News: Skills / HR Issues

Summer job market looks good

Marelle Reid | Abbotsford News | July 6, 2009

There is no reason young people shouldn’t be able to find a job if they want one this summer.

The Service Canada Centre for Youth in Abbotsford is open until mid-August to help people ages 15 to 30 find seasonal employment, and with the variety of positions available, even those with few skills or experience can find work.

“Anyone can get a job,” said Mark Wiens, lead youth services officer at the centre.

“For the next couple of weeks we’re expecting it’ll be a lot of high school students because school just got out.”

Wiens said last year more than 500 students came to the SCCY to find work, and so far this year, 178 people have been in.

In June it’s usually students looking for one-to-one assistance with their overall job search, whereas in July most people are simply looking for jobs. An average day will see between 15 and 20 young people stop by the centre, and while some have impressive resumes, others are looking for their first job.

Most job-seekers are successful, and this year is no exception, said Wiens.

Joel Stobbe, 22, finished his first year of architectural studies at BCIT this spring and was hired for a full-time manual labour position with Valley Gravel the day after he dropped by the Abbotsford SCCY. He said the job was exactly what he was looking for and recommends other young people check out the SCCY to bolster their work search.

“Things aren’t going too well with the economy,” he said. “It’s not too easy to find work right now, so this has been great.”

Postings through the SCCY can be found online at www.jobbank.gc.ca, and a “youth/student” job search will turn up summer positions ideal for those going back to school in the fall. Staff update the website on a regular basis, which means all positions are current. Jobs are varied, and as of the first week of July, included positions for mushroom pickers, cashiers, sales associates, manual labourers, and others.

The casual labour program, which involves short-term projects, is especially popular for those looking for temporary work. Jobs typically include one or two days of yard or house work for private homeowners.

“Even while you’re looking for a job you can do this casual labour program and make a bit of money while you’re looking for a more long-term job,” said Wiens.

Though positions through the SCCY are not permanent, many are full-time for the summer, and wages range from minimum to $15 an hour or more.

The SCCY serving Abbotsford and Mission is located at 101-32883 South Fraser Way, across from the Sevenoaks Mall. Free services, including access to Internet, phone and fax are available between 9 a.m. and 4 p.m., Monday to Friday. Staff can help with resumes, cover letters and work search techniques.

“We also offer mock interviews, so if someone has a first interview coming up and they’re a bit nervous and they want some practice then we’d love to help them,” said Wiens.

Call 604-850-7861 or visit servicecanada.gc.ca for more information regarding the Service Canada Centre for Youth.

Economy down, university growth up

Rochelle Baker | Abbotsford News | March 23, 2009

The economic downturn is driving growth at the University of the Fraser Valley.

Applications for fall admissions at the university are up 30 per cent over this time last year, said UFV vice-president external Robert Buchan.

That will result in between 200 to 300 more students on campus next fall, said Buchan.

“We’re inversely related to the economy,” he said. “We don’t want a bad economy, but it’s a wake-up call for those in an easy job market.”

Even those working in the construction or agricultural industries – which are still strong in the Fraser Valley – think about getting or upgrading their post-secondary education when the market softens, he said. “People think, ‘I better take the time to get some credentials so I’m not the last hired and first laid off.’”

Buchan said the jump in enrolment is also attributed to UFV getting university status last year.

“It started in April with the official notification we would get status.”

The increased numbers are also the result of a three- or four-year push to connect with students and parents locally. UFV has traditionally captured 70 per cent of the local post-secondary students, but those numbers are even higher now, he said.

Approximately 10,800 students are currently enrolled at the university.

The university is now tapping the market for a new type of student. The traditional age range for students was 18 to 24 years old, but now more adults are looking to upgrade or retrain, said Buchan.

“Their needs are different than traditional students. They want to keep their jobs, so the classes and subjects have to be in the evening, and the training has to be in [specific] businesses.”

If the region’s high school graduation rate and the number of kids going onto post secondary school stays consistent with the provincial average, UFV will be at full capacity.

Overcrowding won’t be an issue because classroom numbers have traditionally been smaller at UFV, he said.

“We also have a brand new business school about to open that will really help out with space.”

Students in large numbers are drawn to both UFV’s business administration and criminology and criminal justice programs.

Curiously, the student population at UFV is different from other post-secondary institutions in the province.

Sixty-six per cent of the student population at the university is female.

“Usually [the gender divide] is pretty even. I don’t know if it’s a good thing or bad thing, but it’s interesting”

The split is partly due to UFV’s reputation for safety, and the fact it’s close by for women in the Southeast Asian and Mennonite community who want to remain near to their families, he said.

Find this article at:
http://www.bclocalnews.com/fraser_valley/abbynews/news/41715307.html

JOHN VAN PUTTEN / The Abbotsford News

Dr. Mark Evered of Thompson Rivers University in Kamloops is introduced Wednesday as the incoming president for the University of the Fraser Valley in July.

