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Times Advocate, 1994-04-06, Page 3Times -Advocate, Apnl 6, 1994 Page 3 South Huron adult education expands to teach trade. job search skills Starting over: the search for jobs By Adrian Harte T -A Editor EXETER - With unemployment in the Exeter area hovering around the 10 percent mark, there is a growing realization that if people are to eventually find jobs, they may be in a very different field from what that person was used to. With that in mind, two adult education programs being starting at South Huron District High School later this month are aimed at preparing unemployed people for the possibility of a career change. One program is specifically targeted at training people in the tools, skills and trade of the construction industry. The other is more of a way of getting people to re-evaluate their goals, expectations and education needs. Both programs are being sponsored by the Canada Employment Centre, through the Huron County Board of Education. Only people currently collecting unemployment insurance are being referred to the programs, via the Employment Centre in Exeter. Landing that next job might call for a new direction Susan Graham and Susan Wheat- ley are the instructors for the PACE program, which stands for Prepara- tion And Counselling for Employ- ment. The seven -week program picks up where the Canada Employment Centre's counselling services left off. Those services have been cut back with the restructuring of the offices. However, 15 clients will be referred to PACE for each ses- Susan Graham and Susan Wheatley (right) will be instructing a program called PACE, jointly offered by the Board of Educa- tion and the Canada Employment Centre. sion to help decide their own job strategy skills. Although practising for inter- views and preparing resumes is part of the course, it also focuses on a decision making process about pos- sible career changes. "If they've got some questions about what they want to do, then they get referred to us," said Gra- ham. "Maybe the next plan is to take computer training," said Wheatley, but pointed out it is not PACE's role to provide that training, only to help clients decide what they need. Most clients being referred to PACE are what Graham describes as "displaced workers" - those who are finding themselves unemployed despite many productive years. "Our typical client is going to be a 40 year old man," is what Gra- ham says she was told by Canada Employment. A few of the clients may come to PACE from the regular adult ed- ucation classes: those who have Construction course offered "We're looking for people. • We've got the projects," said Doug Harrison, the project coordinator for the program that will train and acquaint 15 or more people with the construction industry. "The people we want are those on UIC who want to upgrade them- selves academically," he added. Not only will the 20 -week course teach the use of tools, machinery, carpentry and construction meth- ods, but it will also allow for var- ying levels of education amongst the students. Some students may need extra work in mathematics, English, or other skills to help make them more attractive to a po- tential employer. The potential is also there to use the course in con- junction with credits to complete a high school diploma. Recognizing the demands for training in new techno!ogies, the course can also include some com- puter time to learn construction oriented skills such as computer- ized drafting and computer -aided - design. Harrison said a similar project in Goderich a couple of years ago worked out well enough to try it in Exeter. Given the present econ- omy, he admits it isn't realistic to expect full employment for all who sign up for the course, but he does predict it will benefit the par- ticipants in several ways. Not only will they be learning skills that could be useful in the months or years ahead, he says the very act of doing something constructive while unemployed is a confidence - builder. Harrison, who has spent 25 years in the construction industry him- self, is not a teacher, but the co- ordinator of the program. He has lined several projects th. t the participants can try their new-found skills on. The high school court- yard is scheduled for some up- grades, particularly for handi- capped access under the program, and the students will be helping a contractor put an addition on the school's music room. "Of course, the main aim of it is to get people back to work," said Harrison, and agreed some of the group might be inspired to create their own job opportunities given the right training and skills. Harrison is looking to fill all the program's positions, but all ap- plicants have to go through the Em- ployment Centre. upgraded their education skills and are now looking for ways to make use of them. Because the program is account- able to Canada Employment, those