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From Seasonal to Steady Employment
By Peter Park
After years of
seasonal employment in the fish processing industry, Chris Falconer
decided to make a change. “When I began to explore my options I went
into North Island Employment (NIEFS) to see what was available.”
Chris learned that being on Employment Insurance (EI) opened the
door to apply for funding assistance for retraining.
Everywhere Chris had
worked, people asked him to fix things. Whenever equipment broke
down, whether it was water pumps or chainsaws, Chris was asked to
get it going again. “My dad had a hobby shop when I was a kid and I
was always in there tinkering with engines. In high school I enjoyed
the shop classes and did well in them. So when I decided to train
for a new career, heavy duty mechanics seemed like a natural
choice.”
In order to receive
funding for the program at North Island College, Chris had to
demonstrate that there was a demand for Heavy Duty Mechanics. This
involved research and speaking directly to people in the business to
get their feedback on the labour market.
His application was
successful and Chris received funding assistance towards both his
tuition and living expenses.
Although he had been
out of school for many years, Chris was eager and ready to go. “The
course was great. It covers everything you need to know including
shop safety, welding, hydraulics and electrical systems and is
combined with lots of hands-on experience.” The program also
included a practicum which gives students a chance to try out their
new skills in the workplace.
Chris couldn’t be
happier with his new career. “I landed my first job before the
course was over. There is a huge demand for skilled heavy duty
mechanics and the people in the business are great. They all enjoy
their work and there is always something new to learn.”
If you want to
explore your options for retraining contact NIEFS at 286-3441 to get
the ball rolling!
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