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Success Story

Ackeem came to Thunder Bay from Jamaica in October 2021.  He knew that there were promising opportunities in both construction and mining here, so he made the bold decision to head to the city to start his career.  He found work almost right away, but quickly realized that a lot of the construction jobs in the region are seasonal.  As the cold winter crept in, Ackeem received a layoff.  By February, he was struggling to find work that could carry him through the winter months and that’s when he discovered the assistance available through YES.

Ackeem’s father had already been living in Thunder Bay for about 10 years.  He knew about YES Employment Services and he recommended that Ackeem look in to our programs and services.   Ackeem had experience, enthusiasm, and a strong work ethic but he did not have a network of friends or professional connections in the city.  Through the connections he made at YES, Ackeem was able to explore several options before landing on the assistance available to him through the Youth Job Connection (YJC) program.

Employment Ontario’s YJC program starts with 60 hours of paid training.  The fact that he was receiving an income as soon as he began the program was a big plus for Ackeem.  He got a good feel for the skills and expectations required to be successful on the job.  What Ackeem found most valuable, however was the employer connections that were now open to him when he started working with our Employer Relations team. 

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