WorkShoppers Online

Keeping staff safe and well

There are several factors essential in the creation of a psychologically healthy workplace. And companies that target these fare better than those that neglect organizational well-being. For example, the American Psychological Association (APA) indicates that focusing on involving employees, keeping them safe and well, attending to their growth and development and recognizing their efforts, reduces absenteeism and turnover, lowers injury rates, and results in fewer grievances and less sickness. Plus, efforts to help employees combine their work, family and personal lives further contains costs and helps organizations retain valuable talent.

There are four ways organizations can do this.  See article.

Number of Young Workers

BC Stats, the province's statistical agency, recently noted the influence of new workers. Using Statistics Canada data, its report said the number of young workers -- aged 15 to 24 -- almost doubled between 2000 and 2005. They now make up 17.1 per cent of the workforce, compared with 9.8 per cent six years ago. In raw numbers, the 15 to 24 segment numbered 28,800 in 2005 compared with 10,900 five years earlier.

At the end of September, Statistics Canada's labour force survey estimated there were 182,700 people employed in construction. That youth component became so large, it accounted for nearly one in every three new workers in construction between 2000 and 2005 and dragged average construction wages down slightly in 2005 to $779 per week. Young workers, BC Stats noted, earn about 35-per-cent less than journeymen. Article.

100 Influential Chinese-Canadians in BC

The first Chinese newcomer to reach what would soon become B.C. stepped onto a Victoria wharf in the early summer of 1858. He had travelled north by steamer from San Francisco, in search of a golden opportunity on the sandbars of the Fraser River.  Article.

Mining

Mining companies didn't only top The Vancouver Sun's Top 100 list this year, they dominated it, taking more than half the spots on the strongest list and 19 on the fastest-growing.  Article.

More people want jobs with meaning

Nonprofit organizations are unique. They don't exist to make money, and they rarely pay taxes. Generally, these organizations exist to help people or support a cause. And millions of people in the U.S. and Canada prefer to work for one.  Article.

Boomers back to college

As they begin to hit retirement years, baby boomers are expected to flood community colleges for the credentials and training they will need to reposition themselves for second careers.  The nation’s 1,200 (american) community colleges see the wave coming. They are scrambling to create new programs to help this older generation choose their second acts, and they are strengthening existing courses to make them more relevant to these students.  Full article here.

NOC, NOC, What's There?

The NOC is the authoritative resource on occupational information in Canada. It is used daily by thousands of people to understand the jobs found throughout Canada's labour market. The NOC provides a standardized framework for organizing the world of work in a coherent system and is implemented in a number of major services and products throughout the private and public sectors.

The NOC is updated in partnership with Statistics Canada according to 5 year Census cycles. It is based on extensive occupational research and consultation conducted across the country, reflecting the evolution of the Canadian labour market.

Based on users’ feedback, a new look and added features to the NOC Web site are planned for the spring of 2007. 

More information here.

What direction should you take?

If you are considering post-secondary education and are unsure of what direction to take, this assessment can help you identify your skills, abilities and interests --- a first step before you start researching specific jobs or academic/training programs.  Assessment Test

Source.

Youth Employment

Current sectors where young people are finding work in B.C. are:

Retail trade

• Retail Salespersons and Sales Clerks

Accommodation and Food Services

• Occupations in Food and Beverage Service
• Cleaners
• Food and Beverage Servers

Information, Culture and Recreation

• Library, Correspondence and Related Information Clerks
• Attendants in Travel, Accommodation and Recreation

Manufacturing

• Recording, Scheduling and Distributing Occupations

Other Services (Personal and Community Services)

• Community and Social Service Workers

Construction

• Trades Helpers, Construction Labourers and Related Occupations

Management of Companies

• Middle and Other Management

Health Care and Social Services

• Nurse Aides and Orderlies

Education

• Secondary and Elementary School Teachers and Counsellors

Finance, Insurance and Real Estate

• Real Estate Agents and Salespersons
• Insurance Underwriters
• Finance and Insurance Clerks

Transportation and Warehousing

• Recording, Scheduling and Distributing Occupations

Wholesale Trade

• Sales Representatives, Wholesale Trade (Non-Technical)

Agriculture

• Biological Technologists and Technicians

Forestry, Fishing, Mining, Oil and Gas

• Forestry Technologists and Technicians
• Fishing Vessel Masters and Skippers and Fishermen/women
• Underground Miners, Oil and Gas Drillers and Related Workers

Public Administration

• Personnel and Recruitment Officers
• Executive Assistants

Utilities

• Labourers in Processing, Manufacturing and Utilities

Source.

Today's Hot Jobs

Some fields are red hot right now. If you're ready to start a new career today, use the links in this section to find out about jobs that employers are having difficulty filling right now:

• Professional occupations
• Technical and skilled occupations
• Tourism occupations