Evered says UFV can set educational example

By Joe Millican | Abbotsford News | December 15, 2008

The University of the Fraser Valley’s new president believes the Abbotsford-based institution can set an educational example to the rest of the world.

Dr. Mark Evered was speaking after being officially confirmed as UFV’s new president on Wednesday afternoon, following an official ceremony in front of faculty members, staff, students, alumni and other guests.

Evered will succeed Skip Bassford as president on July 1, 2009. Until then, he will remain in his current position as provost and vice-president academic at Thompson Rivers University in Kamloops.

“It’s extremely exciting,” Evered told the Abbotsford News.

“There’s such a solid foundation of success at this institution under the strong leadership of Skip Bassford . . . It opens up so many opportunities.”

The University of the Fraser Valley became a full university earlier this year. Evered joined Thompson Rivers University when it was still the University College of the Cariboo in 2004, and believes that experience will hold him in good stead as UFV goes through similar changes.

“I see Fraser Valley (university) as ready to make the next change and that’s a very exciting time to join a university,” he said.

“We have the opportunity to create the path for the institution, and to be the model for the rest of the world in the creation of a unique kind of university.”

Evered acknowledged that he is joining UFV at a challenging time economically.

That being said, he believes the institution is in a strong position to cope.

“We are coming out of a period of incredible prosperity, where students had the option of going to work right away [after university],” he said.

“As the financial environment changes, you are now likely to have more students going back to school and improving their education.

“We are living in a society where people expect they may change occupations. They are going to need institutions like ours to provide the kind of training they need, which means we are going to have to stay current and look way beyond traditional education and across all boundaries.”

Between now and July, Evered will have to satisfy himself with a handful of trips to his new hometown, due to his ongoing commitment at Thompson Rivers.

Even so, he is pleased that UFV’s board of governors made its presidential decision early.

“I just saw that as a characteristic of the foresight and the strategic thinking of the Fraser Valley [university],” he said.

“They were planning ahead and I am looking forward to that transition period . . . Many presidents get chosen at the last minute.”

On Evered’s appointment, Rod Thomson, the chairman of the board of governors, said the new president is arriving “at the perfect point in our evolution.”

“Not only does he thoroughly understand the legacy of the university, but also what we need to do to improve on our already impressive results,” Thomson said.

“His personable and consultive style, impressive academic background, extensive administrative experience, and deep commitment to student success will serve UFV well.”

Keep employees happy

Kevin Mills | Abbotsford News | November 01, 2008

Ashley Bennington was the guest speaker at Wednesday’s Chamber of Commerce Luncheon. He told the crowd that finding and keeping employees is getting harder.

As our population ages, local businesses may find it harder and harder to replace employees.

That’s the message being delivered by Ashley Bennington, who spoke at Wednesday’s Chamber of Commerce luncheon.

Bennington, an Adjunct Professor of Business Administration at Simon Fraser University, told the crowd that finding new employees is going to take some hard work.

“It’s a Silver Tsunami. All the retirements are coming. Can you replace these people,” he asked.

“There is a shortage of workers,” he said, adding that Generation X was the first generation to look at kids as an expense.

Because of this, many couples have only one child, or no children at all.

“There is now a smaller pool of possible employees to choose from.”

And Bennington says the new age workers are looking for more than just a job.

“You have to give your employees what they want. If you don’t, they will just leave,” he said.

The old attitude that everyone is replaceable isn’t true anymore he said.

“Turnover is lethal. If you lose someone, and they get picked up by your competition, then it’s like a four-point game in hockey,” said Bennington.

To attract new employees, Bennington says businesses have to use the Internet.

“You have to get online, you have to be on Facebook. You have to market your jobs . . . call the job flashy or make it flashy,” he suggested.

You also need to keep your workers happy.

“Let your employees decorate the office – they spend 40 hours a week there. Let them do what they want,” he said.

According to Bennington, the old way of thinking is dying. Employers are no longer “whip-cracking overseers” instead they should be “mentors, councillors and supporters.”

Employees are a huge resource that has to be kept.

“Your employees want to be involved, so get them involved.

“If they are bored, they’ll leave!”

Find this article at:
http://www.bclocalnews.com/fraser_valley/abbynews/news/33656814.html

ACE gets $1.2 million boost in Abby

Paul Fontaine | The Times | September 12, 2008

The Abbotsford School District is putting $1.2 million toward giving the Abbotsford Continuing Education program a new home.

The site will move from its current campus - at 2606 Alliance Street, to the former Bakerview Elementary School - which was closed down last year because of low enrolment.

The ACE program provides students a more work-experienced based education with the goal of getting them ready for career paths following graduation.

"The board considers this a significant step forward for the program," said school board chairwoman Cindy Schafer.

The new changes will build on the resources and services available to students.

They will include new opportunities for education in trades and technology, life skills, career training and specialty programs such as arts, foods and physical education.

Abbotsford school superintendent Des McKay says the renovations to Bakerview will be extensive.

