Career and Job Search Help Blog

What should I do NEXT? Take a Gap year, an apprenticeship, budget perhaps...

 

So, you may be wondering - what do all these things have in common? Well, for one thing they are all things that many young people consider with regards to their career choices,  but they are also part of North York Central Library's Business department's Generation Next Series of free educational programs.

Generation Next refers to a demographic cohort of  individuals born between 1980-1999. Other names for Generation Next are Generation Y, Millennial Generation or the Net Generation many of them are the children of Baby Boomers. People of this generation are known for:

• Being technologically savvy, being the first generation to experience social media
• Having a strong belief in equal opportunity,they are very ethnically and racially diverse.
• Their ability to multitask and think quickly
• Having a greater tolerance for differences than their predecessors.

This is the newest generation and will be the future leaders of tomorrow, they are currently our teens and twenty somethings - and many of them are either just starting their careers, thinking about their careers or transitioning from school to career. So, if you or someone you know is part of this generation why not join us (but remember, all are welcome!):

 The Gap Year Alternative...What You Need to Know, Thursday, April 19, 2012, Auditorium

A Gap Year is a time away from normal routine, a time for you to experience personal growth through volunteerism, travel and work. Find out about the benefits and changing perceptions of taking a "Gap Year" and how it can help you expand your horizons and find new excitement. All are welcome!

 

 

Apprenticeships: Earn As You Learn! Tuesday, April 23, 2012, 6:30 -8:00, Auditorium

Come join us for the second program of our Generation Next Series. Prof. Angelo Palantzas will discuss apprenticeship training for construction and industrial trades. Apprentices learn a skilled occupation by combining college courses with paid on the job training. Skilled workers are in high demand in current industries. All are welcome!

For more information on apprenticeships, check out this blog!

Juggling Student Loans, Credit Card Debt, & an Entry Level Salary? Tuesday, May 1, 2012, 6:30 - 8:00, Auditorium

In this session financial advisor Anthony Romano will share the single biggest money mistake we all make and how to avoid it. He will discuss how to venture past a regular savings account into the world of mutual funds and TFSAs and the impact the world's financial situation could have on you.
Learn to manage your money, pay off debt, and control your financial future. All are welcome.

If you'd like to register call the Business Department @ 416-395-5613, or just come!

So You Want to Open Your Own Restaurant? Do Your Research First!

Have you always dreamed of opening up your own restaurant but don't really know where to start?  You are definitely not alone. Expect to never have a dull moment if this is your dream - there are new and exciting challenges you'll face. The future does look bright for this industry, however a tough reality is that many (not all though!) restaurants fail within the first year - mostly due to lack of business planning. One of the most important steps of your planning is creating a business plan. There are many online resources which can help you with business plans. A restaurant entrepreneur needs to do a great deal of business research whether its a cafe, deli or Indian buffet.

The Canadian restaurant and food service industry makes a tremendous contribution to our economy. According to research from the Canadian Restaurant and Foodservices Association (CFRA) the Canadian restaurant industry employs more than one million people and generates $60 billion in annual sales - accounting for 4% of the Canadian economy and apparently dining out is one of the top three tourist activities in Canada. To my surprise 64% of restaurants in Canada are independent, and 36% are chains (CFRA) - which is reassuring if you'd like to open up your own small restaurant.

I was reading an article about how to start a restaurant from entrepreneur.com which gave an interesting marketing perspective. Many entrepreneurs may strive to please 100% customers which is an unrealistic expectation - it is more feasible to focus on smaller target markets who all have different needs. Age is an easy example - you could focus on groups such as: Baby boomers, Generation X/Y, Traditionalists, etc.

For some inspiration join us next Tuesday, February 21, 2012, at North York Central Library, the Business department is hosting a program called Harlem Underground: Secrets of A Successful Urban Eatery.  Join speaker Carl Cassell, owner of the Harlem Underground, which has 2 locations in Toronto as he discusses his experiences starting and running a restaurant chain.

Also, come visit the library for some books on starting up your own restaurant :

                      

 

Thanks for reading, please feel free to share any comments!

 

 

 

Apprenticeships - Earn as You Learn!

