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Coronation Medal

Morag Carter

The Skills Centre’s executive director, Morag Carter, has received the King’s Coronation Medal for her contributions to the community, province and nation.
Under her leadership, the Skills Centre spent three years and $6.5 million, from 2021 through 2024, purchasing a pair of buildings in downtown trail and completing a massive renovation project to make their new office building the most sustainable and accessible building in the city.
While Carter accepted the Coronation Medal, she said it really belonged to everyone involved in the project.
“Our vision for this building was simple and yet profound. We wanted to invest in Trail and to show that a solid local investment could also benefit the region,” she said. “We wanted to create a space that was warm and welcoming and available to share with other not for profits, community groups and residents.”
“And since our primary business – and the Skills Centre’s reputation – is built on helping Kootenay and Boundary residents find their purpose and build their careers, we needed to ensure that the renovation of this great building helped to build local skills and local careers.”
“I’m happy to report that we achieved all of our goals,” she added.
Carter received the medal from Richard Cannings, MP for South-Okanagan—West Kootenay, at a ceremony in Castlegar on March 4.
We have created a space that is fully accessible and inclusive that is on track to reduce its carbon footprint and greenhouse gas emissions by more than half. A century’s worth of toxic substances have been removed, and over 130 people, many of them just starting their careers, found employment and learned new skills working on this massive renovation.
<a href="https://skillscentre.ca/who-we-are/our-new-building" target="_blank" rel="noopener">These complex projects require a lot more than an initial vision: they require the dedicated support of a large team of people.</a> Our team includes:
<ul>
<li>our many funders, including the federal government that provided significant funding through the Green and Inclusive Community Buildings fund and without which we could not have proceeded</li>
<li>the contractors who shared the vision and led the project – Hil-Tech Contracting and all their local and regional sub-contractors</li>
<li>the Skills Centre staff who were involved in every aspect of the building reconstruction</li>
<li>and the unwavering support of our board of directors</li>
</ul>
“It is projects like these, employing local talent, using as many made in Canada products as possible to enhance community assets that make us resilient,” Carter concluded.
<a href="https://www.youtube.com/@TrailSkillsCentre" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Watch the videos about our eco-renovation here.</a>

Skills Centre executive director receives King’s Coronation Medal 

board of directors

board

volunteer

Skills Centre

Do you want to make a difference in your community? Are you interested in helping Trail and area communities solve employment, skills training and poverty issues? The Skills Centre is looking for new board members this spring. If this sounds like you, give us a call.
We strive to reflect the communities where we live and work. We want you to be able to see yourself in our organization, and that means we reflect the diversity of the people we serve. Our board of directors also needs to include this diversity, and we’re especially looking for new board members from these communities:
<ul>
<li>BIPOC</li>
<li>Indigenous</li>
<li>LGBTQ2S+</li>
<li>People living with disabilities</li>
</ul>
Our board members all contribute to our success at the Skills Centre, and you can be part of the next era by joining our board and making your contribution.
More about this volunteer opportunity
The Skills Centre Board of Directors is a policy/governance board that meets six times each year. The board is responsible for financial and strategic oversight of the organization and delegates authority over operational issues to staff through the executive director. The board has committees for Policy &amp; Planning, Development, Finance &amp; Audit, Bursaries and Human Resources.
<a href="https://skillscentre.ca/jobs/view/volunteer-board-members" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Read more about this volunteer position here.</a>
Our annual general meeting and election of directors takes place in June. If you are interested in joining our board of directors, please contact Morag Carter, executive director, at <a href="mailto:mcarter@skillscentre.ca">mcarter@skillscentre.ca</a>.

You can contribute as a board member

poverty reduction

CNOY

Coldest Night of the Year

community kitchens

Socializing. The people. And, of course, baking cookies. These were some of the highlights for participants in our Community Kitchens program last fall.
<a href="https://skillscentre.ca/how-we-help/poverty-reduction" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Community Kitchens</a> brings people together to socialize and learn different ways to prepare healthy food. It’s a free program for people living with low income. It offers a safe space to share knowledge and techniques, plan and prepare healthy, affordable meals.
<blockquote>“The cooking class was great. It helped me have full meals, let us visit and get to know others, learn new things to eat and prepare. I love it. I&#8217;m going to miss it.”</blockquote>
We asked our most recent participants what their favourite part of the weekly gatherings was, and their responses reflected the quote in the title of this blog: “good food and meeting new people.” Participants talked a lot about the people and social interaction, meeting new people, and socializing. Making healthy food and learning new cooking skills came second.
This shouldn’t be surprising considering that three quarters of the participants are age 50 or older, and more than half of all the participants live alone. Loneliness can contribute to anxiety, depression and other health issues. Programs such as Community Kitchens are important to building a healthy community.
<blockquote>“This program is great for our community to help feed individuals and families. You meet new people and work together to make amazing meals.”</blockquote>
88% said Community Kitchens improved their social connections and their feelings of inclusion and belonging. 82% said it improved their emotional well-being. All participants said Community Kitchens improved their food security.
Participants come with a wide range of kitchen knowledge and approaches, from pretty raw to well-seasoned. Ultimately, most of them, 94%, said that their ability to prepare healthy meals for themselves or their family improved in some capacity.
<blockquote>“I like the fact that we got to cook everything we made and got to pick out what we made each week. Awesome program!!”</blockquote>
We also provide information about other community resources for our participants, such as counselling, support groups, food banks, disability supports, and childcare supports.
One participant shared this with us: “The classes helped me learn to cook, helped my social skills, got me out of the house regularly and inspired me to get a full time job in a fine dining kitchen as a dishwasher. My confidence has improved greatly. My life has direction and it&#8217;s good to be busy and living better.”
Clearly, this program is working.
Community Kitchens is one of our poverty reduction programs, and when the next session starts, we’re thrilled that we’ll be able to host it in our new community kitchen in our new building. The program is funded entirely with donations and through fundraising such as <a href="https://skillscentre.ca/resources/news/view/community-comes-together-for-coldest-night-of-the-year" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Coldest Night to the Year</a>. If you’re supporting CNOY, this is the impact you are making.
We also have <a href="https://www.myregistry.com/organization/the-skills-centre-trail-bc/4468472/giftlist" target="_blank" rel="noopener">a gift registry</a> to help outfit our community kitchen facilities for programs such as Community Kitchens.
Back in the kitchen, one participant concluded telling us that their favourite part was baking cookies. You can’t argue with that.
A big thank you to our funders that make Community Kitchens possible: Coldest Night of the Year, Trail Safeway, Hamber Foundation, and First Presbyterian Church, Trail.

“Good food and meeting new people”

fundraising

It’s time for our community to come together to raise money and awareness on the <a href="http://www.cnoy.org/trail" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Coldest Night of the Year!</a> The theme of this year’s fundraiser is to change the tune for people experiencing hurt, hunger and homelessness, because it’s cold out there.
Coldest Night of the Year is an annual walk to raise funds to help people experiencing poverty in our community. The Skills Centre is hosting the Trail event for the third year in a row and will have the start and finish of the walk at their new building downtown.
“We’re asking you to join a team of walkers, gather your friends or coworkers and create a team, or support a team with a donation. You can also volunteer at the event. There are so many ways to get involved in Coldest Night of the Year. Don’t simply walk on by,” says Emily Gora, deputy executive director and development manager at the Skills Centre.
<blockquote>“We invite everyone to gather on February 22 for either the 2 km walk that loops around the two bridges downtown or the 5 km walk that goes out to Gyro Park and back. Bring your walking playlist and walk that line.”</blockquote>
“The fundraising goal this year is $20,000. We’re confident that our community will show the support to make that happen. Most of the money stays in the community and supports poverty reduction right here in Trail,” she adds.
You can donate as a business or an individual either by contacting the Skills Centre or going online at <a href="http://www.cnoy.org/trail">www.cnoy.org/trail</a>. Business sponsorships start at $500 and include recognition in multiple ways for your business.
Walk of life
Poverty affects our whole community, and your contribution makes a difference.
The money raised in past years has gone towards poverty reduction efforts such as the Skills Centre’s Community Kitchens program that helps people create healthy food practices for their household; the La Nina shelter; and the Trail Community Action Team’s work to reduce the stigma towards people who use substances in our communities.
You can register online beforehand, or you can register at the event. Check-in for the Coldest Night of the Year walk on February 22 opens at 4 pm, the walk starts at 5 pm, and then there is a light meal for anyone participating.
Go to <a href="http://www.cnoy.org/trail">www.cnoy.org/trail</a> to sign up or make a donation.
See you on February 22nd for Coldest Night of the Year!
The Skills Centre has a long history of providing innovative and transformative community programming especially in support of youth, women, immigrants, newcomers and people living with low income. It also provides regional poverty reduction programming in partnership with five local municipalities.
The Skills Centre’s poverty reduction programming includes:
<ul>
<li>food security initiatives such as Community Kitchens</li>
<li>running the affordable housing directory and a continued effort to ensure that BC Housing supports Supportive Housing in Trail</li>
<li>advocacy for a living wage</li>
<li>the Ending Working Poverty project in collaboration with Tamarack Institute</li>
<li>offering bursaries to women and graduating high school students living with low income</li>
<li>and the development of a Common Access Card that allows people living with low income to access recreational facilities and cultural events</li>
</ul>
Schedule
Date &amp; Time
<ul>
<li>February 22 from 4:00-7:00 pm</li>
</ul>
Location
<ul>
<li>Events start and finish at 1060 Eldorado Street, the Skills Centre new building, in downtown Trail</li>
</ul>
Schedule
<ul>
<li>4:00 pm: Check-in opens</li>
<li>5:00 pm: Opening remarks + send-off</li>
<li>6:00 pm: Light meal served</li>
</ul>

Community comes together for Coldest Night of the Year

living wage

The living wage for Trail has increased to $22.85 per hour, a 6% change over last year.
The living wage is the hourly rate that each of two parents working full-time must earn to support a family of four based on the actual costs of living in a particular community. It is different from the minimum wage, which is $17.40 province-wide.
Living Wage BC released the 2024 living wages yesterday. (<a href="https://www.livingwagebc.ca/calculations2024" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Read their news release and full report here.</a>)  Although inflation has decreased from historic highs, cost increases for essentials continue to push up the living wage, which the Skills Centre calculates in collaboration with the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives, BC Office and Living Wage BC.
“The living wage affords a decent, but modest, standard of living without the extras many of us take for granted. It does not cover credit card, loan or other debt payments, savings for retirement or for children’s future education or the costs of caring for a disabled, seriously ill or elderly family member,” says Heather Glenn-Dergousoff, project specialist – poverty reduction at the Skills Centre.
<blockquote>Housing and food costs in particular continue to soar. The financial relief provided by government measures&#8211;such as affordable childcare programs and increases in benefits connected to income&#8211;was intended to help offset rising costs, but is outpaced by the rising cost of rent.</blockquote>
“Rent has been the most expensive item in the living wage family budget since the calculation was first produced, and this year is no exception,” says Iglika Ivanova, Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives, BC Office senior economist and the report&#8217;s lead author.
“Hundreds of thousands of BC workers earn less than the living wage and face impossible choices like buy groceries or heat the house, keep up with bills or pay the rent on time.” says Anastasia French, provincial manager of Living Wage BC. “Racialized workers and women are disproportionately affected by low wages in a region where the cost of living keeps climbing.”
Last year, Trail’s living wage was up only 2% to $21.55.
<blockquote>“We will continue to advocate for government to address these issues to make life more affordable for everyone, and to make it easier for employers to pay their workers a living wage,” Glenn-Dergousoff says.</blockquote>
Other living wage calculations for 2024 in the Kootenay-Boundary region include:
<ul>
<li>Grand Forks at $20.81</li>
<li>Nelson at $21.82</li>
<li>Revelstoke at $25.50</li>
<li>The Columbia Valley at $22.90</li>
<li>Golden at $26.96</li>
</ul>
The Skills Centre is one of 450 certified living wage employers in BC that has stepped up to pay direct and contract employees wages sufficient to support families.

