Just days before the Human Resources Centre of Canada for Students (HRCC-S) closes its doors for the season, its placement officers are proud to announce a successful summer.
The centre, a division of the federal government which works to match up students and employers for the summer, said they placed a good number of youths over the past four months.
“We’ve filled 93 percent of the jobs so far,” said summer employment officer Christina Pochailo, adding roughly 75 percent of students who dropped off résumés at the centre have been placed.
Some of those students were placed numerous times for odd jobs, she explained.
The centre took job orders from employers and tried to match them up with the qualifications of interested students. Positions ranged from temporary ones, like odd jobs, to permanent summertime positions.
It also offered workshops on writing résumés and cover letters, and performing well in an interview.
Pochailo said a lot of time also was devoted to promoting the centre. That included conventional forms of advertising, like flyers, and some community events to get its name known.
The centre set up a booth during Mall Days on Scott Street in conjunction with Fun in the Sun in June. While other stores had sidewalk sales, it featured a “free labour” draw.
The winner got a volunteer’s services for a few hours.
Pochailo said it was a successful way to make people aware of the centre. “Lots of people stopped at the booth and it made a lot of people realize we were here,” she remarked.
One student, Tamsyn Wright, was placed at the Northwestern Health Unit here.
“I think it’s a great service,” she said. “For young people not necessarily looking for a career job, it’s an excellent way to get their name out to the public.”
“[We applied] just because we knew there would be a pool of young people looking for summer experience,” said Ken Allan, infectious disease control team leader with the health unit.
“We were able to offer a summer position and wanted to reach as many candidates as possible,” he noted, adding the experience was “extremely positive” and would do it again next year if the health unit gets the necessary funding.
While Pochailo was pleased with their success this season, she said there are places she’d like to improve if she returns next year.
“I’d like to try to get the numbers even higher next year but it was a good place to start,” she reasoned.
She mentioned she’d like to do more promotional activities, like a weekly radio show that would make people aware of the centre, as well as offer more group information sessions.
Fort Frances Times
Local News from Across the Rainy River District
