Powering Up! Yet Again: CEN offers Employment Program
Partnering with the Department of Advanced Education, Skills and Labour, the Community Education Network has once again brought Power Up! to the community.
An employment readiness program, Power Up! offers adults aged 25 years and up, who are either on Income Support or at risk, with little or no work experience, enter the workforce.
Answerin
g a call for resumes, four weeks ago, five participants entered a classroom at the College of the North Atlantic with anticipation and motivation to alter their life’s path. Each had an individual desire to change the direction their life was taking with intent to find work to benefit their own lives, as well as those of their families.
The four week pre-employment training phase is designed to engage the participant in self-discovery activities, as well as enhance their already existing employment skills, while building new skills. Community resources and presenters from several governmental and non-profit organizations offer information and materials that will be useful in their job search and as future employees.
Facilitators such as Kim Kendell with Western Health, Mental Health & Addictions offer insight into time and conflict management, while increasing their self-esteem. Rick Chow with Labour Standards Agency educate them on their rights and responsibilities as employees. Service Canada and AESL employees Melinda Oliver-Moraze and Christina Kendall, offer an overview of programs and services offered by government agencies, respectively, that are in place to assist individuals trying to better themselves.
The five participants interacted in many skill building workshops as a means to enhance their resumes and their confidence in approaching prospective employers for the work placement phase of their Power Up! program. Newly certified in Standard First Aid and WHMIS, these five eagerly introduced themselves to employers in the Bay St. George area in hopes of securing a 930 hour work placement.
While emphasis is placed on the workplace, participants learn the value of giving back to their community through a volunteer service project. Joining other community volunteers and members of the Stephenville Lions Club, the five Power Up! participants prepared, and served over 100 free meals during the Housing Stability Initiative’s monthly Community Cafe. Enjoying themselves immensely, most vowed to come back and do it again.
Every accomplishment deserves to be celebrated! Following the day-to-day workshops, training exercises and resume building and interview prep, each were celebrated during an informal get together, receiving a completion certificate acknowledging their effort and commitment to accomplishing their initial goal to change their lives.
Since 2008, Power Up! has offered this opportunity with many success stories along the way. We are certain, these five will write their own stories with much success as well.
Congratulations to Matthew Delaney, Melissa Bennett, Stephen Parsons, Tracey Felix and Winnifred White…it’s your story to write..we look forward to the journey!
