Central Vancouver Island Crisis Society has its new resource database up and running. This is a fantastic resource for those seeking support and for those that may be interested in working at a not-for-profit in our area.
New Crisis Directory
January 26th, 2012Upcoming Hiring/Career Fairs
January 26th, 2012The RCMP is offering career presentations at Vancouver Island University, Building 250 – Room 210, 900 Fifth St, Nanaimo. Thursday evenings at 6 p.m. on February 2nd, 9th and 16th, 2012. For more information call the Victoria Recruiting Office at 1-250-995-7775 or check out their website.
Advertised in the Saturday Nanaimo Daily News: Nanaimo Home Depot is having a Job Fair Friday January 27, 2pm-4pm and 5pm-7pm. Positions available include: Greeters, Lot Associates, Sales Associates, Cashiers, Overnight Freight/Fulfillment Associates and Tool Rental Associates. To expedite the application process, please bring your application confirmation # (ends in Kr) and 2 pieces of government ID. Apply online at www.homedepotjobs.ca/3862
Top Labour Market Research Studies and Reports from 2011
January 12th, 2012Christian Saint Cyr, publisher of the BC Labour Market Report, recently provided a list and summary of the Top 10 Labour Market Research Studies and Reports from 2011. Here are a few that may be useful for your job search and career decision making:
2011 Construction Looking Forward Forecast Reports and Highlights
Fact: During the first period, 2011-2015, the key feature is the expansion of industrial and engineering projects, in particular mining and utility work. These projects drive employment higher for the following key trades and occupations: boilermakers; carpenters; construction millwrights; drillers and blasters; electricians; plumbers; sheet metal workers; steamfitters and pipefitters.
BC Check-Up 2011: Provincial Edition
Fact: BC’s economy performed well in 2010, and the outlook for 2011 is hopeful. In April 2011, BC’s manufacturing sales were up 10.3% when compared to the same time period in 2010. This increase was driven by demand for the province’s exports, particulary within the Asian market.
British Columbia Small Business Profile 2011
Fact: Self-employed individuals – those who spend most of their working hours running their own businesses – are a sizeable part of British Columbia’s workforce. In 2010, self-employment accounted for around 19 per cent of total employment in the province.
Fact: Does taking time off after high school matter? — By and large, youth who entered directly into the post-secondary system had higher average employment rates and earnings, both initially and several years after leaving school.
Profile of the British Columbia High Technology Sector – September 2011
Fact: Until 1998, BC lagged the other designated provinces, as well as the overall Canadian average, in terms of researchers per 100,000 population. However, since replacing Alberta as the third largest workforce of researchers and technicians per 100,000 persons in 2004, the province has held on to a rank of third. It has since made further advances and has managed to widen the gap between itself and Alberta substantially.
Renewing Canada’s Greenest Workforce: A Labour Market Intelligence Report
Facts: The forest products sector’s ability to recruit new workers is crucial to the sector’s ability to meet replacement and expansion demand over the next decade. Employers reported a number of barriers to recruiting – not enough qualified workers, negative perceptions of industry, a declining rural population and lack of essential skills.
The Value of Tourism in British Columbia (April 2011)
Fact: Tourism is the only primary industry that has maintained steady growth in real GDP from 2002 to 2008, dropping slightly in 2009. In 2009, the real GDP of the agriculture, forestry and mining and oil and gas extraction industries were below 2002 levels.
Thank you to Christian for giving us permission to reproduce his list and summaries on the Career Centre blog.
Campbell River Major Projects Web Portal
December 7th, 2011Interested in doing business or working in the Campbell River region? Vancouver Island Economic Alliance (VIEA) has partnered with BC Hydro, Vancouver Island Construction Association (VICA), and the Campbell River Chamber of Commerce to produce a Campbell River Major Projects Web Portal site. It is now up to the business community to take the lead and register with the site to promote all the business skills, trades, equipment and supplies that exist in Campbell River and surrounding area.
VIEA Director Rick Roberts says: “The Economic Alliance has been attracted to the concept of the major projects portal from the beginning as it combines a couple of key elements that we are passionate about, that is businesses and communities pooling resources for enhanced economic impact and the facilitation of business to business opportunities on and for Vancouver Island. Put simply, the portal is economic collaboration in action.”
To explore the Portal go to: http://CR.majorprojects.ca. The site profiles supplier databases and information on the John Hart project. Businesses who wish to register their company can find the “Register as a Supplier” box on the Portal Home Page, click on “read more” and follow the prompts. Businesses can view a project’s description and outline, including projected trade requirements and timelines. By making this information available, potentially years in advance of the actual awarding of the contract, local businesses are able to prepare and position themselves as an attractive resource to the prime contractor.
This website will help ensure maximum opportunity for Island-based services and materials contractors to gain business from this and other major projects on the Island in the future.
Employment Skills Access Programs
November 22nd, 2011Unemployed? Employed with no recognized certification or university degree-level education? Vancouver Island University (VIU) continues to receive funding from the Province for the Employment Skills Access (ESA) program. VIU offers training programs that are specifically selected to help unemployed, non-Employment Insurance clients and employed individuals requiring skills-upgrading to gain or improve employment.
