Career and Job Search Help Blog

Last week I attended an employment workshop at North York Central library. "Transitions to Employment" is an introduction to all of the government and Employment Resource Centre services available to job hunters. No, I am not job hunting, but I wanted to learn more to share with you!

Some of the things I learned:

• Nearly all jobs are unadvertised – now it is estimated that 80% of jobs make up the "hidden job market"
• The success rate for finding a job through networking (including friends, job fairs, association meetings, etc.) is 86%
• The success rate for finding a job through advertised jobs and recruitment agencies is between 5 and 24%.
• The success rate for finding a job through a Job Finding Club is 84%!

You can benefit from an Employment Resource Centre (ERC) whether you need a lot of help or you are a do-it-yourself job hunter. When you visit the first time, you register with them. Often they will give you a "swipe" card that you use whenever you visit. If you aren't happy with that ERC, try another. Don't give up just because that Employment Resource Centre doesn't seem like the right one for you.

Some ERC programs are:

• Resume tune-ups
• Practice interviews
• Phones, computers, faxes, photocopying
• Skills upgrading, including computer skills
• Employment assessment to help you draw up a "Return to Work Plan" – one-on-one meeting – make an appointment.

You must see an employment counselor in order to get a referral to many free programs.

Some programs require you to be receiving employment insurance (EI).
But EI reachback may entitle you to participate in a program. Reachback means that you have had an active EI claim within the previous 3 years for regular unemployment or sickness EI benefits or 5 years in the case of maternity or paren'tal benefits. Ask!

Some programs that require seeing a counselor are:

• Career guidance and exploration – 2 to 3 weeks
• Job Finding Clubs – 3 week job search program
• Ontario Skills Development Training – funding for short term training programs
• Second Career Strategy – help recently laid-off workers who require long-term skills training to find work in high-skill occupations that are in demand in the local labour market.
• Bridge Training for Skilled Immigrants
• Enhanced Language Training (ELT) – a job developer will arrange a voluntary 4-6 week co-op work placement
• Toronto Business Development Centre – help starting your own business
• Job Connect – job development and placement support for non-EI recipients
• Newcomer Opportunities for Work – NOW – you can get referred or call them directly. This is for newcomers with no Canadian experience in their own field

I encourage you to go to a Transitions to Employment sessions. They are offered all over the city. For free!  Go find out about government-funded free programs. Find out how an ERC can help you. When you do visit or call an Employment Resource Centre, be sure tell them you have attended a Transitions to Employment session.

Here are some of the upcoming Transitions to Employment sessions:

Chesswood Employment Resource Centre
Date: Friday, June 19, 2009
Time: 1:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m.
Place: 3701 Chesswood Drive, Suite 100, Toronto (North York) 
Phone: 416-395-9559 Email: cerc   @   tdsb.on.ca   (take out spaces in email address)

St. Stephen's Employment Resource Centre
Date: Thursday, June 25, 2009
Time: 2:00 p.m. – 4:30 p.m.
Place: 1415 Bathurst Street, Suite 100, Toronto
Phone: 416-531-4631

Toronto District School Board (TDSB)
They have sessions all over the city – check their flyer.
Transitions to Employment (North Office)
150 Consumers Road, Suite 410 (west of Sheppard Ave East and Victoria Park)
Every Monday – 9 – 12 noon
Every Wednesday – 12:30-3:30 pm
Every Friday – 9 – 12 noon
Telephone 416-395-5104 to reserve a seat.
Date: Friday, June 26, 2009
Time: 1 – 3 pm
Place: Don Mills Employment Resource Centre 1090 Don Mills Road, Suite 406 (near Lawrence)

YMCA Newcomer Information Centre
Date: Tuesday, July 14, 2009
Time: 1 – 3 pm
Place: Toronto Reference Library, Beeton Auditorium (ground floor), 789 Yonge Street, just north of Bloor. Phone: 416-928-3362 ext. 2165

CET Toronto Centre Employment Resource Centre
Date: offered every Monday until the end of 2009
Time:  Mondays from 1:00 p.m.to 3:00 p.m.
Location: 21 St. Clair Ave. East, Suite 600, Toronto
Contact Ghousia Junaid – Phone: 416-395-8783
Email: ghousia.junaid  @   tdsb.on.ca  (take out spaces)
or
Meral Altinada – Phone: 416-395-3467
Email: meral.altinada  @   tdsb.on.ca  (take out spaces)

Check out this list of agencies that offer free help or training. See Lily's post about Employment Resource Centres.

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