centre or call the Global office at (250) 748-9880.

• Equipment Operators
• Pump Operators
• Professional Drivers Class 1 and 3
• Labourers for a variety of positions

*Do not need experience
*Training provided by employer for Industry Requirements

Please Bring:

• Resume
• Drivers Abstract (reasonably clean with 6 points or less)

Details:

• Looking for 30 or 40 people
• Drug Testing Mandatory
• You will be living in Ft McMurray, company can arrange housing
• Wages start at $24.00 per hour
• Expected Start Date: ASAP
• Application has to be approved by Suncor

Where:

Employment Navigators in Ladysmith
710 1st Ave Ladysmith
250-245-7134
Monday January 9, 9:00-4:00

ADMINISTRATIVE:

Customer Service Coordinator, Winners, Duncan.  See www.simplyhired.ca

Director, Community Based Research, VIU, Nanaimo

Admin Assistant, Office of Univ Secretary/Senior Policy Advisor, VIU, Nanaimo.  See www.viu.ca

Admin Assistant, Bellamy Learning Centre, Duncan.  See www.employmentnavigators.com

Customer Service Rep 1 (Insurance), Island Savings, Chemainus.  See www.iscu.com

Entry Level Opportunities, (Hiring Pool).  See www.iscu.com

Full Time Account Manager, Island Savings Credit Union, Nanaimo.  See www.iscu.com

See www.viha.ca for administrative positions within the health authority for Cowichan Valley and other areas

HR/Payroll Administrator, Acciona Facility Services, Victoria.  See www.indeed.ca

Administrative Assistant, Fisheries & Oceans Canada, Nanaimo.  See www.jobs.gc.ca

HR Assistant, Recruitment, City of Nanaimo.  See www.nanaimo.ca

Admin Coordinator, BC Transit, Victoria.  See www.spectrumjobsearch.com

ARTS/DESIGN/COMMUNICATIONS:

Print Production Assistant, Impact Visual, Nanaimo.  See www.set-nanaimo.com

Sales Person, Impact Visual, Nanaimo.  See www.set-nanaimo.com

Special Effects and Digital Imaging Technician, Royal BC Museum, Victoria.  See www.royalbcmuseum.bc.ca

FOOD SERVICE/HOSPITALITY:

Dishwasher, Drumroaster coffee, Cobble Hill.  See www.wowjobs.ca

Sunridge Place are hiring for temporary, casual and regular positions including Food Service Worker and Housekeeping. Please submit resumes by e-mail to apply@sunridgplace.ca or by fax to 250.748.8388. 

Cook, Columbos Restaurant, Ladysmith.  See www.usedcowichan.com

Food Counter Attendant & Cookneeded at Boston Pizza, Duncan.  See www.jobbank.gc.ca

LABOUR/TRADES:

Small Engine Mechanic, IslandSaw & Turf, Duncan.  See www.simplyhired.ca

Driver Position for Trucking Company, Duncan.  See www.usedocowichan.com

Rhino Labour Temp Services is hiring for several positions includingClass 1 & 3 Drivers and Assembly Technicians.  See www.set-nanaimo.com

Timber Cruising & Waste Specialist, Ministry of Forests, Lands and Natural Resources, Nanaimo.  See www.employment.gov.bc.ca

Farm Manager, Saltspring Centre of Yoga, Salt Spring Island. See www.wowjobs.ca

Deputy Director of Planning & Development, North Cowichan District, Duncan.  See www.northcowichan.ca

Senior Environmental Analyst, CVRD, Duncan.  See www.cvrd.bc.ca

Service Technician and Installer Technician, Emergitel, Duncan.  See www.wowjobs.ca

Yard & Shipping Manager, Rona, Cobble Hill.  See www.victoriajobshop.ca

CAMP WORK:

Opportunities for Trades positions in mining through Imperial Metals at Huckleberry Mine and other sites.  See www.imperialmetals.com

Dozer Operator, Kitimat and other positions, including Labourers with Ledcor in mining, constructruction, marine etc..  See www.ledcor.com

SALES/CUSTOMER SERVICE:

Home Depot, Winners, Future Shop, The Source, Wal-Mart, all hiring.  Some seasonal, some regular positions.

Delivery Specialist, Easyhome, Duncan.  See www.nanaimo.kijiji.ca

HEALTHCARE:

RCA’s and LPN Position, Nanaimo.  See www.nanaimo.kijiji.ca

Health Manager, Stzuminus First Nation, Ladysmith, BC.  See www.civicinfo.bc.ca

See www.viha.ca for nursing positions, social work and other support roles within the local health authority.

HUMAN SERVICE

Early Childhood Assistant, Kids R BriteChildcare, Ladysmith.  Must have ECA Certificate.  See www.employmentnavigators.com

Early Childhood Educator, Nanaimo.  See www.employmentnavigators.com

Entitlement Officer, Worksafe BC, Victoria.  See www.worksafebc.com

EDUCATION:

Curriculum and Education Program Coordinators, Ministry of Education, Victoria.  See www.employment.gov.bc.ca

On-Call Noon Hour Supervisors & On-Call Teacher Assistants, School District 79 – www.sd79.bc.ca