Centre has moved, expanded service

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The Career and Employment Services office run by the Grand Prairie Friendship Centre is now called FUTURES Employment Services and Resource Centre and has moved to a new location at suite 202, 10135-100 Ave.

FUTURES' grand opening was held on Dec. 11 and helped mark the friendship centre's 38 years of community involvement and four years of helping people in Grande Prairie find employment.

"We really needed a bigger location, especially with the addition of our new career resource centre," said Bonnie Bell, executive director of the friendship centre. Clients will find the centre easier to get to by bus or by walking, and is closer to other agencies that people need to access. The roomier new quarters allows people to help themselves to the centre's resources and not have to wait on staff for service.

FUTURES offers a variety of levels of service, including self-serve opportunities where clients come to fax their resumes, use the phone, photocopy, or search the Internet using the centre's new computers that link many clients to potential employers. The other levels of service include more in-depth help from the two employment counsellors on staff, who provide one-to-one service regarding job search techniques, resume writing or cover letter help and job placement.

A special feature offered by FUTURES is a messaging service for clients who can use the centre's phone numbers on their resumes or when contacting employers.

"I needed help to find work. I was new in town and didn't know anyone-no contacts, no phone, no support while I was looking for work...FUTURES provided access to the basic necessities of finding work," said John White.

Employment counsellor Brenda Lindquist told White about the casual labor list that the centre had set-up.

"Because Brenda knew other people in town she was able to get casual labor positions for me," he said. "It got me a lot of work. It helped me a lot financially.

"If it wasn't for FUTURES I wouldn't be working where I am today," said White, who through the help of the centre has now found full-time work as a swamper in the oil patch.

The Training-on-The-Job program (TOJ) offered at the centre focuses on employers in the community willing to train. A client may be missing some skills needed for a particular job, but with an employer interested in hiring they can utilize TOJ.

"This has been a very successful endeavor," said Dave White, the manager of Exit Realty who through TOJ has trained a number of people to be realtors, as well as used the program to help fill the position of administrative assistant at his office.

Rodger Field of Field, Field, & Field has used the TOJ program to help an architect who was trained in a foreign country to complete her Canadian training. She is now a full-time employee of the company.

"We are pleased with this program as it allows professional practitioners to work into Canadian ways of construction and design as necessary to become a registered architect," said Field.

The FUTURES Employment Services and Resource Centre can be reached at (780) 532-5763 or go online to www.grandeprairieonline.com/caes/ for more information on the programs and services offered.