Opening the Door to a New Career

Amira moved to Canada from Iraq in the early 1990s due to the Gulf War. Her employment in Vancouver began in childcare and over the past few years, she had worked in early childhood education. Unfortunately, Amira was laid off and as a mother of two small children, was becoming anxious about her familys nancial situation. Her husband was working part-time and her mother had recently been diagnosed with cancer. Amira had always dreamt of working in the legal system, and decided to complete a Paralegal certicate. She successfully earned her certicate, but now faced the challenge of nding paid employment. Aside from a practicum during her studies, Amira had no related experience or connections to land a job as a paralegal. After months of sending out countless resumes to no avail, Amiras worries and frustrations grew, and the increasing nancial hardship was taking its toll.

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career and planning

Amira lacked connections, she also received job placement support, meaning a Job Developer at the Centre marketed her skills to employers while she also looked for opportunities independently. Through one of Open Door Groups employer connections, an interesting opportunity was

Opening the Door...

One day, Amira walked by the WorkBC Employment Services Centre in Vancouvers Downtown Eastside. The centre is operated by Open Door Group, a non-prot organization that has delivered employment services for almost 40 years and works with several partner agencies to provide services to job seekers in the community. After attending an orientation session, Amira was connected to an Employment Advisor who would work with her one-to-one in nding employment. There were many obstacles to overcome including lack of job search skills and lack of connections. On top of that, Amiras nancial situation impacted her ability to commute and pay for child care which impacted her time to search for employment. Amiras Employment Advisor introduced the concept of the hidden job market and she attended informative workshops including Understanding the Labour Market, How to Explore the Hidden Job Market, and Resume Writing. Fortunately, she was also able to renew her child subsidy application to extend care for her children while attending workshops. As Amiras skills developed, opportunities began to arise and staff at the Employment Centre helped her prepare by practicing mock interviews. Because

identied - a part-time position assisting with drafting license agreements and maintaining corporate records. What a match! After being introduced to the company, Amira successfully passed her interview and was hired immediately. She continues to be happily employed and now realizes the value of exploring the hidden job market and making connections. The quality of service was excellent; staff were knowledgeable and resourceful says Amira. I recommend this service to anyone seeking employment. To get connected to your local WorkBC Employment Service Centre in Vancouver, call 604 660 2421 or visit www.workbccentres.ca

Increased tuition funding for unemployed British Columbians

Interested in accessing skills training through the Employment Program of BC? You could be eligible for up to $7,500 in tuition funding! Eligible persons must be: unemployed/under-employed receiving or eligible to receive employment insurance (or started maternity/paternity leave in the last five years) accessing employment services at a WorkBC Employment Services Centre

Want to learn more? Visit your local WorkBC Employment Services Centre or find your local Work BC Centre online at WorkBCCentres.ca

The Employment Program of British Columbia is funded by the Government of Canada and the Province of British Columbia.