Trail’s living wage up 6% as cost of living continues to soar

women in trades

IFIT

trades

Did you know that only 6% of workers in the construction trades are women? We can do better. You can help.
During the recent renovation of our building, we’re proud that we had twice that number: 12 percent of the construction workforce were women. We talked with <a href="https://skillscentre.ca/resources/news/view/drywall-is-the-right-trade-for-women" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Jackie</a>, a drywaller, and <a href="https://skillscentre.ca/resources/news/view/no-shock-to-find-women-electricians-a-rarity" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Stephanie</a>, an electrician, to hear their stories about working in the trades.
Spoiler alert: they loved it!
Which brings us to IFIT—Inclusive Futures in Industry and Trades. We’re asking women who are interested in a trade to join us for a day of job shadowing in small groups, learning about the trade and providing feedback on the experience.
“IFIT is not a training program. We want your feedback to support changes in workplace policies that will make it easier for women to succeed in the trades. It is about gender equity and creating diverse and psychologically safe workplaces,” explains Zoë Dowdall, our project specialist for IFIT.
<blockquote>IFIT is designed to provide trades and industrial employers with feedback from female high school students, women living with low income and gender diverse individuals who are interested in working in these sectors but face barriers to employment.</blockquote>
“We want to help employers get a better understanding of the internal and external barriers to participation in their workplace, and help them take steps to mitigate those barriers through changes to their policies, practices and work environment,” Zoë says.
Try on a few different trades
Zoë hopes that participants in IFIT will complete a few days of job shadowing to get an inside look at a few different trades and industrial jobs.
Following the participants’ job shadow, the Skills Centre will work with the employers to develop a plan to implement or integrate the recommended changes from the feedback.
“That’s where our participants in IFIT will make a difference. They will learn about a trade, and at the same time they’ll share their experiences to help local trades and industry employers break down barriers in the workplace.”
<blockquote>Are you interested in a trades and industry job, but not sure if it&#8217;s right for you? If you&#8217;re a young woman in grades 10-12, a woman living with low income, or a gender diverse individual, we encourage you to join the IFIT program.</blockquote>
Participants will be paid to attend job shadow placements, and transportation support and refreshments are included. IFIT is available in Nelson, Castlegar and Trail and outlying areas.
<a href="mailto:zdowdall@skillscentre.ca">Contact Zoë</a> for more information on how to secure your spot! Job shadow dates coming soon!

Helping women find their place in the trades

Sara

Sara Cameron

Sara is brand new to our board of directors and still fairly new to the Trail area. We’re thrilled to have them join us!
Sara has been working with youth and people with disabilities throughout their career, and they bring a great new perspective to our team.
“My first job at age 16 was as a respite care provider for families who have children with disabilities. During my youth, I also volunteered at local camps, weekend activities, in various classrooms and around the community assisting people with disabilities,” Sara says. “I completed my high school graduation project on physical therapy in a special education classroom.”
“My early work experience and volunteering helped me to realize my passion for working with and helping youth.”
Sara completed a degree in criminal justice and worked with youth corrections and community based programs, helping young people in juvenile custody centers as a counselor and in the courts. After finishing their master’s degree in management and leadership, Sara has worked as a career coach and admissions counselor for college students.
Connecting locally
Locally, Sara has volunteered with Camp Koolaree and now sits on the board of the Skills Centre.
“My passion throughout my life has been in helping others to find their way, and add meaning and stability into their life,” Sara says.
“That is part of the reason I want to be involved with the Skills Centre. My most recent experience as a career coach helped me realize the impact I can have by helping others to have the resources they need to reach their goals in life.”
As someone new to the Trail community, Sara wanted to find a place to volunteer where they could lend their passions and experience and make a difference, while meeting people in the community along the way.
“I grew up in a large city and honestly never saw myself living in a small town. Being in a rural area is new to me. I personally thought big cities had all the advantages because of the large population, sheer number of businesses, infrastructure, keeping personal lives and business (almost) always separate,” Sara says.
“However, I have learned that there are unique advantages to being rural.”
They note that in large cities there is often a feeling of disconnect between the work people do and the community they live in. Since moving to Trail, Sara has noticed people have a strong sense of connectedness and love for where they are.
“I believe in the power of human collaboration.”
“It appears to me that people who live and work in rural areas stay because they truly love the community they have helped to build. Rural communities are strong because of their smaller size. Everyone has some kind of connection to everyone else, and the community has been built for and by the people who are here,” Sara explains.
“I truly believe that when people get together, so many more ideas are generated that more accurately represent the community as a whole, than any one person can accomplish on their own. Exchanging ideas and working together on shared goals while learning from past experiences is a great way to help each other.”

Meet Sara Cameron, one of our new board members

ending working poverty

advisory group

leadership table

Two local working groups are making a difference in ending working poverty in Trail, and you can be a part of the solution. Both the Ending Working Poverty Leadership Table and the Lived Experience Advisory Group are looking for new members.
The two groups have been working since January 2023 with Heather Glenn-Dergousoff, the poverty reduction project specialist at the Skills Centre, on a three-year poverty reduction project.
“The leadership table is for anyone who wants to make a difference around working poverty in our community. Working poverty is defined as people who are working either full or part time yet still not earning enough money to keep their heads above water,” Heather says.
Participants at the leadership table come from all walks of life and income levels. They simply have to live or work in Trail. If participants are currently living in working poverty conditions, they will receive an honorarium for every meeting that they attend.
“We need a total of three hours a month commitment from participants,” Heather says. The leadership table meets in person for 1.5 hours each month, and there is another 1.5 hours of other work participants do on their own. They should also be willing to commit to the leadership table for one year.
The Lived Experience Advisory Group is made up of people currently living in working poverty. Participants meet individually with Heather and again receive an honorarium for each meeting. The time commitment is only about six hours a year, and participants can live anywhere in the Lower Columbia region.
“The advisory group acts as consultants to give their perspective on local programs, projects and service delivery. As an example, the advisory group had the idea for a food security initiative that became our garden box project. They took the idea to the leadership table, it was approved, and the Skills Centre launched the project earlier this year very successfully.”
Similarly, the leadership table initiated local engagement work for the Ending Working Poverty project to bring to the City of Trail for their new community plan update. The Lived Experience Advisory Group attended the engagement sessions, contributed their voice to the discussion, and the leadership table included that input in their submission to the City of Trail.
People interested in learning more about these two working committees should contact Heather at 250-368-6360 ext 235 or <a href="mailto:hglenn-dergousoff@skillscentre.ca">hglenn-dergousoff@skillscentre.ca</a>.

Local opportunities to help end working poverty in Trail

Edward

staff

Edward takes great care of our new building as our maintenance custodian and the newest member of our team.
“I like doing maintenance and repair work,” he says.
Edward and his wife and two children immigrated to Canada in November 2023 from the Philippines. This fulfilled a family dream even though they had never visited Canada before. “It takes a lot of courage to do that,” he says with modest understatement. It started as his wife’s dream and became the family dream, he explains. She already spoke English, while he has been learning English only since they arrived in Canada. (He’s doing great!)
“Life in the Philippines is very difficult,” Edward says, and adds that they have found a good Filipino community here in the Kootenays.
He has experience in solar assembly manufacturing, semi-conductor manufacturing, and hydraulic and pneumatic training in the Philippines where most of his work was in manufacturing and maintenance. He also has a diploma in computer engineering technology. We think he’s a great fit for our new, state of the art facility and are thrilled to have him join our team!

Meet Edward, our new maintenance pro 

Community Impact Report

community impact

investment

community

Working with local companies and investing in local people is a common theme in the Skills Centre’s 2024 Community Impact Report.
From the Trail and area companies working on the Skills Centre’s major renovation of its new building, to new training programs that partner with local businesses and serve area residents, to a focus on poverty reduction solutions here in our community, the Skills Centre is making an impact.
“Almost all of our employment training programs are new in the past year, and we’ve expanded our service area to cover the entire Kootenays. To do that we’ve expanded our partnerships with organizations such as Columbia Basin Alliance for Literacy, service providers, and even equine learning centres in Cranbrook and Grand Forks,” says Morag Carter, Skills Centre executive director.
“Here in Trail we’re so proud of the fact that 15 of the 16 companies that have worked on our renovation of our new building, representing a total of 136 people working on the project, are local companies. We have the talent here in our communities to make these things happen,” she adds.
While some of the Skills Centre’s poverty reduction work is part of a nation-wide effort, the people involved and the solutions they are seeking are concentrated here in the community.
“It’s been a big year for us with the renovation of our new building, and the community is going to be the big beneficiary of this investment. It’s going to be the greenest, most inclusive and accessible building in Trail, and it’s going to be a resource for the community,” Carter says.
“And it’s been a big year for our clients and partners. I encourage you to read our Community Impact Report to see how our investments in our people and our communities are creating our shared success.”
<a href="https://partners.blackbean.marketing/skillscentre/wp-content/uploads/sites/14/CIR-2024-Final-compressed.pdf">Read the Skills Centre 2024 Community Impact Report here.</a>

Investing locally theme of Skills Centre community impact

Emily

summer student

Emily is joining us for the summer as an office assistant during what will be a busy summer as we move into our new building. (We now have two Emily&#8217;s on staff just to create confusion.)
She just finished her first year at Selkirk College in Castlegar in the Rural Pre-Medicine Program. She applied for early entrance and received both an early entrance scholarship and an associate physician’s award. Rural Pre-Medicine is a three year program, after which Emily hopes to attend medical or pharmacy school. Born and raised in Trail, she has always wanted to go into a medical profession.
“It’s a great program. It has set me up with a lot of volunteering opportunities as well, such as volunteering for the stem cell registry,” she says. “I’ve always valued helping people out. I want to be able to be that person who can help someone.”
When we’re not keeping her busy in the office, Emily plans to be out enjoying the summer.
“I love the summer and being outside, and I really enjoy going for walks and hikes with my dog.”

Meet our newest Emily

community engagement

Living Wage BC’s Anastasia French is our special guest at our final community engagement session on ending working poverty. Join us June 20 in Trail to be part of the solution.
“At our community engagement session earlier this year, 21 local people met and brainstormed ways we can change our local systems to better support residents who are living or working in Trail yet continue to struggle financially,” explains Heather Glenn-Dergousoff, project specialist – poverty reduction, at the Skills Centre.
“We are hosting our final engagement session on June 20 and need your input again. We have taken all the discussions that we heard in February and now have a focused idea of what we can do locally to make changes.”
We are seeking further input to come up with actionable items, and we need your input!
“Even if you did not attend the last session, your perspective is still valuable, and we would be happy to have you participate,” Heather says.
In addition to the community engagement session, you will also have the opportunity to hear from Living Wage BC’s Anastasia French. She is coming to us from the coast to speak about why paying a living wage is good for workers, businesses and the community. She’ll also share information about how to become a Living Wage Employer.
Please consider joining the conversation.
We’ll have four roundtables and each table will talk about the three pillars of change within our community plans:
<ol>
<li>Transportation</li>
<li>Food Security</li>
<li>Community Hub</li>
</ol>
Schedule
<ul>
<li>4:30 – 5:30 pm – Anastasia will speak about living wages</li>
<li>5:30 – 6:00 pm – dinner and a presentation summarizing what will be changing with our community plans, including a review of data around working poverty in Trail</li>
<li>6:00 – 7:00 pm – roundtable discussions to identify actionable solutions to include in the community plans over the next 5 years</li>
<li>7:00 – 7:30 pm – share table discussions as a group and identify themes</li>
</ul>
Our goal is to have a draft plan ready for Trail City Council to view by September with adoption in October.
Please register &amp; join us June 20, 4:30 – 7:30 pm at St. Andrew’s Church, 1347 Pine Avenue in Trail.
RSVP by June 18 by phone at 250-368-6360 or email at <a href="mailto:info@skillscentre.ca">info@skillscentre.ca</a>.

Community Discussion: Ending Working Poverty

Bob the bricklayer

bricklayer

mason

new building

Bob Hunter is 76 years old and has been a bricklayer since 1965—yes, almost 60 years. And he’s still going strong, seeing no reason to stop working.
“I was born to be a bricklayer,” Bob says. “You get into it when you’re young, and you like doing it. In this trade, you can go by a building years later and see the work you did and it still looks like new.”
You can see Bob’s handiwork all over towns in the West Kootenays. The stone pillars along the riverfront on Esplanade Avenue in Trail. The Rossland courthouse. The RCMP building, Columbia Power building and the casino in Castlegar. In Nelson, the courthouse, city hall, Hall Street plaza, and the Nelson Commons building where Kootenay Co-op is located.
And that’s just scratching the surface, you could say, of all the construction Bob has completed over the past six decades.
Years of experience
Ken Laren owns Brikcon Masonry Ltd. His crew, including Bob, have been working on our building renovation in downtown Trail, most notably the elevator shaft that will allow access to four levels, from the basement up to the rooftop garden.
“It’s pretty specialized now. When I started we did everything. We were basically general masons. We did ceramic tile, brick, stucco, stone, cement,” Bob says. When asked if they still do all of those different types of masonry, Ken and Bob say yes. It’s the young people entering the trade that tend to specialize more.
However, they also note that there are not a lot of new people entering the field. The work is often seasonal, and unless you’re in the union there are no benefits or pension. Stucco is dying out. Metal chimneys have replaced brick chimneys and fireplaces. It’s challenging as a trade, they both say.
“Our trade is the oldest trade around. And it’s still working. They’ve made everything so strong, they’ve gotten so smart, they’ve forgotten their past,” Bob says.
Ken explains that old brick mortar is limestone. It gives elasticity to the structure. If it cracks, it mends itself. Today, construction is engineered to use cement which is not as forgiving. Ken’s dad was a mason, and that’s how he got into the trade more than 30 years ago. He drives by work that his dad did and it looks like it was done yesterday.
And still learning 
The day we talk, Bob is filling in the finishing gaps around the elevator in the Skills Centre’s new building. Kone, the company from Vernon that installed the elevator, were amazed at the quality of brickwork on the elevator shaft. They told us that the work Bob and Ken and their crew did to create the four-storey elevator shaft was in line within 1 millimeter at one end and 6 mm at the other—that’s better than they get from manufactured slab elevator shafts.
Bob and Ken spent about a week on each floor of the elevator shaft. They acknowledge that there aren’t many elevator shafts in the area for them to work on which perhaps makes their precision even more impressive.
Their modesty is equally impressive as they give credit to the contributions from the crew at Hil-Tech Contracting, the general contractor on our building renovation.
Even after all these years, Ken and Bob both say you can learn something new every day.
“Working with different trades, you see how they do something and you learn from it,” Bob says. “It’s been a very good trade for me.”

