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- 2. AFFINITY SERVICES "BRIDGING PEOPLE TO POSSIBILITIES" Affinity Services' Guiding Philosophy: “WE ALL HAVE POSSIBILITIES WE DON'T KNOW ABOUT. WE CAN DO THINGS WE DON'T EVEN DREAM WE CAN DO.” • Affinity Services maintains a small number of staff members and connects with experts across Alberta, throughout Canada and the United States, and abroad, through technology outlets (Webinars), conferences, and association memberships. The education and experience of the staff combined with the extensive knowledge of our associates allows for purposeful, targeted and meaningful outcomes to be reached. • With offices in Calgary and Central Alberta and associates in Edmonton and Northern Alberta, Affinity Services comprises an extensive network of professionals across Alberta's career development community. The Affinity Services Advantage lies overwhelmingly in Affinity Services’ unique approach and proven experience of equipping people to overcome obstacles. • Affinity Services equips its clients with awareness, knowledge, and practical tools to enable them to be more effective and efficient when planning for and implementing transitions. • Affinity Services’ solutions are designed to provide practical and effective resources to bridge people in transition to possibilities, within the community, as well as to help businesses further develop and enrich the lives of their employees and communities and assist organizations further develop and enrich their programs. www.affinityservices.ca List of Affinity Services’ Projects - Provided (if requested) • CADSP • OISD • Plugged into Possibilities • On-going training and staff development
- 3. AFFINITY SERVICES/ACB PARTNERSHIP • Affinity Services had two delegates at the Alberta Congress Board (ACB) Conference. • We were impressed with the forum, and commitment of the cross-sector of industry, government and non-profit coming together and bringing their perspectives and insights to reach possible solutions to issues facing our work force. • At the annual general meeting, funding issues were discussed and we considered how we may be able to use some of our resources to assist with the ACB. We approached Don. • We discussed different initiatives that the Board has and through a serious of meetings and discussions we discovered the Career Focus Program is in line with ACB’s mandate. This is the next step in the process of developing a project. • So today we are looking for input and ultimately approval from ACB on the components and activities of the project. • The intent here is that Affinity Services will assist in developing the project and, if successful in getting funding, work with ACB in pulling together a project team to administer the project.
- 4. WHAT IS CAREER FOCUS? Under the Youth Employment Strategy, Career Focus provides funding for employers to help post-secondary graduates obtain career-related work opportunities in Canada to support their development of advanced skills, to help them make career-related links to the job market, and to assist them in becoming leaders in their field. Career Focus offers youth a range of work experiences, learning and skill-building activities to help them choose careers and to encourage them to pursue advanced studies. Eligible Participants To participate in Career Focus, youth must be: • between the ages of 15 and 30 (inclusive) at the time of intake/selection • post-secondary graduates • Canadian citizens, permanent residents, or persons on whom refugee protection has been conferred • out of school • legally entitled to work according to the relevant provincial/territorial legislation and regulations • not in receipt of Employment Insurance (EI) benefits. Note: post-secondary graduates are limited to participation in one Career Focus project. Who Can Be A Recipient Businesses, organizations (including not-for-profit, professional, employer and labour associations), public health and educational institutions, band/tribal councils, Aboriginal organizations and municipal governments.
- 5. WHAT IS CAREER FOCUS? Career Focus Delivery Service Canada delivers the following components: • National Career Focus - provides financial assistance to employers and organizations to deliver projects that are national in scope to provide post-secondary graduate youth with work experiences within Canada. • Regional Career Focus - is administered through a network of regional/local offices located across the country. These projects provide financial assistance to employers and organizations to deliver projects at the regional and local levels. Human Resources and Social Development delivers the following components: • Sectoral Youth Career Focus - provides financial support to National Sector Councils and other cross-sectoral organizations. These organizations in turn develop work experience opportunities for post-secondary graduates. • International Academic Mobility (IAM) - supports Canadian post secondary institutions in offering international learning opportunities to their students.
- 6. DOES CAREER FOCUS FIT WITH ACB? The Alberta Congress Board is a not-for-profit organization that brings together diverse stakeholders to address socio-economic issues of mutual concern. Mission • To engage business, labour, government, education and health in a collaborative effort to achieve consensus and recommend action on issues in the workplace, leading to the enhancement of the quality of life for Albertans. • The Alberta Skills Network Project (ASNP) has the potential to bring together all the above key stakeholders through the project. Vision • Providing non-partisan leadership by promoting and facilitating collaborative problem solving of relevant issues in the workplace. • Shaping the future of the workplace in Alberta . • A predominant issue in today’s work place is developing our youth. With the present demographic it is essential that we develop seamless efficient processes for youth to enter their area of expertise and receive the mentorship needed to succeed. With the networks of the ACB delegates. ACB is positioned to be instrumental in facilitating a process to assist its delegates as well as the next generation of workers. • The Alberta Skills Network Project (ASNP) also has the potential to be a vehicle for ACB to provide another forum for leaders. • Previous resolutions developing our youth, creating opportunities, building soft skills and essential skills. These are all key objectives to the Career Focus. List of resolutions - demonstrated interest from delegates
- 7. AVENUES OF ALBERTA SKILLS NETWORK PROJECT (ASNP) The program proposed is designed to reach all the aims of the program, create efficient pathways to industry leaders and businesses already committed to creating a knowledge- based economy and open that gateway to as many post-secondary graduates as possible and match those graduates to the right employers. The proposed project will be designed using the following four 'avenues' to reach its objectives: 1. Individual Focused; 2. The Alberta Congress Board’s delegates and executives; 3. Development of soft skills; and 4. Success Factors software. Individual Focused We are proposing an individual focused project – meaning services are built in response to the individual participants needs, interest and strengths. Each participant will have their own unique needs, and therefore will require different services and different levels of support. The project will provide the specific services that the participant needs to assist them in reaching their vocational goals and will connect them with services and supports will be outlined on a service plan with action steps, time frames and measurable outcomes. We will also assist those youth in looking at career placement in light of life circumstances. For example, family, lifestyle choices, etc.
