Archive for March, 2011

Pre-Employment Baking Program

Thursday, March 24th, 2011

Vancouver Island University is offering a 14-week baking program that will give you practical entry level baking skills in breads, pastry and pizza. Fourteen seats are available for this program and financial support for tuition and textbooks is available for those applicants that qualify. To be eligible for this program applicants must unemployed and not have an active EI claim or have received EI benefits in the last 3 years. The program runs from April 18 to July 25th.

For more information about this exciting training opportunity check out the baking poster.

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BladeRunners Program for Youth

Wednesday, March 23rd, 2011

Are you a youth or someone who knows a youth interested in the construction and trades industry? BladeRunners is a Youth Skills Link program that builds community partnerships and connects motivated, job ready youth with valuable employment opportunities in the construction and trades industry. Information sessions for this program will be held on April 4th at Nanaimo Youth Services Association. For more information click on the link for the BladeRunners Poster

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Census Hiring Information

Wednesday, March 23rd, 2011

Notes from the Census Information Meeting at The Career Centre, March 17, 2011:

  • There are 794 positions to fill on Vancouver Island.
  • 16 positions are available in Parksville (1 supervisor and 15 enumerators).
  • Outlying areas will require another 60 people.
  • Hiring has started for supervisors in the more rural areas; they have not hired a supervisor for Parksville city area yet.
  • Most of the work will be done after the Census is mailed out, doing follow up starting in May and lasting for about 3 months.
  • To apply:
    1. Apply on the Census website, it’s about a 20 minute process to fill out the online application. You will receive an applicant number and go into a pool of applicants sorted by geographical area. Pre-screening will take place. Initial requirements are: must be 18 years of age or older; must be a Canadian Citizen or eligible to work in Canada; and must commit to 20 hours a week including evening and weekends.

    2. If the candidate is screened in they will be invited to a testing session which will be in central areas. Sample test questions are on the Census website. Candidates must get 60% to pass.
    3. Those who pass the test will be invited to an interview. References and criminal records will be checked. If the Criminal Record is from a long time ago and does not relate directly to the work (such as a DIU) you may not necessarily be screened out.
  • Wages are $14.72 for the non-supervisory positions and $18.04 for the supervisor position. People can apply for both positions on the website.
  • Most of the office work and data entry takes place in Ottawa but they will be hiring for 20 office positions in Victoria. Apply for these positions on the Census website
  • Crew Leaders will give assignments to the enumerators. Every assignment has an estimated time limit, however enumerators will get paid for what hours they log in.
  • Applicants must have computer skills and access to a computer, the internet and a printer.

    • Posted in census, Employment | No Comments »

    Information Session for Census Jobs

    Friday, March 11th, 2011

    There is still time to apply for Census jobs.

    Staff are needed for a variety of supervisory and non-supervisory jobs for the 2011 Census.

    These jobs are ideal for: students, recently retired persons, stay-at-home parents, and those wanting to supplement their income. Rate of pay is $14.72 to $18.04/hour plus authorized expenses. For more information check-out the 2011 Census website.

    Attend an information session at The Career Centre Thursday, March 17th from 10am to 10:30am for an information session. Information will be provided on the application process and time will be made available for questions.

    Posted in census, Employment | No Comments »

    SET Hiring Fair Highlights

    Thursday, March 10th, 2011

    The SET hiring fair on Tuesday March 8, 2011 provided an opportunity to speak with a variety of employers. Following is information gathered from some the employers in attendance:

    To apply for employment at the City of Nanaimo refer to their website www.nanaimo.ca. Click on “Residents” then “City Employment” where you will find information on their hiring policy, job postings, casual/temporary employment positions and summer jobs with the Parks department. On your resume and cover letter, be sure to use the wording on the posting because some training programs go by different titles. Example: Building Service Worker Program, instead of Building Maintenance Worker Program.

    Origin at Longwood, a “high end” retirement facility, is looking for staff in housekeeping and dining room/kitchen. They are not taking applications for nurses, care aides, or administrative support at this time. They look for people who are passionate about working with seniors. They also have an on-site spa. More details are on their website.