Born to be a bricklayer

HEART

art therapy

Julie James

Julie James is an art therapist at <a href="https://www.blackdogstudio.art/">Black Dog Studio in Nelson</a>. She facilitates our art therapy sessions for our <a href="https://skillscentre.ca/how-we-help/healing-and-wellness">HEART program</a> and is available for clients in our <a href="https://skillscentre.ca/how-we-help/skills-training">other programs</a> as well. We wanted to know more about art therapy and how it helps us prepare for training and work, so we asked Julie to tell us about what she does.
“Art can be a fun and relaxing tool, and it can be a great way to connect with family members, friends, and colleagues,” Julie tells us. “Art therapy combines art-making and talk therapy to communicate emotions and experiences beyond words.”
“Art serves as a tool for self-reflection, connection, and healing. My aim is to support you in cultivating your relationship with your creative practice.”
As an art therapist, Julie helps people develop a non-judgemental attitude towards their artwork and become a bit more mindful of what&#8217;s happening in their body. Drawing, writing, painting, sculpting, collage making, music writing, dance—the list of art options is extensive, and she encourages participants to find the art practice that suits them.
We include art therapy in our HEART program and other employment programs because, as project specialist Zoë Dowdall says, “sometimes you can draw your feelings and get things out that you don’t have words for.”
Finding common themes
Each art therapy session focuses on a different theme and is a blend of mindful art-making, connecting with group members, and psychoeducation. (Psychoeducation is a practice that provides participants with a better understanding of their mental health or illness with the aim helping them establish coping behaviours.) Some of the themes have included reflection on values and strength, self-care, and integration.
As a starting point, Julie offers art prompts related to the weekly theme. She then encourages participants to make themselves comfortable and take 20 to 30 minutes to create on their own. They may use any materials they have on hand: pen and paper, recycled materials, or natural materials. No previous experience or skill in art-making is required for art therapy to be helpful.
“My art prompts are designed to inspire your creativity and encourage you to take an expansive understanding of art. Every piece of art, no matter how small, is a valuable expression of who you are,” Julie says, and this is where the therapeutic value shows up most strongly.
“Then, we come back together to share our pieces and speak about what our art process was like for us that week.”
From creativity to healing
For people who are not used to doing something artistic or who haven’t tried art therapy, Julie emphasizes making them comfortable with being creative. Art therapy is all about expressing yourself creatively and learning how to do that in a group setting.
“Our groups offer a supportive and non-judgmental space where you can explore your emotions and experiences through art. Sharing your work with others is completely optional.”
Many of our clients have mentioned that they enjoy art-making but find it difficult to create time for themselves. The HEART program creates an opportunity to slow down and make time for yourself, time to create.
“Participants often come away surprised at the depth of their artwork and what they’ve discovered in the process,” Julie says. “A lot of people tell me they come out of sessions feeling relaxed. I love hearing that.”

Art for HEART’s sake

electrician

Being a woman in the trades offers a rewarding career. Stephanie McCarthy is a Red Seal electrician. She’s currently working on our building renovation in downtown Trail as part of the Martech Electrical team.
“There are so many positives. I absolutely love being an electrician,” she says. “I love everything about it. I love the tools, the different situations, the experience.”
Stephanie did not start her working life in the trades, however, she came to see it as a path to good opportunities. She started her apprenticeship when she was 30 years old, and after nine years of balancing having children with training and working, got her Red Seal two years ago.
“I needed a career change. I wanted to have a good job, level up in life, and getting my Red Seal has definitely done that.”
“I always thought in high school that I was bad at math. I had a teacher tell me jokingly that I would never be an electrician. But at 30 I’d done some upgrading and taken some courses and found I was actually really good at math.”
Taking charge of her career
That doesn’t mean it is always easy—no career path is—and she wants other women considering the trades to have a realistic perspective about a career she loves and has every intention of continuing.
The stereotype of math and women was only the first hurdle she encountered. Just 3 of the 25 students in her class at college were female. She started working in residential electrical where it was difficult for her to get her hours as an apprentice.
“You have to look at who you will be paired with. Ask all the questions. You’ve got to have the type of personality that can handle it. The obstacles aren’t a surprise. You know they’re coming.”
She explains that a good mentor makes all the difference. Great foremen are open to questions and mentoring and helping you learn. She found all of the above when she joined the IBEW union (International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers) and started working with Martech Electrical.
Martech has been her best work experience, and Stephanie would definitely recommend to anyone in the trades to join their local union. Along with better wages, benefits and RRSPs, the union hall provides plenty of local work opportunities.
Women make up only 4% of onsite construction trade workers in the country. Stephanie has been on projects with 10 to 15 electricians where she was the only female. Perhaps not surprisingly, she’s come across only one other female electrician in Trail, though at the union they are treated the same as the men. The Skills Centre renovation is a small job site with three electricians working at a time, and again she’s the only female journeyperson.
While there are more women in construction trades around the region, it’s clear that they are a rarity.
<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignleft wp-image-4548 size-large" src="https://partners.blackbean.marketing/skillscentre/wp-content/uploads/sites/14/Stephenie-electrician-2-web-863x1024.webp" alt="" width="640" height="759" srcset="https://partners.blackbean.marketing/skillscentre/wp-content/uploads/sites/14/Stephenie-electrician-2-web-863x1024.webp 863w, https://partners.blackbean.marketing/skillscentre/wp-content/uploads/sites/14/Stephenie-electrician-2-web-253x300.webp 253w, https://partners.blackbean.marketing/skillscentre/wp-content/uploads/sites/14/Stephenie-electrician-2-web-768x911.webp 768w, https://partners.blackbean.marketing/skillscentre/wp-content/uploads/sites/14/Stephenie-electrician-2-web-1295x1536.webp 1295w, https://partners.blackbean.marketing/skillscentre/wp-content/uploads/sites/14/Stephenie-electrician-2-web-1727x2048.webp 1727w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px" />
The demands of high energy &amp; staying grounded
“Being an electrician means being good at intricate work. You gain the skills and experience to figure it out. It prepares you. The foundation is so strong. The challenges you face every day, and you’re constantly learning new things, that’s what I love most about it.”
The work can be physically demanding, and Stephanie loves the physical aspect and that it keeps her moving all day. When she started her electrician training, she needed to build up to the physical aspects. Now the physicality gives her the confidence she can get anything done.
For women coming into the trades, she says you’re going to be under the microscope more than a man would.
“You have to be prepared to work really hard. In school get good grades so that when you’re on a job you can show you know what you’re talking about. Once you can do that, it’ll be easier. It takes a certain kind of woman.”
“The positives far out weigh any negative for this career path. When you have that good crew it is amazing. It’s so much fun.”

No shock to find women electricians a rarity

equine-assisted learning

Little Oasis

How do horses teach us? That’s the question we put to Leah Hope, program director of Little Oasis Equine, an equine-assisted learning facility in Trail. Leah and her staff and, most importantly, their horses, are a key part of our <a href="https://skillscentre.ca/how-we-help/healing-and-wellness" target="_blank" rel="noopener">HEART program</a>.
By doing, is her answer. The horses and people work together through obstacles.
“They navigate stations that we set up to explore with their peer partner and horse. Then we reflect on what we experienced with the horses that day.”
<blockquote>“We just facilitate; the horses are the teachers.”</blockquote>
And the result?
“I see such amazing development. Participants are able to rely on themselves and count on themselves and then see that they are able to do, what they need to do solve a problem. They become creative, and the joy you see when they find this in themselves, it shows how empowering working with the horses is.”
Removing barriers
Leah came into equine-assisted learning through necessity, almost.
“I was injured early in my nursing career, and I wanted to find something I could do given my physical limitations and give back to the community. My horses were injured and getting older. My ability to do things with the horses was limited, so I wanted to find something we both could do. It was about finding value in the things we could do instead of seeing barriers.”
Combining her nursing background and an approach based on her and the horses’ strengths, Leah got certified as an equine-assisted learning facilitator in 2011. Little Oasis now has four certified facilitators and may add as many as another three this year when their schedule gets busy.
Most of their work at Little Oasis is with youth, and to help make it more accessible, local businesses sponsor many of the kids who participate. The horses facilitate learning social skills, life skills, problem solving and conflict resolution skills.
<blockquote>Little Oasis also holds single day activities for corporate groups, teachers, or any group that wants to give it a try. They even host family sessions and date nights for couples to work with the horses.</blockquote>
Leah says her original herd has lived out their lives working for the kids, and she now owns five horses, has three more that live at Little Oasis, and have four others that come in for programs.
She is always looking at her work through the lens of removing barriers. And she is mindful of the horses’ capacity for doing the work. Some people and horses can only work one day a week. That’s fine. Some horses work only with certain demographics. That’s fine. That’s why they have several horses and facilitators.
Healing through equine-assisted learning
For HEART, they run 10 sessions with the horses and participants.
Leah says everyone—horses as well as facilitators—have no expectations for how a participant will work with a horse. If someone isn’t comfortable approaching a horse, they can wait and approach when they are comfortable.
“There is lots to observe and lots to do. They approach at their comfort not our expectations. You don’t need horse experience. What each participant brings forward will be an opportunity for growth.”
<blockquote>“Participants end the learning with increased confidence and that feeling of accomplishment when you’ve approached at your own pace. Success is defined by the participant.”</blockquote>
A participant in HEART can expect to first get comfortable around the horses. The first session with the horses is about skills acquisition, learning where to stand, where the horse can see you, safety, and building relationships with the horses. Then they move to two way communication, meaning delivery and reception.
“What are we doing with our bodies, our tone, our voice to communicate?”
“The horses react to the authentic person before them. It’s okay to experience whatever you’re feeling, and the horses will respond accordingly. They don’t judge and can’t lie. They’re in the moment and present.”
<figure id="attachment_4431" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-4431" style="width: 640px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="wp-image-4431 size-large" src="https://partners.blackbean.marketing/skillscentre/wp-content/uploads/sites/14/Little-Oasis-team-2-web-1024x768.webp" alt="" width="640" height="480" srcset="https://partners.blackbean.marketing/skillscentre/wp-content/uploads/sites/14/Little-Oasis-team-2-web-1024x768.webp 1024w, https://partners.blackbean.marketing/skillscentre/wp-content/uploads/sites/14/Little-Oasis-team-2-web-300x225.webp 300w, https://partners.blackbean.marketing/skillscentre/wp-content/uploads/sites/14/Little-Oasis-team-2-web-768x576.webp 768w, https://partners.blackbean.marketing/skillscentre/wp-content/uploads/sites/14/Little-Oasis-team-2-web-1536x1152.webp 1536w, https://partners.blackbean.marketing/skillscentre/wp-content/uploads/sites/14/Little-Oasis-team-2-web.webp 1600w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px" /><figcaption id="caption-attachment-4431" class="wp-caption-text">Leah (second from right) and her team at Little Oasis.</figcaption></figure>
&nbsp;
Other lessons they explore with the horses include trust and respect and what those words mean, boundaries and negotiation. They may also do teamwork activities.
“We find success in different ways. When we see clients find success, it’s unmistakable. It can give them confidence that they carry with them. Their confidence builds each time. They develop self-respect and trust in themselves. That confidence is remarkable.”
Our final HEART session in Trail starts February 26. <a href="https://skillscentre.ca/contact" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Contact us for more information &amp; to register.</a>

