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Career Assistance Network offers supports to Lacombe, Ponoka, Sylvan Lake

Services being offered to unemployed 18 to 24-year-olds
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(Photo Courtesy: Facebook)

Those struggling to find employment in central Alberta now have another option.

Shaune Fandrey, owner and director of Career Assistance Network, recently announced their grand opening and new services available to unemployed central Albertans between the ages of 18 to 24.

“We offer career workshops, training programs, one-on-one employment services, essential skills literacy training and first aide courses. If it helps people get employed, we do it,” she said.

The Career Assistance Network is a private business, but recently received a Alberta Government contract to offer these specific services to this demographic.

“A lot of our programs are government sponsored by either the feds or the Province. That is is a substantial benefit because the majority of our clientele are unemployed. They can access services for free,” Fandrey said.

The grand opening for the network was help Jan. 31 from 1 p.m. until 3 p.m. and all the new services are designed to alleviate a growing youth unemployment rate.

“Right now our youth unemployment rate in Alberta is 15.5 per cent. By gender, it is almost 19 per cent for males. What that means one in five young men between the ages of 18 to 24 are unemployed right now.

“Females in that same age bracket are recording an unemployment rate around 10.4 per cent. In response to that, the government is offering specific supports for 18 to 25-years-olds.”

Part of the service is a self-help bay, which is staffed by network employees.

“Any individual can come in and access photocopying or fax, telephone and if they want to do their resume or cover letter — we have computers and staff member to help them,” she said. “They can also access those services through an employment specialist.

“We help folks with things like online applications and anything else they may need. We do interview prep with them if they want to do mock interviews.”

The network also allows employers to advertise and take part in hiring and job fairs. The network also is flexible for job seekers throughout the region.

”Folks in that area that meet this criteria do not have to come to us. We recognize that there are transportation barriers for people unemployed in rural Alberta. My consultants will actually go out to them,” she said.

For more information, you can log on to https://www.rdcan.ca.



todd.vaughan@lacombeexpress.com

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