August Newsletter
A “Life-Changing” Opportunity for John
John came to YES with a lot of experience. He had been a Construction Foreman in Ottawa for five years. He also had experience in security and as a chef. He was feeling frustrated that even with all his experience, he could not find the right employment opportunity in Thunder Bay. He had secured positions on and off, but with a young son and bills to pay, the jobs he was landing were just not providing the wages he needed. His path led him to YES and he met with Employment Coordinator Janet. They worked together to identify better options that would support John and the life he had built here.
The right opportunity came along by chance for John. A friend’s son’s was graduating from a program at the Liuna Labour Union. John tagged along. This decision led to John chatting with Liuna about how to become a union member and what opportunities the organization could provide. It turns out that John’s experience had Liuna interested. Journeyman positions were in demand. John spoke to Janet about covering the cost of union dues at Liuna Local 607 to unlock these opportunities. Janet spoke with the union and confirmed that John’s prospects were promising. She utilized the supports available through the Employment Service program to pay the union dues and John went to Liuna to sign the papers.
As John was signing up with the union, he was approached by a Liuna representative who said, “This doesn’t happen every day, but I actually have two construction offers for a Journeyman to start immediately”. It turns out that John having a driver’s license moved him to the top of the list as a candidate for these positions. John chose a position that has him working 20 days on and 8 days off to maximize his income during the construction season.
“It really has been life-changing” John told Janet when he started the job. Now John has a position where he can not only make ends meet but move forward in his life. We are thrilled to congratulate John on his success.
YES delivers programs that truly change lives. If you would like personal assistance with your job search, request an appointment here.
Community Engagement
It’s summertime, and we love how the community has come together to keep events going throughout the month of July. YES provided a Resume Workshop for students attending programming at the local Neskantaga First Nation office on July 9th. We exhibited at the Fort William First Nation Health Fair on July 13th. Pictured above, our summer student Becca helped out with our booth at the City of Thunder Bay’s Together for a Sizzle BBQ in Minnesota Park on July 28th. Our final event of July was the delivery of Service Excellence certification training. Southcore Roar sponsored 23 of its volunteers to receive this certification training just before their big event on August 1st. Thanks to all the community members who included YES in your July events!
Testimonial alert. We are so grateful for all of the local businesses who recognize the value of the programs we deliver. Visit the Employer information page of our website to read the full testimonial from Steve Adams, Human Resources Assistant & Safety Coordinator at Woodland Heritage Northwest. Take advantage of the Employment Ontario programs that can help you recruit, onboard and retain staff!