What horses teach us about ourselves

Jackie Payne

drywalling

Jackie Payne found her calling in the trades more than 20 years ago. As a woman working as a drywaller, she knows she’s the exception rather than the rule. That certainly hasn’t stopped her, and she encourages any young people, particularly women, who want an active, rewarding job to consider her trade.
Jackie grew up in Nelson and lived in Calgary for a few years where she worked in manufacturing and at a coffee shop. Her partner at the time was a drywaller, and she was looking for a new job, so he asked her if she wanted to try drywall finishing work.
“I need to move. I need to occupy my body, to keep my body going,” she explains. She tried drywall finishing and liked it. That was in 2002, and she’s been a drywaller ever since.
In 2004, she moved back to the Kootenays. She and her partner worked together until they separated, and last fall Mark Young, owner of MGK Drywall Ltd. called her because he knew her good reputation and that she was available for work. She’s been working with Mark ever since.
<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignleft wp-image-4370 size-large" src="https://partners.blackbean.marketing/skillscentre/wp-content/uploads/sites/14/Jackie-Payne-crop-1-web-1024x819.webp" alt="" width="640" height="512" srcset="https://partners.blackbean.marketing/skillscentre/wp-content/uploads/sites/14/Jackie-Payne-crop-1-web-1024x819.webp 1024w, https://partners.blackbean.marketing/skillscentre/wp-content/uploads/sites/14/Jackie-Payne-crop-1-web-300x240.webp 300w, https://partners.blackbean.marketing/skillscentre/wp-content/uploads/sites/14/Jackie-Payne-crop-1-web-768x614.webp 768w, https://partners.blackbean.marketing/skillscentre/wp-content/uploads/sites/14/Jackie-Payne-crop-1-web-1536x1229.webp 1536w, https://partners.blackbean.marketing/skillscentre/wp-content/uploads/sites/14/Jackie-Payne-crop-1-web-2048x1638.webp 2048w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px" />
How does she do it?
“It’s crazy physical work,” she says as she points out that she doesn’t have to go to the gym to stay in great shape. “It’s an extremely physical job. And you have to not be afraid to get dirty.”
“You take care of your body. You have to eat well to be able to do the work.”
She also likes listening to music, and in many jobs, she’s working in a space on her own and can have her music blaring while she works. “No one has to tell me what to do. Hours can be flexible.”
They do commercial as well as residential projects, and right now Jackie and MGK are drywalling <a href="https://skillscentre.ca/who-we-are/our-new-building" target="_blank" rel="noopener">the Skills Centre’s new building in downtown Trail</a>.
“It’s a whole different aspect doing commercial versus a house. We have to work around the other trades. The process flows differently than with a house.” And, she notes, this gives her a chance to learn about other trades working on a build.
Rewarding work
“If I’m making a house, I’m making someone’s home. They see my work. If my work isn’t good, they see it. I get to make their place comfortable. And it’s the same with a commercial building. People notice if their space is nice. My job is very visual. You have to have a good eye for detail.”
To someone considering the trades, especially women, Jackie says, “Give it a try. You don’t know if you don’t try, as with anything in life.”
There’s no particular training required for drywalling. It’s very much a learn it on the job vocation.
“It is such a niche job. You have to have someone who is willing to teach you. It’s all about the tools and the technique. If people are willing to try, they can do it.”
And that’s one of the reasons Jackie thinks people should give it a try.
“There’s nothing holding women back from this work. It’s dirty. I love it. You can make good money. There’s a good future. You could go anywhere in the world to do this work.”
“For someone who likes to be busy, it’s a great job.”
<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignnone wp-image-4369 size-full" src="https://partners.blackbean.marketing/skillscentre/wp-content/uploads/sites/14/Jackie-on-stilts-January-2024-crop-web.webp" alt="" width="741" height="927" srcset="https://partners.blackbean.marketing/skillscentre/wp-content/uploads/sites/14/Jackie-on-stilts-January-2024-crop-web.webp 741w, https://partners.blackbean.marketing/skillscentre/wp-content/uploads/sites/14/Jackie-on-stilts-January-2024-crop-web-240x300.webp 240w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 741px) 100vw, 741px" />

No holding back: drywalling is the right trade for women

Thousands of people across Canada will be walking on February 24 for Coldest Night of the Year. We’re hoping that a couple of hundred of them will be right here in Trail.
Coldest Night of the Year is an annual walk to raise funds to help people experiencing poverty in our community. The Skills Centre is again the host organization for the Trail event and will have the start and finish of the walk set up on the esplanade outside their office downtown.
“You can join a team of walkers, gather your friends or coworkers and create your own team, or support a team with a donation. We invite everyone to gather on February 24 for either a 2 km or a 5 km walk,” says Emily Gora, deputy executive director and development manager at the Skills Centre.
“Our goal this year is to raise $40,000. We’re confident that our community will show the support to make that happen. Most of the money stays in the community and supports poverty reduction right here in Trail,” she adds.
You can donate as a business or an individual either by contacting the Skills Centre or going online at <a href="http://www.cnoy.org/trail">www.cnoy.org/trail</a>. Business sponsorships start at $500 and include recognition for your business.
“Business sponsorships are crucial to the success of Coldest Night of the Year, and we’re looking for a few more to help us reach our goals,” Gora says.
Walk this way
Poverty affects our whole community, and your contribution makes a difference.
The money raised in past years has gone towards poverty reduction efforts such as the Skills Centre’s Community Kitchens program that helps people create healthy food practices for their household; the La Nina shelter; and the Trail Community Action Team’s work to reduce the stigma towards people who use substances in our communities.
This year’s walk will again start and end at the Skills Centre (123-1290 Esplanade Ave). The 2 km walk is around the bridges and the 5 km walk is to Gyro Park and back.
You can register online beforehand, or you can register at the event. Check-in for the Coldest Night of the Year walk on February 24 opens at 4 pm, the walk starts at 5 pm, and then there is a light meal for anyone participating. Walkers who fundraise $150 or more get a free toque or if walkers are under 18, they get a free toque once they hit $75 in donations.
Go to <a href="http://www.cnoy.org/trail">www.cnoy.org/trail</a> to sign up or make a donation.
See you on February 24th for Coldest Night of the Year!
The Skills Centre has a long history of providing innovative and transformative community programming especially in support of youth, women, immigrants, newcomers and people living with low income. It also provides regional poverty reduction programming in partnership with five local municipalities.
The Skills Centre’s poverty reduction programming includes:
<ul>
<li>food security initiatives such as Community Kitchens</li>
<li>running the affordable housing directory and a continued effort to ensure that BC Housing supports Supportive Housing in Trail</li>
<li>advocacy for a living wage</li>
<li>the Ending Working Poverty project in collaboration with Tamarack Institute</li>
<li>offering bursaries to women and graduating high school students living with low income</li>
<li>and the development of a Common Access Card that allows people living with low income to access recreational facilities and cultural events</li>
</ul>
Schedule
Date &amp; Time
<ul>
<li>February 24 from 4:00-7:00 pm</li>
</ul>
Location
<ul>
<li>Events start and finish at the Skills Centre offices at #123-1290 Esplanade Ave, in downtown Trail</li>
</ul>
Schedule
<ul>
<li>4:00 pm: Check-in opens</li>
<li>5:00 pm: Opening remarks + send-off</li>
<li>6:00 pm: Light meal served</li>
</ul>
&nbsp;

Stepping up for Coldest Night of the Year walk

pre-employment

Free Rein Ranch

“I find it always amazing that the horse as the teacher transforms human participants. I haven&#8217;t met a person yet that the horse hasn&#8217;t changed in one way or another. It&#8217;s all about the horse. I just give a place for the magic to happen.”
Those are the words of Rebecca Horkoff, an equine-assisted learning facilitator and owner of Free Rein Ranch in Grand Forks, BC. Rebecca provides the equine-assisted learning for our HEART—Healing through Equine Assistance &amp; Resiliency Training—program in Grand Forks.
<blockquote>Our final Grand Forks HEART session starts February 5, so if you are interested in participating, contact us today.</blockquote>
What is equine-assisted learning?
Equine-assisted learning (EAL) is a learner-based educational experience with horses that encourages individual and team growth. Participants learn communication skills, problem solving and negotiation. They build healthy relationships, and they learn how to think and see things from outside of the box.
“We facilitate life skills through positively reinforced interaction with the horses. The whole mindset is based on the medicine wheel: Mental Health, Physical Health, Spiritual health, Emotional Health. I always stand in awe of the horses and how they heal humans,” Rebecca says.
“While working with these majestic creatures, they will show us direction, and they will show people the areas that we need to work on in our lives, and help us through the journey.”
All horses really ask of humans is leadership and safety, she explains. Horses can be a mirror of what&#8217;s really going on inside a person. They want to be part of a herd or team, so if the human team is open and receptive, the horse &#8220;teacher&#8221; will willingly work with the human team. If the human team is closed and not receptive, the horse will also show resistance.
“How the relationship between the teacher and the humans develops and how they interact with each other depends on the humans. The horses are always willing to teach what is needed. Equine-assisted learning is very experiential,” she explains.
Trust &amp; instincts
“Trust is a huge aspect for the humans and the horse,&#8221; Rebecca says.
“Horses look for honest direction, leadership and safety, and they have set boundaries. They don&#8217;t judge, and they don&#8217;t lie. They live in the moment and don&#8217;t hold grudges. If you are willing to work as a team with them, they will respond by working with you.”
These healthy boundaries and the way they build relationships is what keeps them alive in the wild. And what does trust between a horse and a participant look like?
“There have been many studies on how horse herds mirror human families. Trust is honesty, trust is nonjudgmental, trust is knowing who is leading you is not going to allow you to walk into a hole or a wall or some other obstacle.”
Reading the body language of a horse
Rebecca got involved in equine-assisted learning after retiring from 30 years as a registered veterinary nurse.
“I wanted to continue to work with my horses, but had a strong desire to help people while working with the horses, and that&#8217;s when I stumbled upon Equine Connection International out of Strathmore, Alberta, in 2016. I became certified and haven&#8217;t looked back! I had never been involved with a program that always delivers irrefutable results. It’s all about the horses and how astute they are as teachers if we just allow them to teach us.”
If a person is hesitant to get close to a horse, how does Rebecca help them overcome this?
“Education is number one. Getting rid of the fear of the unknown. The first session is all about how to work with the horse safely, and read the body language of the horse. Participants learn about the brushes we use to groom the horses, and how brushing the horse is similar to meeting someone new and having coffee. Participants also learn how to build healthy relationships.”
“Horses are very non verbal. But they are also 700 to 1,000 pounds. You know the saying you can lead a horse to water, but you can&#8217;t make them drink? A good example of that is leading or dragging a horse. If someone was to come to you and gently lead you to, say, cross the road, you would be inclined to go with them. But if someone came to you and grabbed your arm and started pulling you, how inclined would you be to go? Negotiation is not always a verbal discussion.”
Creating an amazing experience
Rebecca describes some of the meaningful moments she has seen with HEART participants, including watching people find self confidence and self worth.
“As we as humans learn to communicate on a healthy level, we then find the confidence to be creative in our thinking, problem solving, and working in a team atmosphere. The way the horses teach is very fluid and every situation is different. Having a horse as a teacher is something amazing to experience.”
“The way the horses teach can be very philosophical or as superficial as the human participants want it to be. As in all situations, if we want to learn, we will listen not only with our minds, but our inner being. There is not just one black and white answer. The horses teach how to look outside the box.”
<blockquote>“One EAL participant told me, ‘This is way deeper than I ever expected. I thought we were just going to come play with horses. Boy do they have a lot to show us!’”</blockquote>
Rebecca and the horses at Free Rein Ranch are part of our upcoming HEART program in Grand Forks, starting February 5. To apply for this session, contact us today.

No horsing around – HEART heals people

Medicine Wheel

Coaching

Yoga

We’ve crafted a new version of <a href="https://skillscentre.ca/how-we-help/healing-and-wellness" target="_blank" rel="noopener">HEART</a> that’s winter-friendly to help you build your skills, confidence and self-esteem and move towards employment readiness.
Because it is winter and working with the horses would not be possible, we’ve partnered with Kootenay Sol Yoga to offer yoga and mindfulness workshops in place of the equine assisted learning. We’re excited to continue to offer both art therapy, with Julie James, and holistic life coaching, with Kim Robertson, over the course of this four week program.
Kim is owner of Medicine Wheel Coaching, a Trail-based personal coaching company.
“My approach to coaching is to offer a different perspective for someone who is at a crossroads in life, or their work or career or relationships and productivity. We focus on thought-provoking questions that deepen a person’s awareness of where they are at with themselves, holistically,” she says.
“They learn what it means to build their medicine wheel for themselves and how they can use that information to make choices that are better suited with their best interest, how they can use it to balance themselves in challenging times, and what it is they really want. In developing their medicine wheel, participants gather up tools and resources that align with their next steps to holistic wellness.”
These sessions of <a href="https://skillscentre.ca/how-we-help/healing-and-wellness" target="_blank" rel="noopener">HEART</a> will be in groups of up to eight participants, who will be paid a living wage of $21.13 per hour for up to 16 hours per week, to attend. Participants can also access mental health care, childcare and transportation costs, clothing and hygiene items, and other services.
HEART is open to anyone who is a newcomer to Canada, part of a racialized group, Indigenous, and anyone with a self-identified physical disability or mental health consideration.
<ul>
<li>The next session of HEART in Trail starts January 15.</li>
<li>We’re also offering it in Grand Forks starting on February 5.</li>
<li>The final Trail session will start on February 26.</li>
</ul>
Kim is an Indigenous person from Beaver Lake Cree Nation in northern Alberta.
“I was fostered into a non-Indigenous family, which was very fortunate to help break the chains of many ancestral traumas. It’s this breaking of chains that lead me into my journey of service as a holistic wellness coach. As a coach, I bring many layers of healing that has me living in emotional intelligence, physical awareness, mental resilience and spiritual strength. This enables me to offer compassion and understanding for the many invisible blockages that our subconscious hides away from us and causes us harm,” she tells us.
<blockquote>“I love being a co-creator and witness to the transformations of clients who open up to those awarenesses and start their journey of self empowerment and personal growth.”</blockquote>
She outlines the transformations people experience through coaching:
“Many say how they come away with a new awareness that helps with moving them forward, one step at a time. Some say how it was life changing, in the way that they released something that no longer serves them. Some have a release of tears; they say it’s because they feel safe. Many come with a low number of how they were feeling at the start of the session on a scale of 1-10 and leave with a higher number of feeling better. Many love the group sessions because of the positive connections they make and how they are encouraged to give each other positive feedback to with one another’s permission.”
Seats are limited in each upcoming session, <a href="https://skillscentre.ca/contact" target="_blank" rel="noopener">so contact us today to register</a>.