on UIC enrolled in the program are expected to come up with a realistic and achievable plan to get them- selves back into the work force, Wheatley added. PACE is modelled after a similar program that has been offered in Vanastra for the past two years. It comes out of the recognition that for many unemployed in Huron County, walking the streets looking for a job won't get them far - a goal and a plan is needed to achieve it. PACE already has a waiting list signed up. With courses every sev- en weeks and 15 to a session, Wheatley predicts that over 90 peo- ple will benefit from the program over the next year. INow at our "New Location" 444 Main St. South (beside Canadian Tire) * Opening "in-store" specials! * Fresh hot coffee and donuts, muffins and more! * Cafe with soup and sandwiches, hot entrees and more (Smoke free) * Fresh baked (right in the store), pies, croissants, pastries and more! * Plus of course our always popular "Tasty Nu Bread" Bismarks, Date Squares, Crusty Rolls and more! Cheese House Cafe' Exeter 235-0332 Doug Harrison stands in the wood shop of South Huron Dis- trict High School, where much of the training in the craft of construction will be taught as part of a Canada Employment Centre program. IN THF NEWS • Regional wrap up MP will fight VIA cuts St. Marys - Perth-Wellington- Warterloo MP John Richardson is upset about renewed talk of cuts to VIA rail service through the area, and he plans to fight the cuts in the House of Commons, it was report- ed in the Journal Argus. "I'm concerned. I have been following this now for about a month and a half in Parliament. Quite frankly it's about time that VIA got hold of itself," Richard- son said in an interview yester- day. An internal VIA and Transport Canada document leaked to a Tory MP recently, proposes cutting the Toronto -Kitchener - Sarnia run, among others. "Their plan is to just run a train from Windsor to Quebec City. That's all they want to do," he added. Homeowner asks about topless restaurant LISTOWEL - A homeowner who will find his residential property isolated in a highway commercial zone if the town goes ahead with proposed zon- ing changes, has asked council about the possibility of opening a topless restaurant, it was re- ported in the Listowel Banner. Pierre Sangoi who built a home five years ago in an area he was promised would become residential, said the zoning change to allow a five -bay car wash will lower the value of his property and will not provide a residential neighborhood for his family. Regarding the establishment of a "strip joint", or topless res- taurant, Sangoi said he believes there would be a market in Lis- towel for such a business he - cause the one in Hanover has closed and patrons now have to drive all the way to Kitchener for such an attraction. Town may get Senior 'A' team CLINTON - if enough players can be found to start up a squad, the town could be playing host to a Senior A hockey team next season, it was reported in the Clinton News -Record. Bill McGregor is currently working to see whether there is enough interest to get a team started, and he explained that he has heard from players who would he interested in getting a Senior A team started. "I thought it was a good idea. If we have some push, maybe we'll get more interest," he said. Senior A hockey replaces in- termediate hockey, which hasn't been played in Clinton for a number of years. Town to ask for OPP costing MITCHELL - Labelling it the best move for the future of the Mitchell Council will formally ask for a cost to change the town's police service to Ontario Provincial Police. Once it happens, and the OPP changeover is later approved by council, Mitchell could be ser- viced by OPP officers within two years, it was reported in the Mitchell Advocate. Mayor Hugh McCaughey made the announcement last Fri- day after the town's Executive Committee was informed of the Police Services Board's unani- mous decision to ask for the costing at a special meeting on March 22. Capsule Comments with Ernie Miatello Researchers are always looking for the ideal sleep- ing medication. Melatonin, a naturally -occurring body hormone, has been given to elderly insomni- acs. The elderly seems to have reduced amounts of this hormone which may be causing their sleeping problems. Preliminary results are encouraging. Cigarette packages in Australia will soon be carrying stonger warnings and In large letters. Three messages will read: 'Smoking causes heart disease", Smoking causes lung cancer" and 'Smoking kills." The to- bacco Industry Is not happy. Speaking of cigarettes, did you know that one cigarette can destroy up to 100 mg of Vitamin C? Normally we inhale 5-6 liters of air per minute. In panic situations, we can double thls amount, leading to hyperventilation. This can cause diz- ziness, heart palpitations, chest pain, and muscle cramps. 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