- 8. AVENUES OF ALBERTA SKILLS NETWORK PROJECT (ASNP) Alberta Congress Board It is proposed that the Alberta Congress Board will house the project and hire/contract the project team. The ACB will leverage its Executives and Delegates around the Province as well use the conference as a forum to facilitate creating awareness of the project. In having ACB coordinate this project, it offers their Delegates the following opportunities: • Connect to human resource personnel never before sought after • Additional support with regard to job development, awareness, and training in hiring and retaining this demographic group • Increased knowledge of HRSDC and its activities • Awareness and practical application of how to utilize technology in creating effective, efficient personnel Benefits • The ACB has built-in representatives from industry leaders across Alberta. This will be key for insight into what skills are in most need for development as well as for placement • The ACB also has Executives and Delegates from Post-Secondary Institutions across Alberta. This will be key for insight into development of project components and referrals of the participants • Having ACB house the project and utilize its Executives and Delegates provides a direct avenue for its Delegates to invest in the skill development of our youth • Engaging not only ACB’s Executive and Delegates but also its networks separately and in addition to the annual conference as a vehicle to connecting post-secondary graduates in developing their skills and consequently positive employment matching
- 9. AVENUES OF ALBERTA SKILLS NETWORK PROJECT (ASNP) Development of Soft Skills Soft skills play a vital role for professional success; they help one to excel in the workplace and their importance cannot be denied in this age of information and knowledge. Good soft skills - which are in fact scarce - in the highly competitive corporate world, will help one stand out in a milieu of routine job seekers with mediocre skills and talent. The Smyth County Industry Council, a governing body based in the US, recently conducted a survey. The results of the survey, called the Workforce Profile, found “an across-the-board unanimous profile of skills and characteristics needed to make a good employee.” The people most likely to be hired for available jobs have what employers call “soft skills”. Here were some of the findings according to the Workforce study: The most common traits, mentioned by virtually every employer, were: • positive work ethic • good attitude • desire to learn and be trained The proposed project will take soft skills and build them into the components of the project, using Success Factors software to develop, target and measure the progress in development of these skills. The participants will have an opportunity to develop these skills further through the participation in other components of the project, including the annual conference.
- 10. AVENUES OF ALBERTA SKILLS NETWORK PROJECT (ASNP) Success Factors Success Factors software is a human resources tool that we are proposing to use as the service plan component. This system will be key in developing an active role for the participants as well as in assisting potential employers. It will naturally develop the skills of the participants in the area of technology communications. The nature of the implementation of the software expects the participants to take responsibility for their own planning sessions, making it very individual focused, which in turn builds accountability in a targeted and purposeful approach. Benefits • Efficient, seamless means to document progress of goals • Accountability and responsibility will be given to the participants and their own success will be demonstrated by their ability to follow through on the goals and tasks • Allows for the Project Team to track progress, successes and challenges and give feedback to participants and potential employers • Reports can be generated easily and efficiently • Employers are also able to view progress by way of a confidential password • Creates an opportunity for very individualized planning and goal development • Allows for continued follow-up and tracking outcomes once in placement • Promotes the development of responsibility, accountability, and desire to learn Examples of Goal Sheets - Hand Out
- 11. COMPONENTS AND ACTIVITIES OF ASNP Stream One-Participants Recruitment /Referrals of Participants Target - 50 participants to complete project to placement/follow-up (70 intakes): • Advertise in newspapers • Through Associations • Establish Network( post-secondary Institutions ) • Local Career Centres • Neighbourhood places Accepted participants must meet eligibility according to Career Focus guidelines and must demonstrate that they have attempted to find employment within their field and have not been successful. Assessment As assessment will be completed with the potential participants to identify: • Areas of need • Barriers to employment • Job finding and retention skills • We will also identify temperament and ideal work environments for temperament, lifestyle choice • What is the industry placement we need to target, what fits their career plan Service Plan Identify practical solutions and activities to reach desired goals to: • Obtain employment • Maintain employment • Develop and practice soft skills • Develop new skills to advance and add to their industry
- 12. COMPONENTS AND ACTIVITIES OF ASNP Success Factors • Creates an environment for participants to be accountable for following through and reporting on their own goals • Activities are targeted and purposeful to desired goals • Funders and key stakeholders can track progress and activities of the project • Attracts employers and participants Province-wide to come together • Tools to learn additional technology application Job Readiness Skills Specific and purposeful to organization and work applied for: • Resume • Portfolios • Interviews skills • Proposals Placement • Job Shadows • Job Tours • Job Placements • Follow-up
- 13. COMPONENTS AND ACTIVITIES OF ASNP Stream Two - For Employers Create Awareness • Information sent out to Delegates on the launch of the project and encouraged to get involved • Information sent out to businesses outside of the Delegates creating a awareness to get involved and offers a specific program the Alberta Congress Board has available to them. • Engage employers to give a list of skills they are looking for by way of a ‘job analysis’ Education and Awareness Sessions • Success Factors • Webinar training • Creation and Retention strategies in engaging youth in purposeful employment Placements • Support from Alberta Skills Network Project team • Follow-up
- 14. OVERALL BENEFITS • Reaches rural as well as urban communities • Links several industry leaders with the common goal of ACB The Alberta Congress Board is a not-for-profit organization that brings together diverse stakeholders to address socio-economic issues of mutual concern. • Assist in creating leaders in employers and participants • Offer additional services to the Delegates in conjunction with the conference