HEART gets you in shape with yoga & life coaching

poverty

food security

The working poor make up a staggering 42% of people living in poverty across Canada. Working poverty is defined as working part or full time yet struggling to meet basic needs such as adequate shelter and food. It’s a complex challenge, and it impacts people in every community.
A group of organizations in Trail is tackling the issue through the Building Community Resilience by Ending Working Poverty initiative. This collaborative effort involves five communities nationwide, with Trail representing British Columbia, alongside Chatham-Kent, Ontario; Winnipeg, Manitoba; Saskatoon, Saskatchewan; and Drumheller, Alberta. The Tamarack Institute, a University of Waterloo think tank, is facilitating the project and providing coaching, peer networking, and assistance in developing local strategies.
Locally, the Skills Centre is leading the Ending Working Poverty project along with the City of Trail, local small businesses, Lower Columbia Initiatives Corporation, Trail FAIR Society, Public Health and local people with lived experience of working poverty. Heather Glenn-Dergousoff is the Skills Centre’s poverty reduction specialist.
“Recognizing the urgency of this issue, we’re helping empower communities to develop effective strategies for increasing the financial well-being of working people who remain in poverty. Smaller, rural communities need different solutions than larger urban centres, and that’s one of the reasons Trail joined this initiative,” Glenn-Dergousoff says.
“The initiative signifies a united commitment to create lasting change, building resilience and fostering a future where working poverty is a thing of the past,” she says. The group is in the second year of a planned three years for the project.
They are currently exploring the intrinsic, secondary, and systemic issues affecting people living and working in the community who are still having a hard time making ends meet. This part of the project, funded by a BC Healthy Communities Plan H grant and Tamarack Institute, aims to enhance supports and services through revisiting existing community plans and applying a new equity lens to suggest modifications that ensure overall well-being for under-resourced groups.
“We are consulting the community and engaging in the discussions that will lead to revised plans, support policy restructuring and result in systems change. We’ve got a survey that we’re encouraging people of all income levels to complete to give us a better picture of the local situation,” Glenn-Dergousoff says.
“The End of Working Poverty initiative has set ambitious goals, including a 5% improvement in the financial well-being of people working but living in poverty, by the end of the three years. We also want to produce successful strategies that we can easily share and adapt throughout Canada,” Glenn-Dergousoff says.
“By addressing working poverty head-on, we envision Trail becoming a place where more residents can thrive and prosper.”

Trail takes bold steps to end working poverty

There is a big gap between the haves and have nots in Trail. That’s one of the messages from a colleague of the Skills Centre who has agreed to an interview to discuss their experience as a living wage earner provided we keep their identity anonymous. We agreed because we feel that what she has to say is important to share.
There are pros and cons to the living wage in almost everything she discusses.
“The living wage decreases your financial strain, but it still isn’t great. It does help to buy healthier food and participate in some activities. This supports a healthy family unit. It helps with meeting basic needs with quality items. However, when costs of living rise exponentially, the living wage isn’t enough,” she says.
The living wage is the income a worker needs to pay for basic essentials like food and rent, along with the ability to have an active and fulfilling family and personal life, Living Wage BC explains. It is calculated using a basic budget for a two-income family with two young children. The calculation does not include paying off debt, saving for the future or the cost of caring for a loved one such as an elderly parent.
Living wage rates increased in 2023
Trail’s living wage is now $21.55 per hour based on a 35 hour week. Our colleague and her partner fit the living wage example with two incomes and three children, one in high school and two younger children requiring various childcare coverage.
“One parent needs a flexible job as there is no after school care at most schools, and we’re not in a position to get support from family. It isn’t really realistic to have two parents working full time, year round, unless one of them has extremely flexible work arrangements. Someone always needs to be available for family issues that come up,” she says.
“What we can do regarding kids activities is limited. We cannot keep up with the higher incomes earned through Teck or Interior Health, so often kids get left out of things. Local expectations on what we can afford are too high,” she explains.
“We still live paycheque to paycheque. It’s not just about the wage. We have no benefits.”
Employers benefit from fair compensation, too
An employer paying for benefits is one way they can mitigate the cost of living for employees and provide better compensation that isn’t entirely based on wages.
A living wage helps employees feel more loyalty to an employer, our colleague says. Looking at it as a cost benefit analysis, if they pay a living wage, they will have less turn over, which means more consistency in service and better customer satisfaction. Customers and clients want more consistency, she believes.
“If you feel like you are earning enough you will stay, if you are under constant financial pressure, you will always been on the lookout for a better job.” Living Wage BC’s information backs up this idea: 96% of living wage employers in BC have found that paying a living wage has helped them live their values and reduce staff turnover.
<img decoding="async" src="https://partners.blackbean.marketing/skillscentre/wp-content/uploads/sites/14/Benefits-of-Living-Wage-web.webp" alt="" />
“Business should think of it like maintenance on a car. For a good running vehicle, you need to pay for and have regular oil changes. If you don’t, you are running on old dirty oil which makes for a less reliable and efficient car. Having living wages is like making sure your car is running on clean oil.”
While she understands that small businesses are often also just scraping by, she sees the solution in sustainable business planning to ensure that the costs associated with a living wage are actually considered with the benefits.
“As for the community, it is a happier place if people make a living wage. Overall, the wellness of the community is better. If we don’t have to worry about money, we have more time to volunteer in our community and support people who live here. If we are always worried about making more money, we tend to work more and longer which leaves no time for community investment.”
As an employee, are you earning a living wage? If you’re an employer, do you pay a living wage? <a href="https://www.livingwageforfamilies.ca/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Find out what you need to do to become a certified living wage employer.</a>

What a living wage does & doesn’t do

Community Kitchens is up and running again, thanks in large part to your local contributions to Coldest Night of the Year. We committed to using the money raised at the fundraiser in February to keeping Community Kitchens going, and Alanna and her participants are cooking up a storm these days.
Community Kitchens brings together people living with low income to learn how to plan and prepare healthy meals on a budget. It also provides social connection and a chance to learn about other supports they can find in the community. Alanna and her group meet once a week at the United Church in downtown Trail and spend the afternoon cooking enough food for each person’s household.
People who participated in Community Kitchens earlier this year told us it helped them make social connections, improved their emotional well-being, and made them feel more secure about food. They also said Community Kitchens improved their cooking skills and their budgeting skills. And they said they wished it was more often than once a week.
<blockquote>“The cooking class was great—it helped me have full meals, let us visit and get to know others, learn new things to eat and prepare. I love it,” commented one participant.</blockquote>
<blockquote>“The classes helped me learn to cook, helped my social skills, got me out of the house regularly and inspired me to get a full time job in a fine dining kitchen as a dishwasher. My confidence has improved greatly. My life has direction and it&#8217;s good to be busy and living better,” said another.</blockquote>
We’re able to run Community Kitchens thanks to your donations to Coldest Night of the Year, along with contributions from Trail Safeway, the Hamber Foundation and the First Presbyterian Church in Trail. The next session of Community Kitchens starts February 6, so <a href="https://skillscentre.ca/contact">contact us</a> if you are interested in joining or know someone who would benefit from participating.
And don’t forget that <a href="https://cnoy.org/location/trail">Coldest Night of the Year</a> is coming in February, and we’re aiming for an even bigger turnout in 2024!

Your Coldest Night of the Year contributions are at work in the kitchen

“I believe in giving back to the community. It’s now my job to provide services to an organization that serves the community, and it just feels right,” Lori Ketchuk says with a smile, clearly happy to have joined our Skills Centre team.
Lori is our new Chief Financial Officer. She grew up in Oliver, then moved to Alberta to attend the University of Calgary and get her accounting designation. Just over four years ago, she moved to Nelson.
“I’m so happy to be back in BC where I get to live and work amongst the mountains and trees and water,” she says.
Lori’s entire career has been in finance, starting with PricewaterhouseCoopers, then moving to heavy industry in Alberta and BC. She has always volunteered in her community, yet the Skills Centre is her first foray into working for a non-profit, and she says she is excited to learn all the nuances of non-profit accounting.
Lori’s son is a student at the National Theatre School of Canada in Montreal, and her daughter is in grade 12 at LV Rogers Secondary School in Nelson.
Getting outside to walk with her Australian terrier, Tessa, a dog she describes as having a “big personality” is a big part of Lori’s enjoyment of the West Kootenays.
“I love living here, except when there are grizzly bears at my front door,” she says, noting that the three grizzlies that have been hanging around Nelson this fall have visited her neighbourhood on more than one occasion.
Bears aside, we’re thrilled to have Lori join our team!

Welcome Lori Ketchuk, our new CFO

The 4 day work week keeps finding its way into the news, so there must be something to it, right? If you follow the Skills Centre, you probably already know that <a href="https://skillscentre.ca/resources/news/view/skills-centre-embraces-four-day-work-week">we’ve had a 4 day work week since 2019</a>.
We’ve written about <a href="https://skillscentre.ca/resources/news/view/the-case-for-the-4-day-work-week">the success we’ve had with the 4 day work week</a> before, however, it’s worth repeating that we’ve seen increased productivity and a decrease in staff absenteeism. The benefits far outweigh the limitations.
Some of our suppliers and partners have asked us how we implemented the 4 day work week. They’re considering it as an innovation for their workplace and as a possible way to attract new employees. Some of these businesses have tried their own variations, such as a 4.5 day week in summer (half day Fridays). We applaud them for giving it a try. Creativity and flexibility are the keys to making the 4 day week work.
We’ve also had people dismiss the idea immediately. They tell us it might work for an office that’s only open Monday to Friday, but a business that is open 7 days a week can’t do it. That’s where creativity and flexibility come in. As one of the CBC stories notes, one company reported a 25% drop in sick days and personal days taken and a 15% reduction in administrative tasks, stating that their company has never been more efficient.
Shift work has been around for a long time—the old 4 on, 3 off idea—in different variations in many industries, so making a 4 day work week the gold standard should be possible. Businesses and organizations that have tried it indicate it is easier to attract and retain employees, a hot topic these days.
The 4 Day Week Global report shares that 95% of employees in their study, and 100% of the companies, want to stay with the 4 day work week.
The 4 day work week is just one of many ways that our workplaces are evolving. Employers and employees are focusing more on mental health, work/life balance, employee retention, and a just transition to a sustainable economy.
How is your workplace adapting? Will you try a 4 day work week?
Here are 4 other media stories about the 4 day work week to inspire you:
<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.linkedin.com/news/story/four-day-workweek-wins-out-5562156/">A collection of posts on LinkedIn</a></li>
<li><a href="https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/benefits-of-4-day-work-week-touted-by-b-c-greens-local-companies-1.6758637">CBC British Columbia story</a></li>
<li><a href="https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/four-day-work-week-north-america-study-1.6921359">CBC national story</a></li>
<li><a href="https://www.ctvnews.ca/business/here-are-the-pros-and-cons-of-a-4-day-work-week-1.6559679">CTV story</a></li>
</ul>

4 Day Work Week Update

Zoë Dowdall proudly brings her lived experience to her role at the Skills Centre. She was a stay at home mom, returned to school as an adult and really got into the workforce in her late thirties. Zoë is our newest project specialist.
She grew up in England and moved to Canada in 2005. She’s been in the Kootenays with her family since 2016 and has no plans to leave. “It feels like home,” she says.
Her own experience as a newcomer also gives her a different perspective that she believes will help her with her clients.
“Having had that different experience helps me relate differently to clients. It can be hard with clients if they think you don’t know what they are experiencing,” she says.
“I’m really excited to be moving into facilitating programs and learning about the community and putting what I learn into creating and implementing programs.”
Zoë is facilitating our HEART program, something she is also very excited about because she used to ride horses in the UK.
If you or someone you know is interested in HEART, <a href="mailto:zmccabe@skillscentre.ca">contact Zoë today to find out more.</a>

