Career planning takes skills many don’t have FINDING A job is a job in itself, so why not take a course to teach you how to do it? “People don't realize what it - takes to properly plan a career,” said Shirley Patterson, rrogram manager with YWCA Career Ser- vices where ihey are teaching peo- ple the techniques of job search in today’s climate. “There have been many changes jin the job market caused by variables like the economic downturn and new technology, _ she explained. EE SP ETRE 6& Once you have a clear idea of where your skills - fit into today’s labor market, looking for work becomes easier. 59 — YWCA Career Services ‘ program manager Dorothy Keenan ~ The economy: in B.C. is in the process of change. Technological change, trade patterns, product change and an aging population will encourage: growth in certain > industries. For the average worker this generates. a need for increased ‘ competency in basics such as ana- - lytical ‘and: technical skills. These wiil be essential for survival in this challenging labor market. In order to prepare for this - : shifting labor markei, many peo- - Course offers assistance to immigrants having. ple are forced into re-assessing their current skills when they become unemployed. “Rather than helping . them (their students) to solve the wrong problem,’’ she said, sometimes they have to learn that the best approach is a new approach. Although the may have work experience and marketable abili- ties, they may not realize that they have to make a career change in order to find work. Students of the YWCA's seven-week career exploration and decision-making program are helped to identify their aptirudes and skills. *‘We take a look at all the pieces of the puzzle.’’ During the course individuals learn how to complete a detailed self-assessment which includes ap- 2 Fy NEWS photo | ike Wakefield YWCA CAREER services program manager Shirley Patterson goes over career cptione with Teresa Dunn who is currently. leoking for a job in front-desk recaption. ~ trouble converting their skills to our market _IF YOU have come to British - Columbia from out of the coun- try, your ‘job search efforts may be hindered by added disadvan- | tages that can include language - barriers. ‘Professionals often have qualifications that are not - recognized in Canada, and they need not only.a working know- sledge of basic English, but technical Eaglish as weil. immigrants often have a strong ‘ swork ethic but low work satisfac- tion because they have skills that * reach far beyond their oppor- tunities, | explained YWCA Career - Services program manager Shirley Patterson. . A new pilet program, put on by the YWCA, will respond to the need for assistance in this area: One of the two target groups for the new career conversions program are immigrants who are experiencing difficulty in adjusting to lowering career expectations or tedirecting potential towards new or related careers. A unique feature of this pro- posed project is the facilitation of the exchange of personal and pro- fessional resources. This will enable participants to explore cul- tural differences and to see how these differences manifest themselves in the workplace. This process serves to increase awareness and sensitivity to those of another culture and enables participants to approach cross- cultucal reiationships within the workplace from a more balanced perspective. tt is our belief that this type of ARE YOU CONSIDERING A CAREER CHANGE? The Largest Industry in North America offers you UNLIMITED POTENTIAL e Excelient Earning Opportunities e Full Comoany Support ¢ Promote from within, a standard policy: e Full Benefit Package CONSIGER A CAREER IN SALES ¢ SERVICE ¢ PARTS o LEASING Automotive Quality & Integrity from the Nerth Shore Auto Family Please inguire. learning is best achieved through a hands-on, experiential, and in- teractive. approach. A_ cross- cultural environment will assist the immigrants in. language learning, ranging from conversational abili- ty to competence in specific vo- cabulary related to technical ca- reer areas. This will help to break down the isolation which often prevents them from obtaining the skills re- quired to become integrated into the Canadian workplace culture. Computer & Office SkiNs Training Centres + Intro te Computers * WordPerfect 5.1 * Typing Skills B * Lotus 1-2-3 * Bedford/AccPac f *MS-OOS CERTIFICATE acapeny oF 2] Start any time RL? Part-time or Full-tine @ Days, Evenings & Saturdays i a5 Individualized training ef 100% Hands-on training interests, and value testing: transferability of existing skills, career decision making, labor market trends, and effective job-search techniques. The career planning course is aimed at people receiving unemployment insurance, and Patterson explained that these peopie have the life skills neces- sary to find work and they have not lost their motivation to work. What they do need assistance with is learning how to do Jabor market research, makine cold calls to employers, conducting themselves in informational inter- views, networking with others in their field, and establishing a ca- reer goal for themselves. “Once you have a clear idea of where your skills fit into today’s labor market, Icoking for work becomes easier,”’ according to program manager Dorothy Keenan. Identifying your barriers 10 employment is also vital to suc- cessful job search. Someone who titudes, © Program offers: Japanese environment professional instructors communicative approach has been laid off after 20 years at the same job may net have the technical skills necessary to get another job because office techno- logy has come a long way in that time, said Patterson. Then it becomes necessary to upgrade your education or train- ing. As well as actual barriers like a lack of up-to-date skills, there are perceived barriers like believing that you won't be able to handle school, she pointed out. As well, unemployed people should be drawing on qualities that they may have taken for granted, such as thinking skills as well as problem-solving and cre- ative abilities. ‘Barriers come in lots of dif- ferent shapes, colors and sizes,” but with the kelp of a career planning course, jJob-hunters can get on track. For more information call YWCA Career Services 984-7630 or drop into 214-255 West Ist Street, North Vancouver. APANESE LANGUAGE COURSES Japanese language partners (resident Japanese students) small classes Courses begin September, January April and Juiy Call for complete details CANADIAN INTERNATIONAL COLLEGE Extension Department 2420 Do¥erton Highway North Vancouver, BC. V7H 271 2 km east of Second Narrows Bridge Tel: (604) 929-1544 Fax: (604) 929-2074 SECURE YOUR FUTURE TODAY! NORTH SHORE 980-0897 ACADEMY OF LEAKING Registered as a private Training Institute in the Province of British Columbia a Administrative Assigtant B + Executive Secretary iy * Financial Assistant B + Data Entry Operator »* Microcomputer Business Applications DIPLOMA Ss @e cena oF 8 Learn at your own pace Job placement assistance 8 Affordable & Tax Deductible £53 Financial assistance e. Warm, friendly atmosphere