On Dec. 16, 11 older workers completed their course and were ready to rejoin the workforce. They had met as 11 strangers at the Horton Ventures building for the very first time on Sept 13, 2016. They were about to start a 14-week government program that was meant to change their lives or at least their outlook into today's working world.
Candidates between the ages of 50 and 64 had applied through their case managers to enter the TIOW (Targeted Initiative for Older Workers) course in the hope to update their employment skills and re-enter the workforce.
Facilitator Judy Willsey and program coordinator, Stephanie Masun, successively interviewed various applicants and decided on six men and five women to attend the fall 2016 syllabus. Those chosen would be able to either update their resume and look for a job, open their own business and/or attend further education and courses, subsequently leading to a satisfactory new career.
Aside from improving their aptitude to finding a suitable occupation – which included revising resumes, cover letter writing and interview skills as well as confidence building – additional short-term certificates as well as computer training formed part of the learning timetable.
The course participants also attended a number of workshops from basic needs assessments and support to bullying and stress as well as trust and listening. On a more practical side, training included labour job market information, self-employment, financial literacy and career planning.
Maddie Newman took on the task of computer training. The skill level she encountered ranged from absolute beginner to advanced as well as anything in-between. She was also in charge of individual business cards being created that were to be handed out.
Later in the course, attendees were encouraged to head out into the community and network. This was followed with the request to set up 'informational interviews' - course participants interviewing possible future employers and finding out more about various jobs available.
While this may sound very daunting, it is actually a very casual way of gathering information on feasible employment options in an informal setting such as a coffee shop rather than sitting across a desk, with the job seeker in charge.
As the men and women grew more comfortable with one another, discussion turned to their upcoming presentations. It turned out to be a very educational event with everybody drawing from their experience and interests, and the subjects ranged from history to horses to machinery and so much more.
Dec. 16, turned out to be a bitter-sweet day of filling in final forms and then indulging in a potluck, set up by the course attendees. New friendships had been forged, contacts exchanged and the beginnings of a new journey for everybody were set in motion.