Meet Zoë Dowdall, our newest project specialist

“Everyone should know about this.” That’s the word on the street about the new Common Access Card. The card allows people with low income to access recreation and leisure services at a reduced cost in Trail, Warfield, Rossland, Beaver Valley and area.
Users of the Common Access Card program are telling us that it’s “long overdue”, “much needed” and “super exciting”.
The Common Access Card is the latest poverty reduction initiative from Thriving for All, the official poverty reduction plan for five local municipalities that the Skills Centre has been implementing for the past few years.
Getting the card means the person or family living with low income qualifies for the discounts, such as 50% off at the Trail Aquatic &amp; Leisure Centre or 75% off at the Warfield swimming pool. In Rossland, the card allows you to access a recreation bursary to be used to enhance health and wellness to a maximum of $200 per person per year.
<blockquote>It’s a simple process to apply, and once you have the card, you just need to show it at the participating venues to get the discount.</blockquote>
“People applying are people who may not have applied through previous programs, so it is meeting a need,” says Heather Glenn-Dergousoff, poverty reduction project specialist at the Skills Centre.
“We asked questions such has how do we support people in our community living with low income? It has generated conversations that might not have happened otherwise. For instance, Warfield has never had a low income option for their swimming pool. Now they do, so it is opening doors for equitable access that weren’t there before,” she adds.
If you live in Trail, Warfield, Rossland, Beaver Valley and area you may be eligible for the Common Access Card. <a href="https://portal.skillscentre.ca/programs/common-access-card/">Learn more here.</a>

Leveling the playing field for recreation & leisure

“I started with running a daycare, then I taught elementary school, and now I’m working with adults,” Tina Caputo says happily. Happy, smiling and enthusiastic are the best ways to describe Tina’s first few days at the Skills Centre. She’s our newest project specialist and is eager to start working with clients.
You could certainly call Tina a local. She grew up in Fruitvale, went to high school in Rossland, and now lives in Trail. She’s been very involved in minor hockey for the past seven years in various roles and currently is the West Kootenay governor of U15.
“I quite like it. It’s one of the highlights of the day for me,” she says of her hockey commitments.
Tina has been an elementary teacher on call for the past six years and brings her experience in education as well as on the teachers’ union board to her new role.
She will be working primarily with our new <a href="https://skillscentre.ca/how-we-help/skills-training/2">Emerging Tech program for youth ages 17 to 29</a>. She has taken extensive training at Selkirk College in their computer information systems program and has experience working with teens. She also delivered the Applied Design Skills &amp; Technology curriculum in local elementary schools for a year. The ADST program included introducing kids to Tinkercad, virtual reality programming and 3D printing, all technologies that youth might want to explore in Emerging Tech.
“It’s exciting to be at the start of a new program and help people become more comfortable with a new technology,” she says. “Often when people are reluctant about something it’s because they don’t understand it. Once they try it and become comfortable learning it, that changes.”
Tina will be helping young people with intakes for <a href="https://skillscentre.ca/how-we-help/skills-training/2">Emerging Tech</a> through the summer with training starting in September. If you’re interested in exploring the latest technologies and how they’ll help you in your career, <a href="mailto:tcaputo@skillscentre.ca">contact Tina today</a>.

Welcome Tina, our newest project specialist

If a couple of words can sum up the past year at the Skills Centre, they would be change and growth. Big changes for the organization and big changes for the community of Trail—and the Skills Centre has highlighted their work in their 2023 Community Impact Report.
“We set some ambitious goals for our work over the next five years, and we’re fully committed to achieving them. We’ve grown as an organization this past year, and we’re increasing our impact in certain areas,” says Morag Carter, Skills Centre executive director.
<ul>
<li>In the past year, the Skills Centre has purchased the buildings at the corner of Eldorado and Esplanade and <a href="https://skillscentre.ca/who-we-are/our-new-building">begun an extensive renovation</a> that will be a community asset unlike any in downtown Trail.</li>
<li>In response to community needs, the Skills Centre has increased its focus on poverty reduction work <a href="https://skillscentre.ca/how-we-help/poverty-reduction">with several initiatives.</a></li>
<li>After four years, some of the Skills Centre’s training programs have come to an end, and with a focus on employees’ and employers’ future needs, they have launched <a href="https://skillscentre.ca/how-we-help/skills-training/2">new programs</a>.</li>
</ul>
“The core business of the Skills Centre—to deliver skills building programs to targeted members of the community—has once again been hugely successful. The programs team delivered nine provincial programs to youth, older workers and survivors of trauma and violence. We were also approved for a new federal program, which we are delivering in partnership with the Columbia Basin Alliance for Literacy (CBAL),” Carter explains.
Much of the Skills Centre’s work provides essential stability to a changing workforce, and that’s their theme looking ahead. New programs focus on emerging technology, remote work, reducing working poverty, supporting mental health, and future-proofing the workforce.
<a href="https://partners.blackbean.marketing/skillscentre/wp-content/uploads/sites/14/Community-Impact-Report-2023-Final-web.pdf">Read the Skills Centre 2023 Community Impact Report here.</a>

Change & growth theme of Skills Centre’s impact in the community

Everyone at the Skills Centre was thrilled to welcome two new members to our board of directors at our recent annual general meeting: Liz Anderson and Dhiraj Chatpar. We’ll introduce Liz here meet Dhiraj at a later date.
Liz is a community member with a diverse background and a burgeoning passion for empowering individuals through education and community building. Born and raised in Castlegar, she embarked on a journey of personal growth that has shaped her into the committed professional she is today.
After completing her studies at Selkirk College and Thompson Rivers University, Liz graduated with honours, earning a Bachelor of Arts degree in Psychology.
As a single mother for 17 years, Liz confronted various challenges that fuelled her resilience and determination. She worked across multiple industries, gaining valuable skills and experiences before finding her true passion in the field of technology, particularly Software as a Service (SaaS).
Motivated by her own experiences as a single mother and the support she received during that time, Liz developed an interest in community economic development and learning. She recognizes the value of training, education, and community initiatives in empowering individuals to reach their full potential. Through her role on the board, Liz is eager to contribute her time, perspective, and expertise to the Skills Centre, working towards the betterment of the community as a whole.
Liz has Metis ancestry, and while not raised in the culture, is on a journey to learn about both her own history and that of the local Nations on whose traditional territory she lives, learns, works and plays.
Now residing with her husband, Jesse, in Rossland, Liz is the very proud mother of Irie Anderson, a local entrepreneur, jiu jitsu gold medalist, and chief coach at Rossland Martial Arts.
We’re excited to have Liz join our team!

Liz Anderson joins Skills Centre board

Lila Cresswell is clearly not afraid of change. As the adage says, it is the only constant, and as she steps down from the Skills Centre’s board of directors after 11 years, change is the theme of our conversation.
Lila joined the Skills Centre board in 2012. In 2014 she was to become secretary-treasurer, however, the two board members leading the executive committee had their jobs transferred out of the community, and at the 2015 annual general meeting it was Lila presenting the president’s report. She held that position until last year when she became past-president and Mary Lawson took over the president’s role.
All the changes and growth that she’s seen in her time with the Skills Centre is what stands out for her. The amount of change that the Skills Centre has been through has been its biggest challenge and what she is most proud of in her time on the board.
<blockquote>“Seeing the diversification of programs, and funding, and years of planning and work coming together. It’s absolutely amazing how the board and staff have managed it. Thank goodness we have had a good executive director and management team who have made so many positive changes,” she says.</blockquote>
“What’s most memorable for me is the transition that has taken place on this board. We knew we had to diversify. The board is inclusive of all things. We’re representative of more of the community now.”
She also emphasizes how impressed she is with the equity, diversity and inclusion training that the Skills Centre provides for staff, board and clients.
<blockquote>“It’s an amazing thing to take on,” she says, using this as an example of how the Skills Centre deals with training for its clients as part of the entire social fabric to make a better way of life for anyone.</blockquote>
It also reflects the optimism she has for the future of the Skills Centre and particularly its biggest project currently underway, the new building renovation.
“Seeing the building coming together is so great. It’s going to be a community hub. It’s going to be a very important part of the community. We’ll see more groups using it, more meshing of the organizations weaving together the social safety net,” she says.
And that leads to her advice for the future for the people in the organization:
<blockquote>“Hold the vision. Keep going forward. We have a board and staff that are not afraid of change. I’m proud to have been a part of it. It’s so nice to see these people on the board giving back and staff who are all so good at what they do. Congratulations to all of them.”</blockquote>

Lila Cresswell retires from the board

Our newest manager almost didn’t apply for the job, and we almost missed out on a talented individual who brings a whole new set of skills to our team. Why? Because she didn’t feel she was qualified. Or that she didn’t meet all the qualifications we were asking for in the job posting.
What changed her mind? This paragraph at the end of the job posting:
<blockquote>Don’t meet every single requirement? Studies have shown that women and people of colour are less likely to apply to jobs unless they meet every single qualification. At the Skills Centre we are dedicated to building a diverse, inclusive and authentic workplace, so if you’re excited about this role but your past experience doesn’t align perfectly with every qualification in the job description, we encourage you to apply anyway. You may be just the right candidate for this or other roles.</blockquote>
We found this paragraph on LinkedIn where another woman had used it. We started including it in our job postings last year, and now we have undeniable proof that it is effective. Who hasn’t looked at a job posting and said, oh, well, they want someone with this and this and I haven’t done that, so I won’t bother applying? Who hasn’t stretched their experience a bit to try to fit the exact description in a job posting?
To be honest, we were surprised she thought she wasn’t qualified. How is it that we can have two such different interpretations of experience and qualifications? Transferable skills is one part of it. Transferable skills are those skills that can be used in any job, such as communication skills, empathy, critical thinking, reliability or management skills.
The long-held belief that you have to meet every qualification is another part of it. We tend to think there will be people more qualified than we are applying. People who have done that exact job (an unrealistic expectation most of the time) and can just move in to the new role effortlessly.
<blockquote>There’s the adage to hire for attitude, skills can be learned. Our effort to encourage people to look at their skills and experience differently runs along those lines. You’ve developed this type of project and worked with that type of organization? Well you should certainly be able to handle our needs. Different industry? That means you’ll bring different insights to this job, and that’s almost always a good thing.</blockquote>
Years ago I had a manager who didn’t care what university degree you had because it probably wasn’t going to be that relevant to the job. What he cared about was that you finished a degree because that takes a lot of effort and work, and for him that showed you were able to accomplish big, long term tasks.
With the current labour shortages, it is even more crucial to be flexible in your hiring practices. Be clear in your job posting that you’ll consider any and all experience. Be clear that you don’t expect everyone to be able to tick every box (and if you can’t be clear about that, perhaps you need to rethink your expectations). Be open to more diverse applicants.
You will probably be pleasantly surprised to see the diversity of well-qualified people who you’d be happy to have join your team and bring a whole new skill set to your workplace.

Don’t meet every single requirement? Apply anyway

A new session of HEART – Healing through Equine Assistance &amp; Resiliency Training – starts this month in Trail.
Boost your social, mental, physical and emotional well-being while we help you develop the skills to get ready for a job. Grow your resiliency and soft skills, access counselling and financial support, and break down barriers to employment, all with the help of healing and learning through equine-assisted training.
<a href="https://skillscentre.ca/how-we-help/healing-and-wellness">HEART is a skills development program</a> for participants across the Kootenay/Boundary region that includes foundational and transferable skills, social and emotional skills, and equine-assisted learning to help you get ready for work.
It is a pre-employment program to improve your overall well-being and employment readiness.
If you are a newcomer, a refugee, a member of a racialized group, a person with a disability, or an Indigenous person, you may be eligible for this pre-employment program.
Participants will also receive individual counselling supports and a training wage at a living wage rate of $21.13 per hour for 16 hours per week.
Our first session is in Trail, April 24 to May 19, followed by Grand Forks May 29 to June 23.
We will also be offering sessions in Creston and Cranbrook, with dates to be confirmed.
If you or someone you know might qualify for and benefit from our HEART program, <a href="https://skillscentre.ca/contact">please contact us</a> today to learn more.

Start with HEART – we’ve got a new employment-readiness program!

