Backgrounder


Help In Waterloo Region

August 13, 2012

Communitech

Employment Ontario and Research In Motion are working with Communitech to help laid-off technology workers continue their careers in Waterloo Region and Ontario.

Last year, Employment Ontario and Communitech developed online services for laid-off technology workers to post resumes, share job leads and access job postings by employers in related businesses in Waterloo Region.  As a result:

•           More than 1,000 job openings were posted on a Communitech-curated job board.
•           The TechVibe Career Fairs were organized and featured 62 employers.
•           Forty-five potential entrepreneurs attended two boot camps.

Communitech is a network of more than 600 companies and organizations in the Waterloo Region technology cluster that develop events and consultations to benefit local industry.

Action Centres

Funded by Employment Ontario, Action Centres help unemployed and laid-off employees who have questions and concerns on how to proceed with the next steps in their changing lives. 

A range of workshops covering issues such as resume writing, job search and interview training are offered to workers.  In addition, job search computer seminars are available to assist all affected employees transition to new employment.

Also, referrals are available to services that provide financial advice and support for the families of laid-off workers.

A recent survey of laid-off workers by the Canadian Auto Workers Union reported that people who use the services of an Action Centre enjoy greater success in finding new work compared with those who conduct a job search on their own.

See also