Tommy's #1 SHANIA TWAIN SuperSite Message Board

twain2country · Guru

Youth job fair is set for Aug. 5

twain2country · Guru

Job wanted

Posted By CHELSEY ROMAIN THE DAILY PRESS

With less than a month to go of the summer many students are starting to look for ways to earn some extra cash during the upcoming school year.

There to help them get a foot in the door were the Service Canada Centre for Youth and the Timmins Chamber of Commerce, which co-hosted a youth job fair at the Shania Twain Centre yesterday.

Within the first five minutes 10 people had walked through the doors. Half an hour later, that number increased to 30.

Set up around the centre, Science Timmins, The Venture Centre, Timmins Native Friendship Centre, the Ministry of Training, Colleges and Universities, OLS and the Chamber of Commerce were ready to accept resumés and answer questions.

Applications were also being accepted on behalf of other businesses such as the Timmins Minor Hockey Association, Hampton Animal Hospital and Canadian Tire, among others.

"We wanted to make it a one-stop shop for students to see what's available to them throughout the school year and next summer," said SCCY youth services officer Tanya Malette.

"It also gives them the opportunity to network with people they may not have to the opportunity to speak to on a regular basis."

Malette said this was a successful summer spent placing students in various jobs. All 34 positions posted with the centre were filled and more than 100 students were able to find jobs and perfect their resumé and cover-letter writing skills.

"Overall it was a good summer and we received good feedback from everyone," Malette said. "A lot of students were interested in finding jobs this year. Despite the economy, we could still see they were motivated to work and that's what we like to see."

But it wasn't only the students who benefitted from the job fair, it was also the perfect opportunity to bring the eager-for-work students to the source.

Chamber membership development and events specialist Steve Vachon said the fair also supported many of the chamber's members by bringing the students to them.

"We're the voice of business in Timmins and we wanted to bring this service to them," Vachon said of the partnership with the SCCY. "We were able to bring the available students and their resumés to (our members) through the job fair."

While it was only the first time the chamber was involved with such a job fair, Vachon said, it was pretty clear it was something they would definitely look into holding it again, perhaps in the spring before school ends for another year.

Vachon said the fair also works for students because it opens their eyes to job opportunities that may not be widely known or advertised.

The chamber itself hires two summer students each year who, Vachon said, provide a major service on behalf of the chamber.

"It provides us with the opportunity to complete projects we put in our to-do folders, so we can look at them and develop them because we have the manpower," Vachon said. "It's not only a job opportunity for two young people, it's a good genuine work experience because they do such a multitude of tasks at the chamber."

http://www.timminspress.com/ArticleDisplay.aspx?e=1688349