An apprenticeship is an agreement between a person who wants to learn a skill and an employer who needs a skilled worker. For the majority of apprenticeships you receive most of your training on the job from other more experienced workers - actually according to Employment Ontario 90% of most apprenticeship training is provided in the workplace. However, you also are required to complete some classroom instruction at an educational institution for a theoretical foundation.  One important thing to know is that there are two categories of trades; for some you must get a Certificate of Qualification- meaning that you must pass a provincial exam to prove you are indeed skilled in your trade, and the others certification is voluntary. The education component of apprenticeships prepares you for certification.

If you are the type of person who enjoys working with your hands, you feel like you couldn't see yourself sitting in an office, or you prefer to learn by "doing" rather than listening then maybe an apprenticeship is for you. Actually, my partner is one of these people - he has a knack for fixing things, problem solving, hates to sit still and is a mechanic. When he graduated from high school he started working right away in at an auto-shop and did one three month term a year in school. Eventually, he went on to work as a truck mechanic and even went up to Yellowknife to work on the famous and dangerous Ice Roads - in Yellowknife the salaries tend to be higher.  One good think about careers in the trades is that you are eligible to work in many provinces across Canada. Actually, there is something called the Red Seal Endorsement, which permits skilled workers of elgible trades to work anywhere in Canada.

There is a high demand for skilled workers in the current industry. Industries need to stay up to date with technology which is changing at a rapid rate in order to keep up with the global economy. According to the Ontario Business Report by 2020 Ontario will face a shortage of 190,000 skilled workers due to retiring baby boomers. So, right now the province is really trying to attract people to skilled trades. You can apply for a $1,000/year tax dedcutible apprenticeship incentive grant which will help to pay for books, transportation, tutition, tools etc.

There are over 150 trades to choose from ranging from steamfitters, cabinetmakers, arborists, hairstylists, automotive painers and many more. The trades are divided into four categories:

1. Construction
2. Service
3. Industrial
4. Motor Power

There are so many different paths you can choose when you graduate from highschool; university, college, or even working right away. When you're doing an apprenticeship you are a worker, so you earn as you learn.

Below are some helpful links:

Ontario Ministry of Training, Colleges and Universities

George Brown College Apprenticeships

Youth Canada - Apprenticeship programs

Canadian Apprenticeship trades

 

 

 

Emerging Careers for the 21st Century

By: Jane

What are the jobs going to be in the next 5 years?

The Counselling Centre at the University of Calgary has some suggestions:

Emerging Careers for the 21st Century

•    Space City Designer
•    Data Recovery Consultant
•    Aquaculturist
•    Vice-President Protocol
•    Bionic Electron Consultant
•    Cloning Expert
•    Personal Nutritionist for Busy Executives
•    Virtual Vacation Broker
•    Fusion Engineer
•    Legal Consultant on One-World Trade Agreement
•    Horticultural Therapist
•    Online Astrologer    •    Gene Replacement Specialist
•    Personal Efficiency Advisor
•    Cultural Protection Advisor
•    Materials Utilization Specialist for Resorts
•    Euthanasia Ethics Advisor
•    Forensic Entomologist
•    Robot Technician
•    e-Commerce Business Consultant
•    Multi-Generational Relationship Counsellor
•    Computational Linguist
•    Underwater Archaeologist
•    Credential/Training Advisor

 You should also be comfortable with hi-tech, speak another language plus English, and be a good communicator. Summertime in Toronto invites practicing your skills on the outdoor patios:  all in the name of furthering your career!

Check out the University of Calgary's Counselling Centre, as well as Ontario Job Futures' websites as well as our online database, Career Cruising.

And don't forget the books!

         

WANTED Interns! Is it worth the experience without getting paid?

After graduating from university many students consider doing an internship before working in order to gain experience. It is a great idea since every employer requires experience before you begin the job, but many graduates ask them self – how can I have experience if I've been in school for the past few years? So internships do provide a great opportunity to gain experience especially if your field is competitive. Employers like to see when graduates have taken the initiative to dedicate time to gain experience in the field outside of the classroom – it is also an excellent thing to add to your resume. There are many opportunities to do internships for many fields in Toronto, all over Canada and internationally too. Actually according to a July article from the Globe and Mail's Life section, Canada and the USA are going through an “intern boom”.

The only this about internships is that they are usually unpaid, and if they are paid – it may be minimal. For students who have recently graduated this may not be ideal. Ross Perlin's new book Intern Nation: How to Earn Nothing and Learn Little in the Brave new Economy provides a critical analysis of unpaid internships. He explores the meaning of the word intern and discloses how many companies actually save a lot of money by hiring interns and may glamorize positions. He also discusses how in some parts of the world they are actually trying enforce legislation to protect interns.