    Nordia Call Centre is hiring for both Customer Service and Telesales roles. The Customer Service jobs do not involve selling. They offer paid training, bonuses, and benefits. Resumes are accepted both by email or in person.

    Boston Pizza (Longwood Station) is hiring full and part time staff for all positions. A bubbly personality and positive enthusiasm are the key attributes they look for in candidates. Their website has information on the positions they hire for under the tab “Work at BP.” Apply online or in person with a resume. Pick up an application form from any Boston Pizza location.

    Home Depot is hiring in various departments. Strong customer service skills are essential and a background in home improvements is an asset. Details under “careers” on their website.

    BC Assessment is currently hiring up to 5 Property Information Collectors for the Nanaimo office. That role is often a stepping stone to a career in the industry. Various career opportunities including positions in appraisal work, IT, finance, human resources, and legal exist for the Assessment Authority, however the majority of those are in larger cities such as Victoria and Surrey. Refer to website: www.bcassessment.ca/careers for more information.

    Paladin Security in Nanaimo is hiring for part time and casual roles, but 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.

    The janitorial firm, Marquise Facilities Group is looking for casual relief staff only to cover vacation relief. This work will be available from April through August.

    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.

    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.

    Nine to Five Temporary Office Assistance provides that service to businesses. Located at 70 Prideaux, Nanaimo, their phone number is (250) 754-4078. They also have offices in Courtenay and Duncan.

    Labour Unlimited has 10 locations in BC, two of which are on Central Vancouver Island – Nanaimo (250) 716-1760 and Courtenay (250) 897-1073. They provide temporary labour.

    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. In addition, Community Living BC can provide lists of group homes. Phone (250) 729-2500.

    The Beach Club is hiring for various positions, both seasonal and year round. Apply in person with resume at the front desk.

    Posted in Employment, Hiring Fairs | No Comments »

    Career Resiliency

    Tuesday, March 1st, 2011

    Do you know that career development experts predict that in less than five years, half the working population will be employed in non-traditional forms of employment, many in jobs that don’t even exist today? New waves of workers are discovering methods of making a living by creating “streams of income.” Freelance or contract work, running a home-based business, becoming an agent or broker, and renting out a workshop or piece of property are examples of income streams. Having more than one source of income contributes to your career resiliency, which is your ability to “bounce back” from a setback such as a job loss, with minimal impact on your financial situation. It’s a new way of looking at earning a living, but it’s exciting to consider the possibilities. The first step towards having a resilient career/life is becoming comfortable with change and new approaches.

    The knowledge you need for this process can be broken into two main parts. Your career resilience plan begins with self assessment. Take a look INSIDE yourself to identify your interests, values, preferences for work environments and skills. Think about what motivates you and holds your interest. What uniqueness and talents do you want to contribute to the world? When you are clear about yourself, finding meaningful work becomes easier. Have you ever been doing something and been surprised at the amount of time that has passed? That is because you are in what career practitioners refer to as your “essence” or your “flow.” It’s a natural process that happens when you are applying your talents in your preferred environment.

    The second part of the process is gaining knowledge about the OUTSIDE. Learn about the current state of the economy, the labour market, industries, occupations, and trends. There are endless sources from which to gather this information. During your research, you will find out what skills are in demand now and which are predicted to be in demand in the future. Next, make a plan to incorporate the INSIDE data with the OUTSIDE data, to find work that is a good fit for you. Do set goals. It is well known that setting goals and taking action towards reaching them plays a huge part in increasing self-esteem. As you work through your goals, checking them off your list, your confidence builds, and you find yourself face to face with new people and opportunities.

    It has been said that “luck is a crossroad where preparation and opportunity meet.” Why not set yourself up for opportunity by participating in a FREE workshop? We have workshops on topics like career decision making, job search, and the labour market? Please contact us for details.

    Posted in Career Planning | No Comments »