Tuition and materials are available for participants that meet the criteria of the ESA program. Following are the current programs offered through EAS funding:
Introduction to Culinary Arts Program
This 12-week program will provide students with the skills and knowledge required to fill entry level culinary and food service positions.
Marine Operator Training Program
The participants will gain knowledge and skills that meet the standards as outlined by Transport Canada to work on, and operate a commercial vessel.
Shellfish Aquaculture Technician Training Program
This six week course is for those interested in developing skills and knowledge for a successful career in the shellfish aquaculture industry.
For assistance in developing your education and career goals and to learn more about the ESA program contact The Career Centre at 250-248-3205 to register for an information session.
Brand New B.C. Job Tools!
November 14th, 2011From a recent WorkBC electronic newsletter:
The WorkBC team is excited to announce three new products available on WorkBC. Check out the Build a Career Smartphone app, Career Explorers video game and Job Trend Tracker forecasting tool. Have fun exploring and share these interactive tools with your colleagues, family and friends!
The Build a Career smartphone app features a quiz for young adults ages 15 to 25 to assess their skills and interests and discover new careers. They can also watch videos of the top ten jobs in B.C. and map their way to a career centre nearby. Available on iPhone, Android and Blackberry and in web and iPad versions.
The Career Explorers 3-D online video game lets youth (ages 8 to 12) explore the many career options available in B.C. and its regions. The “roll and move” board game, badges and mini-games provide an interactive and fun experience for players.
The Job Trend Tracker interactive web application provides reliable labour market information for citizens, employers and government. It’s packed with visual, interactive tools that tell B.C.’s future labour market story. Find demand and supply outlooks from 2010 to 2020 on more than 500 careers in B.C. Map, chart and compare regional and provincial job stats and discover which jobs need workers where. For the best possible experience, we recommend viewing in IE 7+, Safari 3+, Firefox 3+, Opera 9.5+ or Chrome 2.0+.
These tools were created under the federally funded Research & Innovation Support Measures Program.
Update on the BC Mining Industry
October 19th, 2011Due to a soaring demand and price for copper and other metals job opportunities in the mining industry are increasing.
Following is an update on some of the mines and upcoming projects in B.C.:
The Copper Mountain Mine, 18 kilometres south of the town of Princeton BC has recently reopened by Vancouver-based Copper Mountain Mining Corp. A recent article in BC Business indicates that Copper Mountain will have close to 270 full-time employeees working shifts around the clock. Current opportunities are listed on the Copper Mountain website.
New Afton is a primary development project of New Gold Inc. and is expected to commence production in the second half of 2012. It is located 10km from Kamloops, BC. New Afton will be an underground mine, which will produce an annual average of 75 million pounds of copper and 80,000 ounces of gold over a 12 year mine life. Current opportunities at the New Afton project can be found on NewGold’s website.
Exploration of new mineral properties has also taken off:
In June 2011, New Gold acquired the Blackwater project near Prince George BC. New Gold is hiring geo technicians for the Blackwater project over the next 6 months to work on its active drill program. Successful candidates must be willing to work as part of team at the Blackwater camp on the Nechako Plateau located approximately 160km southwest of Prince George, BC. Qualifications required for this posted position include: High school diploma with previous experience in mineral exploration or relevant industry training; proficiency in Microsoft Excel and Word; ability to work as part of a team in a remote camp environment; team player with exceptional work ethic and attention to details and First Aid training. Employees are required to have a valid drivers license.
Vancouver Island based, Peak Drilling, will be seeking employees for camp work starting March 2012. Interested applicants will be expected to work from the end of April to the end of August. It is long hours of hard physical work and you are in camp for at least 5 to 6 weeks at a time. However, the earnings could be up to $5,000-$8000 month if you have a positive attitude. Resumes can be sent to info@peakdrilling.com.
Following are more websites to check out for mining-related job postings
Careermine – postings for everything from entry level labourers to CEOs in the mining industry worldwide.
Bushrat- a little less formal mostly a place to post resumes for casual jobs.
Kinross – mining company ramping up in North America and elsewhere.
The other larger companies are Rio Tinto, Newmont, Vale Inco and Barrick.
On the island there is Compliance Energy , Pacific Iron Ore Corp and Ridgemont Iron Ore Corp.
For assistance completing a targeted resume and cover letter for these positions phone the Career Centre at 250-248-3205 to sign up for one of our information sessions.
SET Hiring Fair Highlights
October 17th, 2011The SET hiring fair on Thursday October 13, 2011 provided an opportunity to speak with a variety of employers. Following is information gathered from some the employers in attendance:
Claire’s Home Care Services is seeking RCAs and Yard Maintenance/Handypersons. Positions start casual and the applicant must have his or her own transportation.
Express Employment Professionals is a staffing company located at 2025 Bowen Road, Nanaimo (Phone: 250-751-2734) They assist job seekers with temporary or long term employment.
Four financial planning companies were in attendance: Investors Group, Freedom 55, Canada Financial, and Sun Life Financial. Paid training and support is available through most of them, but there are some differences among them. Find more details on each company’s website.