There is no double that internships do provide an excellent experience, allow you to network, build contacts and are a great thing to add to your resume. However, it is important to make sure your experience is truly going to be advantageous to you and isn't exploiting you. Make sure you do enough research on the company you would like to intern at. Also, if you are still in university consider doing internships between semesters - your university should be able to provide you with internship postings. Below are some books and websites which may help:

Some internship websites:

Federal Public Sector Youth Internship Program

Career Bridge: Internships for Internationally Qualified Professionals

Natural Resources Canada: Science & Technology Internship Program

Good Work Canada: Green Internships

CIDA'S International Youth Internship Program (IYIP)

 

Good luck!

Do You Want to Make a Career Change?

By: Jean

Are you unhappy with your current work situation? Or were you laid off during
the recent economic downturn? Perhaps you have been raising your family and
want to re-enter the workforce after a few years at home. Or perhaps you would just like to
find a better paying job.

It is estimated that people will change careers several times during their working
lives. As the population ages, and there are less younger workers available, the number
of years people can expect to work is increasing. We may well be contemplating a career
change in our 60's or 70's!

Making a career change can be scary, especially if you are over 40. Luckily, there are many
good resources to help you through the transition. The Toronto Public Library has books on

• assessing your interests, values and skills
• identifying and researching new careers
• how to develop new skills
• researching the hidden job market
• creating targeted resumes
• mastering the interview process
• developing internet and computer proficiencies

Have a look at these books!

       


Also, check out these websites:

Ontario Ministry of Training, Colleges and Universities
Service Canada
Job Bank
Working In Canada
How To Find a Job

Job Search & Resume Help at the Library

Starting today at Lillian H. Smith branch, staff from Service Canada will be available on four Monday afternoons, 4:30 - 6pm. This free service is for 15 to 30 year olds. For more information, see this blog post.  Service Canada is offering in-branch services and programs at other branches, other dates and times. See the Programs & Classes section of the Toronto Public Library website.

The library offers a variety of programs for job hunters. For example, Eatonville has a program on mining the hidden job market. Parliament St. branch has a program in French about LinkedIn. See  Programs & Classes for more free programs.

Have You Considered a Career in Health Care?

According to a recent report by Catalyst Inc. , the number of Canadians aged 55 to 64 — those most likely to be thinking about retirement — jumped by 28 per cent in the past five years to 3.7 million. This sharp increase can be attributed to Canada's aging baby boomers, who account for close to one-third of the country's 32 million people. So what does this mean for the rest of us younger working folks? Increasingly, the aging population needs qualitified medical professionals as well as other professionals to assist doctors and nurses in patient care, pharmaceutical needs and even office administration. Have a look at this report on the future labour demand in Canada - 2006-2015.

New Year's Resolution: Check out what's new at the Library for Job Searching

With the new year comes a plethora of new books - I love cracking open a new book, don't you? The library has acquired a number of new titles on job interviews: Top Notch Interviews, Ultimate Interview... We're also focusing on a cool new database called Business Writing. It's full of hints and examples to help you improve your business writing skills - now you can write more effective reports, letters, emails, etc. Plus, more databases are now accessible through our library website and we've highlighted the relevant ones on the right-hand side. And don't forget the new roster of free job search seminars at many library branches in TPL. Check them all out in our Market Yourself section of our Job & Career Help webpage.

Now, this is one New Year's resolution that you can easily keep!

Getting Job Hunting Help

Employment services in Ontario are changing and haven't settled down yet.

Check out this article, One-Stop Employment Services from Possibilities, the Toronto's online employment resource centre.

Possibilities says that agencies that delivered services targeted to specific groups such as newcomers or women will be revamping their services to serve all population groups. In the meantime, some Toronto Employment Resource Centres which offer a minimum of services will run until at least April 2012.

See the full article.

For in depth information about the changes and how it will affect job hunters, see the Employment Services Implementation FAQ from the Ontario Ministry of Training, Colleges and Universities. 

For example, the FAQ says that "agencies and organizations providing the new model will help people find work. The services provided include job search strategies, such as resumé preparation, as well as information about different careers and occupations, the local labour market, employment and training opportunities, on-the-job training and/or work experience. They also include information about all Employment Ontario programs and services, as well as information about and referral to other community services and supports."

Find an employment resource centre or other job hunting help through a search of 211Toronto. Your tax dollars have paid for these services!