What we can do for workers

The Centre offers a wide range of assistance for people looking for work, re-entering the workforce,  considering a career change or reviewing their options for education. Anything and everything related to securing the right position can be found within the extensive array of supports available, all free of charge. All services listed are accessible from the Lacombe, Ponoka and Rimbey offices.

Core Services Available Include:

• Resume Preparation: This includes preparing content for the resume, the different options for design and style, developing a cover letter and assisting in delivering resumes to potential employers through email, online application attachments, faxing or in-person. Updates to resumes previously created through the Centre are also available.
  




• Job Search Strategies: This includes identifying personal skills, potential employers, reviewing online and offline job boards, preparing for and making cold calls and how to remain positive throughout the job search process.




• Career Planning: This includes self-assessments and evaluations, generating options, researching, decision-making and ultimately creating more formalized action plans for success.




• Career Change: This includes assisting people in their employment transitions and upheavals as they choose to change employment or are forced to change through layoff.




• Educational Planning: This includes presenting options in post-secondary and trade opportunities that are available to people locally, provincially and nationally.




• E-mail Instruction: With the growing requirements in applying for jobs via email, there are large numbers of people who do not have email and have no idea how to set it up. Support in this area can include assistance with setting up and using email, as well as attaching and sending resumes as attachments.




• Computer Skills: Instruction is provided individually and through group sessions on the basics of computer use and keyboarding to assist people in using Word documents to revise resumes and cover letters to be more job specific and to be more self-sufficient in on-line job search and in researching employer's websites.




• Online Application Assistance: Assistance is available with the sometimes confusing task of filling out online applications for employers.




• Interview Skills: This includes learning the requirements, processes and nuances of what to expect in an interview setting and how to prepare for and answer the variety of interview questions that may be faced.




• Employment Preparation: This will include discovering the hidden job market by researching and seeking out employers who are not necessarily posting positions, but are ultimately seeking employees. Assistance will also be offered in how to acclimate and present yourself in a variety of employment situations.




• Life Management Skills: This includes teaching people to be self-sufficient and be able to attend to all of the aspects involved in the job preparation process, including such issues as stress management, time management and coping with change through job loss.




• Future Trends: This includes presenting job seekers and employers with a solid perspective on what is happening in the current labour market and how this might shape the future labour market.




• Portfolio Development: This will include assisting individuals in presenting themselves in the best possible manner by showcasing appropriate personal information, work experience, community and volunteer experience, appropriate certificates and a list of identified and demonstrated skills. Individuals will learn to adapt their portfolio with appropriate materials that support the specific skill sets required by the employer.

Job Placement Program

The Job Placement Program (for those 18 and older) is designed to support individuals to enter and/or re-enter the workforce as quickly as possible and to develop the job search skills needed for effective labour market transitions now and in the future.

The program is designed to assist individuals who have the knowledge, skills and attitudes needed for employment but require assistance to develop or refine job search skills, assistance making connections to employers and job maintenance supports in order to maintain employment.

Workplace Training Program

The intent of Workplace Training supports is to provide training to enable job seekers (18 years and older) to find and maintain employment. The training needs of the job seekers are assessed and an appropriate employer with a job placement will train the job seekers at the work site. Employment & Immigration provides a contribution towards the employer's training costs.

The objectives of this program are:

• to enable unemployed and marginally employed Albertans to acquire employability and/or essential skills and occupation-related skills, required in the local labour market
• to assist unemployed or marginally employed Albertans to obtain viable employment that provides increased income and work related benefits