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my KATHY YANCHUS Oak ville Beaver Snuff t's tough out there and no one knows that better than the unem- ployed. particularly workers who have been tossed out the door after 20 or more years of service. Suddenly, these 50-ish workers person it might be they just want to find themselves in the unemployment work on their resume With us. for line, burdened by the bleak prospect another it might be a whole range of that they may never get out of it. that services, upgrading skills, some com- shis govemtnent handout is what will puter awareness, job search strategy, .Care for their family now. They are in despair, Who's going to hire an itging worker with but one obsolete skull to offer? ( It w ould be easy to slink down into the couch and give up, but there is a ray of hope for these older workers and it's found in a nondescript build- ing on Morden Road, just north of Spears. Inside these walls beats the heart of the newly launched Career Action Centre. designed to help people get back on their feet with not only a job action plan. but the confidence to ful- till it. The staff are personable. well- trained and just waiting for disillu- sioned. frustrated people to walk through their doors. And when they do, they have the opportunity to be assessed. m-trained or upgraded and sent back out into the workforce as viable employees. "An older worker is not over the hill," says counsellor David Fisher. "They've got job experience and they to b""" I' '"",""'"'v'c T "'e'" FPFF.W.. have a commitment to work. The you ean t gain a profifien.cy. by one reality is that most of the people we hopes lobe comfortable with It, work with are older but if you‘ve got The Career Action Centre is local- lo or 15 years left in the workforce, if ed at 468 Morden Rd. and can be you invest a year now, it may be reached by calling 844-2040. worthwhile" - Displaced workers over the age of 45, who have been unemployed for six months or less, also qualify for a $4,500 provincial transition grant which can be used towards tuition and re-training and can entice a potential employer, adds Fisher. 'Our prime target group is the dis- placed worker who find themselves unemployed and who has a significant attachment to the workforce," says unemployed and who has a sngnmcant attachment to the workforce," says Centre Manager Kathy Mills. "Their company has closed or downsized." The Centre, operated by the Halton Board of Education's Adult and Continuing Education Department in partnership with the Canada Employment Centre (CEC), can cus- tomize a program for the individual through such services as career assess- ment. career planning, training infor- mation, computer upgrading and job information. Because of the wide range of ser- vices offered, the Centre is believed to be unique to Canada, accofding to Don Baker, Director of Adult and Continuing Education. It's a "one stop shop" of career ser- vices, a conglomeration of the best programs offered elsewhere, says Mills who envisions the Cenue work- ing hand-in-hand with other "part- ners" - be they service agencies or businesses or private career assess- ment trainers - "to develop initiatives to help people get back to work" By "people" Mills is referring to primarily adults and in particular mature unemployed workers referred to the Centre by the CEC - for the unemployed the services are free of charge - but anyone is welcome to drop in off the street whether they are seeking work or simply a career change. The Centre will also provide ser- vices such as employee assessment and career planning for businesses planning for the workplace of the 90's. Once in full operation - hopefully by Nov. 25th when the Centre official- ly opens - bulletin boards in the lobby will be laden with career and training, information. Inside the reception area will be shelving accommodating a "library of resources" - magazines containing training, career and college information. This self-directed area now fea- tures two computerized programs, one the CEC job bank, the same job bank as Sareer Action Centre helping to get memployed back into the workforce "Everything you can access there, you can access here," says Mills, adding the information is updated every 15 minutes. . The second computer program offers a data base of training and career information, "and is an easy way to take people through career way to take people through career exploration." "We want to enhance this area with a lot of information people can get at themselves,” says Mills. The main body of the Centre is a lab filled with sophisticated software where the assessments take place - whether it be an individual needs assessment or an aptitude or interest assessment - as well as where the computer awareness programs are offered. an initiative "that we've seen has already made a difference." . "People can custom design their own services," says Mills. "For one me found at the CEC centre on Fourth hurt lucy in Ldlki’l d\)(\\' U y---" ' ' ' "s, planning. munmg Infor- 0,10 puterupgradingandwh mgerw Wings J the wide mnnv of wr- group is the find lhemse s the dis- :mselves gnificant :e," says s. "Their I AMHERST Presents ii Focus on Health Care another it might be a whole range services, upgrading skills, some cr puter awareness, job search smite interview skills." ' Although the Centre is open between 8:30 a.m. and 4:30 pm. Monday to Friday, there are "add-on" services and training offered during off-hours, including an Introduction to Computers program between 3 pm. and 10 pm. four nights a week. One of the people sitting in front of a lab computer these evenings is Adela Beasley, the sole supporter of her family who found herself unem- ployed after funding was cut to the social service agency where she worked. "I thought I would have something else by now," says Beasley who has her BA plus mgmerous related family counselling courses. Yii'i,i',i(i"fi)li; ENT n1 ANNING C “ MgiittallllltrS'alltWtilv%ti4i. "But I don't have computer litera- cy, and almost any job you apply for now requires one to have a knowledge of computers so you can access infor- mation or enter information. I'm here to gain a familiarity... in eight weeks you can't gain a proficiency, but one hopes to be comfortable with it." N ii] AWNING (/iGi'iGifs/ir', 'l I , ' m1 '" e - . , I, , I Ta..' _/ ", ' s InltrmM1 will: C Ld "2 ‘ g It"' I n C ( Mun/lulu»: V l Pt I VS 842-7602 [ l l . t D ' ' N MI 'll, (1133:}; PHHI ll kWh lmyNDTi [MUD " A A C I, _ 'BI-B-tee-I" (iii-se, Amherst offers Hutton 's broadest selection of health care specialties. but it's our service and knowledge that sets us a cut above. Our in-utore consultant, Tonia Marcelli. is stand- ing by during our "Focus On Health Care" event with expert advice to help you make an informed choice. Sensational values and advice you can count on Free Delivery - Visa and Mastercard accepted PHONE (905) 845-5093 134 Lakeshore Road East, (east of Dorvall Hours: Mon, Thea, Wed, Fri - 9 to 5 Thursdays - 9 to 7 q Saturdays - 9 to I pm (iii% onur...ollur...ua h" 'ittet .4 l' " 'h . tiii) Bg l Lnit E RY k‘ I s-rr.? m) ’° :5 a» SCE u". Tk'reopene+hd.,Thsats,,hll00)urr-53()pm FREE SPIRIT FOLDING ROLLATOR [Her C. W: MBA, C FP. 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