"We're essentially taking an elementary school and turning it into a facility that can accommodate secondary level room," said McKay.

The board wants to put in a technology area and a larger area for practical learning.

Whereas before, students would go out and work with professionals in the field, including dentists and health-care workers, the new facility will allow the professionals to come in and work with the students on-site.

The plan has been in the works for almost a year after the board held a forum.

From that came 17 recommendations, including increasing ACE's services and finding a new headquarters for the program.

"At the end of that forum, the commitment from the business community, as well as the government agencies, was just so important to us," said McKay. "We saw the opportunity to work in a meaningful way with all those community agents."

He said the students in the current program have had to go through a lot and most found traditional education did not work for them.

"Every ACE graduation I have attended, I have almost been moved to tears," said McKay. "These kids have overcome adversity and beat it."

The school board wants to start renovation as soon as possible, with an opening slated for September 2009.

"This is an excellent use of an existing district asset," added Schafer.

New look for a new era

Abbotsford News | September 01, 2008

JOHN MORROW / Abbotsford News

The University of the Fraser Valley opens with a new look and a new brand today.

It’s a new era for education in Abbotsford this September, with the addition of the University of the Fraser Valley.

Students flowing into the hallways of the institution today will be the first to attend under the university designation. The former University College of the Fraser Valley’s new university status was announced by B.C. Premier Gordon Campbell in April, and came into effect legally on Monday.

In keeping with the brand new era, UFV is launching a new institutional brand, or visual identity, on the first day of classes, today.

On Friday the entire community is invited to come out and celebrate UFV’s new status and check out the new brand at the Party on the Green on the Abbotsford campus from 3 p.m. onward. Everyone is welcome at this event.

Expect to see the new visual identity on everything from signage to letterhead, t-shirts to vehicle wraparounds, bus shelters, print advertising, and websites. UFV is “going green” in a big way, as the new institutional colours are several shades of the verdant hue.

“This is a very exciting and significant time in our history, and to mark our evolution to university status we have adopted a new brand, one that really emphasizes the university name,” said UFV president Skip Bassford in a press release from the school.

Although a new logo is part of the process, a rebranding initiative is much more than that, according to UFV marketing and communications director Kim Lawrence.

“Our brand encompasses how we communicate our core values as a university, and how we deliver on these values every day,” she said.

“It drives the programming we offer, the research we undertake, the community involvement we seek, the development we pursue for our campuses, and the way in which we interact with all of our many audiences: students and future students, parents and families, alumni, donors, and community members. In a nutshell, it’s how we build and reinforce our reputation.”

The visual identity for UFV’s new brand emphasizes the “university” word, reflecting the status that Fraser Valley communities have lobbied hard for over several years and with which they can now “proudly align themselves,” said Bassford.

“We know how important having a university in the Fraser Valley is to our communities, and we hope that our new visual identity conveys that,” he added.

Find this article at:
http://www.bclocalnews.com/fraser_valley/abbynews/news/27751989.html

Heed, cash highlight Achievement Awards

September 06, 2008

The Fraser Valley Indo-Canadian Business Association celebrates its 21st annual Achievement Awards on Sept. 12 with a special presentation to local students and a keynote address by West Vancouver Police Chief Kash Heed.

Venue is Abbotsford Banquet and Conference Center at 33738 Laurel St. The evening program, which begins at 6 p.m., includes dinner and entertainment.

Eight honour students will receive bursaries to further their post-secondary education.

Chief Heed is no stranger to Abbotsford, wherehe was a sessional instructor in Criminology at the University of the Fraser Valley. He holds a Master of Arts degree from the School of Criminology at Simon Fraser University. His thesis profiled 600 street-level drug traffickers arrested in the Downtown Eastside of Vancouver. In addition, he holds a Bachelor of General Studies degree in the field of Leadership in Public Safety from Simon Fraser University.

In May 2008, he was appointed adjunct professor at Simon Fraser University’s School of Criminology. He is the author of many academic works related to contemporary drug, crime, and gang issues.

Among his many honours and awards, he is recognized as being at the forefront on dealing with issues affecting the various ethnic communities in the region. He is a recipient of the Canadian Bankers Law Enforcement Award, Board of Trade Police Officer of the Year, BC Borstal Award for Excellence in Crime Prevention, and several other honors for his distinguished service to the Community.

Rick Gill, president of the Fraser Valley Indo-Canadian Business Association said: “One of our major aims is to assist in post secondary education and hence it presents scholarships and bursaries to deserving students in Abbotsford. We fund these scholarships and bursaries with monies collected from corporate sponsors, financial institutions, and local businesses and fundraising events put together by the association.”

“We are confident that Chief Heed’s presence and speaking words will further inspire the recipients and others in attendance to continue there hard work and achieve their goals, however unattainable they may seem. It should be a stimulating and inspirational evening,” said Gill, who can be contacted by calling 604-607-3970, ext. 273.

Find this article at:
http://www.bclocalnews.com/fraser_valley/abbynews/news/27925929.html