At the Yorkton Friendship Centre, an ongoing program is helping young people who face employment barriers find meaningful and lasting employment.
The Skills Link program, funded through Service Canada, regularly takes on groups of five students aged 16-30 for eight weeks of employment skills training followed by three five-week work placements.
The program targets young people who have traditionally had difficulty finding employment: Aboriginals, single parents, recent immigrants, people in remote areas, people with disabilities, those who have dropped out of high school, and so on.
"I came to this program because I don't have a high level of education," says Ocean, an 18-year-old who joined the latest Skills Link session at the start of May. "I knew that this program would help me get the skills to get a good-paying job. I'm basically looking for a career."
During their eight weeks in the classroom, program participants learn skills directly applicable to finding employment, as well as general problem-solving and teamwork skills.
"They learn how to do resumes properly, cover letters, how to do interviews, stuff like that," says Velma Pelletier, coordinator of Skills Link in Yorkton.
By graduation, participants will have certifications in CPR, WHMIS, safe food handling, and other areas of interest to employers.
While the students are in class with instructor Andy Balaberda, Pelletier seeks out work placements for the second phase of the program.
"We give them three different work placements so that they have an idea of what field they want to go into," she explains.
The coordinator tries to match students up with placements that interest them, as long as a willing local business can be found.
Wintersage, for example, is hoping to spend one of her placements in a salon to explore her interest in the fashion/beauty field.
"I'm trying to figure out exactly what I want to do. I have a few things in mind."
Skills Link students are paid a wage by Service Canada for the duration of their work placement, meaning that there is no cost to the employer. Participants typically perform unskilled work and odd jobs around the business while observing other employees to get a feel for the workplace.
Participants Charmaine and Roselee are both interested in the nursing and homecare fields. They hope to take some of their work placements at Yorkton Regional Health Centre and eventually pursue educations in healthcare.
"I don't want to work at a fast food place or a clothing store. I want to have an actual career, and I know that this program could help me with that," Roselee says.
Work placements aren't automatic-participants must attend job interviews to determine if they will be a good fit.
"I want them to get used to that," says Pelletier.
The program does its best to accommodate the needs of its students. Participants with children have daycare paid for while they attend class and work.
Skills Link is considered to be a pilot project in Yorkton for now, but its positive effects are already apparent. Roselee signed up after seeing her sister go through the program and secure a high-quality job.
Pelletier estimates that between eight and nine out of ten previous Skills Link graduates are now employed.
The program is constantly looking for more businesses to accept work placements. In particular, beauty salons, daycare centres, and clothing stores are currently needed.
Interested businesses can call Velma Pelletier at 782-2822.