The BC government is looking for input on how they can move forward with a new plan to reduce poverty in the province. They want everyone’s input and perspective so that all voices are captured and heard as they devise new legislation and policies to help people living in poverty.
The Skills Centre is hosting a community engagement session on April 24 to gather feedback to share with the province for its poverty reduction strategy. Our poverty reduction specialist, Heather Glenn-Dergousoff, will facilitate the two hour session.
She will be asking four questions:
<ol>
<li>What are the main factors contributing to poverty in your community today?</li>
<li>What programs and services are having the biggest impact in addressing poverty or the effects of poverty and why</li>
<li>What gaps still exist in improving poverty reduction services or services to address the effects of poverty?</li>
<li>From your experience, what more could be done to reduce poverty in community? What opportunities are missed?</li>
</ol>
Everyone is welcome to attend the input session, though we’re especially hoping to hear from people who are currently experiencing poverty or have lived experience with poverty. We can accommodate 8 participants, and will provide a stipend of $42 for your time.
The session will be from 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. on Monday, April 24 at the Skills Centre’s office in downtown Trail. Lunch is included, and we can cover childcare and transportation costs if requested. Phone or email Heather to reserve a spot.
<a href="mailto:hglenn-dergousoff@skillscentre.ca">Heather Glenn-Dergousoff</a> 
Project Specialist – Poverty Reduction 
(she/her) 
Phone 250-368-6360 Ext 235 
Toll free 1-866-368-6360

Poverty Reduction Input Session April 24, 2023

Women aged 25-54 actively sought employment at record highs in 2022 and reached 81.6% employment by the end of the year. It’s important to evaluate what employment actually looks like for many women, particularly with the gender wage gap and persistent pay inequities.
Gender wage gap: what is it?
The gender wage gap is the difference in people’s average earnings based on gender. It exists across industries and professions, and it is often worse for racialized women, Indigenous women, and women with disabilities.
Many factors contribute to the gender wage gap. Here are a few:
<ul>
<li>Pay inequity – exists when unequal pay is given for equal work</li>
<li>Unequal access to advancement opportunities and higher paying jobs – women are often grossly underrepresented in higher paying professions and senior level roles, and often receive lower levels of mentorship than men, speaking to unconscious biases around the transfer of specialized knowledge</li>
<li>Limited flexibility in workplaces – particularly around childcare and caregiving needs that continue to fall predominantly on women; women provide childcare at a higher rate than men and represent 67% of caregivers providing 20 or more hours of support per week</li>
<li>Unpaid work – women are often responsible for more unpaid work activities than men, averaging 25.2 hours per week compared to men at 16.8 hours</li>
</ul>
These factors influence women’s decision making about employment and labour market participation (looking for work, staying in a job, etc).
What does this mean for women in our communities?
Quick Facts:
<ul>
<li>On average, women make 25.7% less than men in Canada</li>
<li>B.C. has one of the largest gender pay gaps in Canada with women making, on average, 28% less than men</li>
<li>In Kootenay Boundary the gap is 30.6%, in Central Kootenay 25.7%, and in East Kootenay 35.7%</li>
<li>B.C. is one of four provinces without either pay equity legislation or pay transparency</li>
</ul>
To better reflect all Canadians, the most recent Stats Canada census used gender terminology inclusive of identity and expression to include non-binary and transgender persons in their information gathering, noted as women+ and men+. In the Kootenay Boundary, women+ had an average income of $39,960 compared to men+ earning $57,550 last year, a difference of almost $20,000.
Central Kootenay women+ averaged $39,200, and men+ earned an average of $52,750. In the East Kootenay, this gaps widens the furthest with women+ earning $43,560 and men+ $67,700. These figures highlight that there is a lot of work to do to reduce the gendered wage gaps in our communities.
Progress is happening, but it&#8217;s too slow and not enough. In December, StatsCan reported decreases in both household income inequality and the gender wage gap. Even with these drops, the national wage gap between men and women is still $3.60 per hour. This works out to about $7,500 gross income per year less for women working full-time (40 hrs per week, 52 weeks per year) than men working the same hours.
Pay inequity between women and men is gender-based discrimination and injustice. It is also only one factor that contributes to gendered wage gaps and is proven to be deeply detrimental to women’s ability to achieve economic equality.
<blockquote>It will take 267 years to close the economic gender gap worldwide at the current rate of progress, according to the Canadian Women’s Foundation.</blockquote>
What can be done?
Women are not responsible to drive this change yet should be engaged in identifying the solutions needed to drive that change. Removing systemic barriers to achieve pay equity and eliminate gender pay gaps involves areas such as:
Legislation
<ul>
<li>Government and employers must prioritize legislation that supports equity for women – this includes promoting pay transparency and implementing and maintaining universal childcare initiatives</li>
</ul>
Representation
<ul>
<li>Women must be given the opportunity to secure higher paying jobs and career advancement opportunities</li>
</ul>
Workplace flexibility
<ul>
<li>Employers must promote and normalize flexible working conditions such as remote or hybrid work and flexible work hours</li>
<li>Employers must provide comprehensive benefits including paid sick time, optional flex days for personal use, and designated childcare/caregiving benefits and supports</li>
</ul>
Are you an employer?
Taking action on any of these can set change in motion. In a market that is chronically short on available workers, making work more accessible and equitable for women just makes sense. These actions are critical to support options for women to continue to enter the labour force at record high rates and remain competitively employed.
These initiatives promote diverse and inclusive workspaces and opportunities to dismantle systemic barriers for women. Don’t you want to be a part of that?

Women are setting records in employment, so why is employment equality not changing, too?

What are some issues affecting workers over the age of 55? We started discussing this question and quickly realized we have to offer solutions if we’re going to discuss issues. These solutions highlight the benefits of hiring mature workers.
Let us know if you’ve experienced any of these.
Issue: Age discrimination. Despite laws and regulations aimed at preventing age discrimination in the workplace, some workers over the age of 55 still face prejudice and bias in the hiring process. This can make it difficult for older workers to find and retain employment.
Solution: Experience and expertise. Older workers often have years of experience and a wealth of knowledge and skills that can be valuable to an organization.
Issue: Health concerns. As workers age, they may face health issues that affect their ability to perform their job duties. This can lead to difficulties in the workplace, including reduced hours, job loss, and discrimination.
Solution: There is a need for part time workers, and mature workers can fill this gap. Also, they create a multigenerational work place with mentorship opportunities. Older workers can provide valuable mentorship and guidance to younger employees, easing the mature worker’s work load and helping the younger employees to develop their skills and careers. This can lead to a positive, supportive work environment and a sense of teamwork and camaraderie.
Issue: Job security. The rapidly changing job market can make it difficult for older workers to remain competitive and secure in their jobs. Automation and technological advancements have disrupted many industries, leaving older workers at risk of being replaced by younger, more tech-savvy workers.
Solution: Loyalty and stability. Older workers tend to be more committed to their job and more likely to stay with an organization for an extended period of time. This can lead to greater stability and continuity within the workplace.
Also, while younger employees will likely change jobs many times in their careers, perhaps staying with your business only a few years, older workers are not on a career path looking for the next big thing. They’re much more likely to stay with you until they do fully retire.
Issue: Retraining and upskilling opportunities. As workers age, they may need to acquire new skills to remain relevant in the job market. Access to retraining and upskilling opportunities can be limited, especially for workers who are already in their 50s and 60s. This can make it difficult for older workers to move into new roles or industries.
Solution: Positive attitude and life experience. Many older workers are lifelong learners who are keen to take training, have a good work ethic and study practices and are good at putting in the work to succeed in their training. They are usually dedicated to completing tasks to the best of their ability, making them a valuable asset to any team.
And, back to the mentorship discussion, training can work both ways, with mature workers imparting their knowledge to younger employees.
We’re all about helping employers and employees find solutions to any issue that comes up. As a final note, older workers often have a positive attitude and a wealth of life experience that can bring a fresh perspective and energy to the workplace. Their life experience can also help to increase empathy and understanding in the workplace, leading to a more inclusive and respectful work environment.
And if that’s not enough, who is more likely to bring home-baked snacks for the lunch room?

The benefits of hiring mature workers

Wow! We’re so excited to share our vision for our new building in downtown Trail! And today’s announcement of more than $2.39 million from Infrastructure Canada will help make it happen.
Read the news release, <a href="https://partners.blackbean.marketing/skillscentre/wp-content/uploads/sites/14/NR-GICB-Skills-Centre-Eco-Renovation-Project-Trail-BC-EN_JSC.pdf">Canada invests to make the Skills Centre more accessible and sustainable</a>
<img decoding="async" src="https://partners.blackbean.marketing/skillscentre/wp-content/uploads/sites/14/West-White-final-web.webp" alt="" />

Canada invests to make the Skills Centre more accessible and sustainable

<img decoding="async" src="https://partners.blackbean.marketing/skillscentre/wp-content/uploads/sites/14/dashboard-jan-2023-v3.webp" alt="" />
<h3>January 2023 Labour Force Update</h3>
86% of Canadians are concerned about inflation and higher prices, according to a survey from the Workforce Confidence Index on LinkedIn. Age is a slight factor in levels of concern, with Millennials the most concerned (91%), followed by Gen X at 87% and Baby Boomers at 84%.
Millennials also noted the highest impacts to their mental health due to economic stress. People in all age groups are looking for ways to reduce costs or increase income.
This is reflected in the January Labour Force Survey which shows increases in the number of people who started to look for work alongside the continued low unemployment rates across the country. During uncertain economic times or periods of rising costs, it is common to see an influx of people starting to look for work out of necessity.
Let’s take a quick scan of what else the labour force had to say for January:
Kootenays
<ul>
<li>2,400 people started their search for work</li>
<li>1,800 people found a job</li>
<li>600 people became unemployed</li>
<li>Unemployment rate was 3.5%, up .6%</li>
</ul>
Top industries where people got jobs:
<ol>
<li>1,300 jobs in health occupations (excluding management)</li>
<li>1,100 jobs in trades, transport and equipment operators and related occupations (except management)</li>
<li>800 jobs in law, education, social community and government services (except management)</li>
</ol>
BC
<ul>
<li>15,300 people started their search for work</li>
<li>7,700 people found a job</li>
<li>Unemployment rate was 4.4%, fourth lowest in Canada and down .3%</li>
</ul>
Top industries where people got jobs:
<ol>
<li>4,100 jobs in construction</li>
<li>1,400 jobs in agriculture</li>
<li>1,000 jobs in utilities</li>
</ol>
Canada
<ul>
<li>153,000 people started their search for work in January</li>
<li>Unemployment rate was 5%</li>
<li>Non-permanent residents led Canada’s population growth at the fastest rate seen in over 50 years during the third quarter of 2022 (July &#8211; October)</li>
<li>People looking for work was up amongst all major demographic groups, particularly women 25-54 and people 55-64 years</li>
</ul>
Top industries where people got jobs:
<ol>
<li>59,000 jobs in wholesale and retail trade</li>
<li>40,000 jobs in health care and social assistance</li>
<li>18,000 jobs in educational services</li>
</ol>
Are you considering entering the labour market? We can help. Find more about our <a href="https://skillscentre.ca/how-we-help/">programs and services</a> or <a href="https://skillscentre.ca/contact/">contact us</a> to find out more. Our <a href="https://skillscentre.ca/jobs/">job board</a> is a great resource for job seekers as well.

Angst about the economy? You are not alone.

