New Programs and Initiatives

The Applied Career Transitions (ACT) Project

For many post-secondary graduates, making the transition from school to the workplace can be difficult. However, thanks to a $680,000 grant from The Counselling Foundation of Canada, the University of Victoria (UVic) is piloting a new career program that allows recent graduates from UVic and other post-secondary institutions to receive the help they need to launch their professional careers. This initiative will guide participants in the development and application of career management skills in order to negotiate and acquire professional work opportunities. The acquisition of these key skills will lay the groundwork for their future career success and enable them to contribute fully to society.

Research has shown that many post-secondary graduates leave educational institutions ill-equipped to manage their career transitions while at the same time struggling with large student loan debts, no job offers, no experience and a lack of confidence in their ability to function in an increasingly volatile labour market. There are four key areas of concern that this population experiences:

• Career decision-making: What can I do with my education?
• Career search skills: Where do I start to look? How do I find out who my potential employers are? What about my resume? Do I need a portfolio?
• Professional network building: How do I get to actually talk to employers and what do I say? How do I cope with roadblocks/barriers in my communication with potential employers?
• Career experience: How do I get my foot in the door without any experience? How do I negotiate terms of work? How do I balance my career needs with the needs and expectations of my employer?

The Applied Career Transitions (ACT) Project consists of three modules designed to address the above concerns. Although the components of the curriculum are commonly known to career counselling practitioners, the manner in which they are integrated and delivered is unique. Each module consists of scheduled group sessions, individual counselling/coaching sessions and specified timelines. The final module offers an optional internship for those participants with little or no professional work experience.

The ACT Project has been developed by Paula Pothier, MEd (Counselling) and Ian Robertson, MBA (in progress) at UVic Career Services. For more information visit the ACT Project website at: http://careerservices.uvic.ca/alumni/act.html or contact the Project Coordinators, Ian Robertson (iroberts@uvic.ca) or Paula Pothier (paulap@uvic.ca).

Trade Up For Success

The Power Workers’ Union has identified that the most significant issue industrial unions are facing now and into the future is Canada’s rapidly aging work force. Without concerted efforts to ensure opportunities for our youth to gain specific trades skills, the resulting shortage will cripple the ability for both unions and employers to meet the requirements of ongoing and emerging work in the electricity industry and other sectors. This is why the Power Workers’ Union has developed the “Trade Up for Success” initiative.

Trade up for Success is a skills training apprenticeship program for youth. The program was developed for graduated students who enjoy learning by doing and want to work in a skilled trade. Apprentices are paid while gaining work experience, and their wages increase with their level of skill.

Training provides access to well-paying jobs in skilled trades that demand a high level of skill, judgment and creativity. As a certified skilled worker, the students’ knowledge can lead to a wide range of opportunities, such as working for employers in different industries and in different parts of Canada, becoming an entrepreneur or teaching.

Approximately 90 percent of apprenticeship training is provided in the workplace by employers. The remainder involves classroom instruction on theory, generally given at a local community college or provided by another approved training organization.

If you are interested in working in the trades, making a moderate income and having a secure career, with benefits and a pension plan, Trade Up is just what you need to get you there!

For more information on Trade Up, visit www.tradeup.ca or call 1-800-958-8798.

For more information on the Power Workers Union, visit www.pwu.ca

The Role of Guidance in Post-Secondary Planning

Parents and students identified guidance counsellors as the expert authority on post-secondary education planning, in a recent report commissioned by the Canada Millennium Scholarship Foundation. However, those surveyed expressed a need for more integrated information relevant to post-secondary planning, and they noted a lack of resources available regarding career planning and financial aid information.

• Current information about scholarships, loans and bursaries is generally seen as overwhelming and too fragmented.
• Students want a better balance of information about the many opportunities colleges, apprenticeships and universities offer, as well as labour market trends.
• Students want more one-on-one time with counsellors and specialists to explore their education and career options.

The research was conducted through separate focus groups of parents and students in urban and rural settings in Manitoba, New Brunswick, Newfoundland and Labrador, and Saskatchewan. Questionnaires and follow-up telephone surveys with provincial officials, school board staff, principals, guidance counsellors, subject and resource teachers were also conducted to help situate the findings.

Written by the Canadian Career Development Foundation, The Role of Guidance in Post-Secondary Planning can be found on-line: www.millenniumscholarships.ca. For more information, please contact Natasha Sawh at nsawh@bm-ms.org.