H&R Block will be hiring Tax Professionals and Client Service Representatives soon for the upcoming tax season for their Ladysmith, Nanaimo, Parksville and Qualicum Beach offices. Tax Professionals must have the H&R BlockLevel 1 Tax Course with a grade of 80% or better, or an acceptable equivalent to tax training school. For more information visit your local H&R office.
Labour Unlimited has 10 locations in BC, two of which are on Central Vancouver Island – Nanaimo (250) 716-1760 and Courtenay (250) 897-1073. The first step to working with this temporary labour company is to register in person. Once you are registered it is recommended to show up in person ready to work at 6am when the office opens.
London Drugs was onsite taking resumes and speaking with applicants.
Mount Washington Alpine Resort is hiring for the season. They are hosting a job fair on Saturday, November 5th from 10 to 3pm. For more information on the upcoming job fair and current postings check out their website.
Nanaimo Association for Community Living hires people with backgrounds in the social services to work in a variety of roles helping persons with developmental disabilities. They are also always looking for volunteers, which is a good way to gain experience, call 250-741-9224 for more information.
Nordia Call Centre is hiring for both customer service as well as technical support. Apply online at nordiajobs.ca/Nanaimo
Nurse Next Door is currently seeking RCAs and nurses.
Peak Drilling, with its head office located in Courtenay, will be hiring summer camp help starting in March. Interested applicants will be expected to work from the end of April to the end of August. It is long hours of hard physical work and you are in camp for at least 5 to 6 weeks at a time. However, the earnings could be up to $5,000-$8000 month if you have a positive attitude. Resumes can be sent to info@peakdrilling.com.
RCMP is recruiting and more information is available on their website.
Seicoat, a graffiti removal and concrete & wood stain sealing company is seeking motivated sales staff. A background in construction would be an asset but the main requirement is a positive attitude.
Two security companies in Nanaimo, Paladin Security and Securiguard are hiring for part time and casual roles. Casual work can be up to 40 hours a week. Staff work as loss prevention officers and on mobile units as well as security guards.
A representative from WII–STEP was also present at the hiring fair. WII-STEP can help:
• Connect qualified, job-ready candidates with employers and current employment opportunities
• Provide assistance with reasonable workplace accommodations, if required
To be eligible for this initiative, you must be legally qualified to work in Canada, be prepared to identify the nature of your disability and let us know how to bring out the best of your abilities in the position you are applying for. You must also be bondable for many occupations. Currently on Vancouver Island, the employers participating in WII-Step are Black Rock Oceanfront Resort in Ucluelet and Mt. Washington Resort. Visit the Career Opportunities page to further explore employment opportunities WII-STEP is currently recruiting for.
The feedback I got from almost every employer is that a positive attitude is the most important quality they are looking for in a candidate.
New Website for Venture Connect
October 11th, 2011Venture Connect is the result of a partnership of Island Coastal Economic Trust, BC Ministry of Jobs, Tourism and Innovation, BC’s Small Business Roundtable and six Community Futures organizations on Vancouver Island and the Coast. This not-for-profit organization was created in response to the challenge that over the next 20 years, there will be unparalleled shortfalls of both business owners and employees resulting in potential closure of large numbers of small businesses throughout the area.
Venture Connect has been created to:
- Support small business owners and potential buyers in preparation for business transition.
- Match business sellers and entrepreneurial investors.
- Assist buyers and sellers in entrepreneurship and small business supports.
Coming soon! Venture Connects Business-For-Sale listings and Buyer/Seller matching options on the website.
For further information about Venture Connect services contact: info@ventureconnect.ca
One Week Job Screening
September 29th, 2011
“Don’t ask what the world needs. Ask what makes you come alive, and go do it. Because what the world needs is people who have come alive.” Howard Thurman
This is the quote Sean ended with at the end of an amazing, inspirational evening of the One Week Job screening in a packed room at the Parksville Community and Conference Centre.
We invited Sean to come to Parksville with his movie because we were inspired by Sean’s courage to go out and try a job a week for 52 weeks, often not knowing where or what his next job might be. It shows there are countless ways to discover what you’re passionate about, as well as suggesting there is nothing better than experience.
At the age of 25, two years after graduating valedictorian with a Business Administration degree from college, he started the One-Week Job project. He travelled anywhere in North America, working 52 jobs in 52 weeks. Some called him crazy, but he wanted to find out what could happen when you set out to find your passion. From firefighter and advertising executive, to dairy farmer – he left no occupational stone unturned. It was a challenging journey, with many roadblocks and obstacles. Change is tough. His epic journey demonstrates the power of possibilities, and provides inspiration to others. Students find comfort recognizing that career uncertainty is normal and baby boomers find courage to change jobs, return to school and finally uncover their passion. The inspirational movie trailer, as well as more information about Sean, the 52 jobs, and the One Week program, are available at the One Week Job website.
We encourage you to take your own steps in discovering your passion, whether it is volunteering, talking to someone that works in a field you are interested in or dropping into the Career Centre to learn more about our services.
Many thanks to Sean, Coastal Community Credit Union for their sponsorship and Coastal Colour for the support in printing the promotional material!