| Sep 23, 2010


Photo: Arlene Uens, Greg Adams, Karen McGregor.

Word slipped out in mid-July that St. Lawrence College was going to locate their new Sharbot Lake-based Employment Service Centre at the site of the former Stedman’s store on Garrett Street.

The store, which had been vacant for a couple of years, has had a solid history as a retail venue, so community members were curious about how it would serve as an office space.

“When community members walk in here,” said Karen McGregor, the co-ordinator of the new centre, “they almost always say the same thing. ‘I can’t believe how big this space is, and how much like a big city office space it is.’”

The space might have an urban feel, but use of the office and all of its services is easy and informal, as befits a rural service centre.

In addition to the desks that are occupied by the three employees that staff the centre, there are two banks of four new computers in the middle of the room, all of which have high-speed internet access and a number of employment-related software packages installed.

There is desk space available with each computer as well, and they are available for use by anyone who is registered with the centre. There is also a bulletin board with job postings at the entrance to the centre, and there are comfortable couches. Free coffee is available every day of the week.

On the day I visited, two people were working away at the computers, using them as their own mini-offices as they developed their own employment plans. In addition to computers, they were using the telephone, printing, faxing and email services the centre offers.

Among the programs that are featured at the Employment Resource Centre is the Second Career Program, which provides an opportunity for people who have been in the work force for a number of years to receive additional post-secondary education.

Another program that is promoted is the Ontario Self-Employment Benefit, through which people can receive Employment Insurance benefits while they develop their own business. Apprenticeship information and job creation partnership services are also offered.

In addition to providing information and assistance accessing employment programming, the centre’s staff are committed to providing hands-on support, whether that means help in learning the ins and outs of certain software, help in building or fine tuning a resume, or providing referrals for people who require other kinds of training than is offered locally at Northern Connections, or at other locations.

“Our focus is clearly fixed on helping people gain employment,” said Karen McGregor, “and we are invested in the local community.”

It helps that two of the three staff members at the centre are from the local area, inlcuding McGregor herself, who lives in Sharbot Lake, and Arlene Uens from Mountain Grove.

“Sure, a lot of the work in this area is seasonal, but on the flip side of that there is plenty of time during the year for us to offer different kinds of training,” Karen McGregor said.

In addition to referrals, the centre’s staff will be offering training sessions on site in the coming weeks and months, including a fall prevention training course for roofers that will be offered by Greg Adams, the resource co-ordinator at the centre, and service training workshops that will be offered by other staff members.

The Employment Centre is charged with serving the population in Central and North Frontenac, and staff will be doing outreach throughout the region.

“Our goal is to eliminate barriers to employment, be they education-related, transportation-related, or whatever they may be. To do that, we will use our own resources and those of other groups and agencies wherever they are located,” said Karen McGregor.

Thus far, the centre has been a success. Since holding a soft opening at the beginning of September, almost 150 people have visited, and the grand opening of the Sharbot Lake Employment Centre is still over a month away. It will be held on Wednesday, November 3 (look for details in the Frontenac News in October).

Through St. Lawrence College, employment services are also offered in Sydenham at the South Frontenac Employment Resource Centre, and in Northbrook at Land O’Lakes Community Services.

 

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