Kootenays
Has your commute seemed busier these days? What about parking, more difficult? Normally quiet places seem slightly busier? If you answered yes to any of these questions you may not be surprised to hear the region’s population grew again last month. With 100 more people in our communities in December, we’ve seen overall growth of about 500 people since June.
Yet there continue to be more jobs than available workers. If you are looking for work, that is good news.
The region’s unemployment rate dropped to a low of 2.9% in December, down 1% from November. While 400 people said they’d found a job during the month, an equal number of people left the workforce. Why would 400 people leave the labour market? Retirement or medical reasons are just two possible explanations.
This is not new, it’s the same trend we’ve been seeing for months – people continue to get jobs while others are exiting their job search altogether. It highlights that everyone needs to pursue their own path, and we can help you with that.
British Columbia
BC followed a similar trend as there was a drop in the province’s unemployment to 4.2%, the third lowest in Canada for December. This is highlighted by 16,600 people starting a job last month.
Canada
Canada overall saw 104,000 more people get a job in December, reflected by a drop of .1% in the country’s unemployment rate, bringing it down to 5%. The growth in employment was led by youth aged 15–24 years followed by people 55 – 64. Women 25 – 54 with children under age 6 also saw big increases in employment.
With multiple viral and respiratory illnesses continuing to make waves across the country, it’s no surprise to see that close to 1 in 10 employees reported being absent during the month: 8.1%, up from 6.8% in November. As illnesses such as Covid and influenza persist, we can anticipate seeing higher rates of absenteeism continuing.
Wages continued to increase, up 5.1% from December 2021, or +1.57 to $32.06. Ending the year, roughly 1 in every 10 workers currently has a hybrid working arrangement, up 6% from the start of the year. Hybrid indicates a combination of working from home and in the place of business, and if you are job searching, you can likely anticipate continuing to see this style of work available for many roles.
Understanding labour market trends can help you decide on your skills training and job search path. Have questions? <a href="https://skillscentre.ca/contact/">Contact us to see how we can help you.</a>
Questions or comments? Alia Locken, Research Officer at the Skills Centre, prepared this release. Contact her through email <a href="mailto:alocken@skillscentre.ca">alocken@skillscentre.ca</a> or phone (250)368-6360 ext 223. 
*Unadjusted, 3-month moving average 
**Seasonally adjusted
Sources:
Statistics Canada. <a href="https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/t1/tbl1/en/tv.action?pid=1410038702">Table 14-10-0387-02 Labour force characteristics by province and economic region, three-month moving average, unadjusted for seasonality (x 1,000)</a> Jan 16, 2023
Statistics Canada. <a href="https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/t1/tbl1/en/tv.action?pid=1410028701">Table 14-10-0287-01 Labour force characteristics, monthly, seasonally adjusted and trend-cycle, last 5 months</a> Jan 16, 2023
Statistics Canada. <a href="https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/n1/daily-quotidien/230106/dq230106a-eng.htm">The Daily — Labour Force Survey, December 2022 (statcan.gc.ca)</a> Jan 16, 2023
BC Stats. <a href="https://www2.gov.bc.ca/assets/gov/data/statistics/employment-labour-market/lfs_highlights.pdf">Labour Force Statistics Highlights Issue #22-12 (gov.bc.ca)</a> Jan 16, 2023

Low unemployment rate continues in the Kootenays

We hear there is an employment crunch. Lots of places are looking for workers. If you are someone looking for work, where do you find all these jobs? What do you have to do for your job search to work for you?
Advertising can be expensive, so many places look at quicker, cheaper ways to post a job. Here are a few suggestions to help you find out who is hiring.
Job boards – Search the job boards, online and in the newspapers. Respond quickly to ads. <a href="https://skillscentre.ca/jobs/">Check out our job board</a> regularly to start!
Think about the niche job boards. Many industry associations will advertise jobs on their websites. For instance, looking for work with a municipal government? <a href="https://www.civicinfo.bc.ca/">Civic Info BC</a> is a great place to look. What about the education field? School boards advertise jobs almost exclusively on their site <a href="https://www.makeafuture.ca/">Make a Future</a>.
Not everyone advertises positions on the many job boards though, so where else do you look?
Facebook pages and groups – Some local businesses and organizations put out a call on Facebook as the first step in advertising a job. It’s quick and economical and reaches their followers, so they are speaking to the audience they have already built. Stay on top of these and again, respond quickly.
You should also consider following the social media of any businesses you’d like to work at as well as checking their websites regularly. Some places only advertise on the careers or jobs page of their own webpage. It’s a bummer to miss out on an opportunity because you didn’t know they were hiring.
That leads to word of mouth – ask people if they know of any jobs. Tell people you are looking for work and they are likely to keep an ear out for you. You can also ask people about where they work, how they like their job or if they would recommend you for a job there.
Look for signs – signs in a store window that is. Many places start with a sign in their window saying they are hiring. Walk in and ask for more information. We’ve noticed that many employers looking for part-time help are likely to use only the sign in the window approach. So take a walk or drive around town and do some window shopping!
Another sign you might want to look for is the one that says, “closed today due to staff shortage” or something similar. That’s practically an invitation to walk in and ask if they are hiring.
A new one we’ve noticed in recent months: many of the fast food restaurant chains advertise jobs on the coupon books you receive in the mail. They know they’re reaching a lot of people, so why not tell their audience, we’re hiring.
There is no one way to look for a job. Do as many of these as you can. Doing the best you can means you’re engaged and serious about your job search. And that’s the best way to find success.
Check out <a href="https://skillscentre.ca/how-we-help/">how we can help you</a> look for work, get some training and other ways we can support you in your job search.

Where are all those jobs we’re hearing about?

<h3>Women reach record high employment</h3>
The good news: women 25 to 54 years old continue to secure employment at record high levels.
The bad news: income inequality is still prevalent.
Pay equity for women continues to be critically unmet. High inflation, persistent gendered wage gaps, and low wage growth in predominantly female sectors are a few major factors contributing to this. This inequality reduces women’s purchasing power in our economy. That means women have a reduced ability to purchase and consume goods and services competitively, putting them at a predetermined disadvantage.
<blockquote>As detailed by the Canadian Women’s Foundation, “pay inequity is so important because earnings are a key determinant of economic well-being in Canada… It’s one of the root causes of gendered poverty.”</blockquote>
In January, we will be releasing more in depth blogs on women in the economy and 2023’s potential for a recession. Stay tuned for those.
Going to college after university
Stats Canada released their final census report of the year on November 30, with results on education, labour force, and minority official languages. It showed that 24.1% of BC college students already hold a bachelor’s degree or higher degree before entering college. Nationally, closer to 20% of college students already hold a degree.
Women were 6.2% more likely than men to possess a bachelor’s degree or higher when they start a college program. The most common studies for these students were human resources/management, nursing specializations (eg, critical care nurse), and allied health professions (eg, paramedic).
<img decoding="async" src="https://partners.blackbean.marketing/skillscentre/wp-content/uploads/sites/14/Nov-imbed-LMI-blog-visual-2-web.webp" alt="" />
<h3>Statistics Canada’s November Labour Force Survey data</h3>
Kootenays 
• 3.9%* unemployment rate, down 1% from October 
• 6,600 fewer people are looking for work since June 
• 1,200 more people are no longer in the labour force 
• Employment fell by 300 jobs while .8% fewer people participated in the labour market
BC 
• 4.4%** unemployment rate, up .2% 
• Gained 8,800 full time jobs yet had an overall decline in jobs (-13,700) driven by a decrease in part time positions 
• 105,000 more people work in BC than pre-pandemic 
• BC leads in women’s job recovery with 73,500 more working now than pre-pandemic
Canada 
• 5.1%** unemployment rate, down .1% 
• Core age workers (25-54 years) saw employment grow by 38,000 more people employed led by women who accounted for 25,000 of those workers 
• Core age women reached a new record high employment rate of 81.6% 
• 10,000 more people are employed than last month 
• Average hourly wages are up 5.6% (+1.71, $32.11) compared to last year at this time
The census release also highlighted how Covid-19 has changed the current labour force: three times more people work from home now than before the pandemic, and public transit commuting has declined by 50% over the past three years.
Do you see yourself in any of these scenarios?
Are these fluctuations in the labour market affecting you? Do you want to look at new training opportunities? If you need help with your skills upgrading or job search, contact us to see how the Skills Centre can help you. 
Interested in the full survey? <a href="https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/n1/daily-quotidien/221202/dq221202a-eng.htm">Check it out here.</a> Read more of the Census release <a href="https://www12.statcan.gc.ca/census-recensement/index-eng.cfm?MM=1">here</a>.
Alia Locken, Research Officer at the Skills Centre, prepared the statistical interpretations of Statistics Canada’s data release. If you have any information and/or questions, or would be interested in sharing about your experience in our local labour market, contact Alia at <a href="mailto:alocken@skillscentre.ca">alocken@skillscentre.ca</a> or by phone at (250)368-6360 ext 223.
*Unadjusted, 3-month moving average 
**Seasonally adjusted
Sources: 
Statistics Canada. Table 14-10-0387-02 Labour force characteristics by province and economic region, three-month moving average, unadjusted for seasonality (x 1,000) Dec 5, 2022 
Statistics Canada. Table 14-10-0287-01 Labour force characteristics, monthly, seasonally adjusted and trend-cycle, last 5 months Dec 5, 2022 
BC Government News. Minister’s statement on November Labour Force Survey results | BC Gov News Dec 5, 2022 
Statistics Canada. The Daily — Labour Force Survey, November 2022 (statcan.gc.ca) Dec 5, 2022 
Statistics Canada. Going to college after finishing a degree (statcan.gc.ca) Nov 30, 2022 
Statistics Canada. Commuting in Canada during the COVID-19 pandemic: What changed from 2016 to 2021? (statcan.gc.ca) Nov 30, 2022 
Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives (CCPA). Women’s earnings lag behind high rates of inflation | The Monitor (monitormag.ca) Nov 23, 2022

Women reach record high employment

The unemployment rate in the Kootenay region saw its first drop since June, falling 1.2% to 4.9%*. Compared to the provincial unemployment rate of 4.2%** and national rate of 5.2%**, our region aligns quite closely.
<img decoding="async" src="https://partners.blackbean.marketing/skillscentre/wp-content/uploads/sites/14/October-imbed-LMI-blog-visual-web.webp" alt="" /> 
At a glance:
Locally:
<ul>
<li>The Kootenays saw a 100 person population increase for the fifth month in a row</li>
<li>3,000 fewer people are actively looking for work</li>
<li>Employment fell 1,900 while the total unemployment dropped 1,100</li>
</ul>
Provincially:
<ul>
<li>4.2% unemployment rate was a slight drop from September</li>
<li>BC added 9,800 people and the same number of new jobs to the labour market</li>
<li>Full time employment increased for people 15-24 years and 55+ while part time positions grew for 15-24 and 25-54 year olds</li>
</ul>
Nationally:
<ul>
<li>5.2% unemployment rate was unchanged this month</li>
<li>Canada reported just over 108,000 more people with jobs in October</li>
<li>Employment was up for men and women 25-54</li>
<li>The unemployment rate for men 25-54 decreased slightly while the rate for women 15-24 increased 1.7%</li>
<li>Driven largely by the increased price for gas, inflation was up 0.7% from September marking the highest increase since June</li>
<li>Inflation is 6.9% higher than this time last year (find out your personalized inflation rate <a href="https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/n1/en/catalogue/71-607-X2020015">here</a>)</li>
</ul>
What does this all mean?
The drop in the unemployment rate is not an entirely positive sign of the state of our local economy. Coupled with 3,000 fewer people in the labour force, the number of employed people down 1,900, and a participation rate decrease of 2.2%, it begins to highlight there may be more going on.
Traditionally, a decrease in the unemployment rate is encouraging as it can be a signifier of health in an economy. It can indicate that job seekers are getting jobs at a greater rate than not – so, it’s a good thing! In our current economy though, we’re operating in a bit of an unknown. Along with the unemployment rate drop, we saw an increase of 3,000 people not in the labour force. We will see in the coming months just how much of this can be attributed to job seekers securing sustainable work versus other contributing factors such as a discouraged labour force.
We continue to navigate a complex and unique economic time, hearing of local employers struggling to fill vacancies, a sometimes discouraging labour market, and record high inflationary impacts. We also hear of innovative approaches to addressing new workforce pressures and career advancing opportunities for job seekers that maybe didn’t exist two or three years ago. We’re seeing employers evaluating their hiring and retention practices.
It is not possible to predict the future of the labour market, however, we can conclude a few important things. Being knowledgeable on evolving labour market trends and changes will remain critical in supporting informed decision making. Trends in data do exist and we track them. These are both areas we report on &#8211; when it comes to the data, let us be your expert! Check our <a href="https://skillscentre.ca/news">News</a> section for insightful labour market blog posts and be sure to follow us on social media for updates.
Interested in the full survey? <a href="https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/n1/daily-quotidien/221104/dq221104a-eng.htm">Check it out here.</a> Looking for key definitions? <a href="https://skillscentre.ca/news/view/what-do-the-latest-employment-numbers-mean-for-you">Our July blog can help.</a>
Note: October reported on youth (15-24), if you want to know more about youth in the Trail area, Statistics Canada’s Portrait of Youth Data Visualization Tool (picture below) gives a great interactive snapshot for ages 15-34. <a href="https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/n1/pub/71-607-x/71-607-x2022020-eng.htm">Find the full tool here.</a>
<img decoding="async" src="https://partners.blackbean.marketing/skillscentre/wp-content/uploads/sites/14/statscan-portrait-of-youth-tool-picture-web.webp" alt="" />
Alia Locken, Research Officer at the Skills Centre, prepared the statistical interpretations of Statistics Canada’s data release. If you have any information and/or questions, or would be interested in sharing about your experience in our local labour market, contact Alia at <a href="mailto:alocken@skillscentre.ca">alocken@skillscentre.ca</a> or by phone at (250)368-6360 ext 223.
*Unadjusted, 3-month moving average 
** Seasonally adjusted
Sources 
Statistics Canada. <a href="https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/t1/tbl1/en/tv.action?pid=1410038702">Table 14-10-0387-02 Labour force characteristics by province and economic region, three-month moving average, unadjusted for seasonality (x 1,000)</a> Nov 8, 2022 
Statistics Canada. <a href="https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/t1/tbl1/en/tv.action?pid=1410028701">Table 14-10-0287-01 Labour force characteristics, monthly, seasonally adjusted and trend-cycle, last 5 months</a> Nov 8, 2022 
<a href="https://www2.gov.bc.ca/assets/gov/data/statistics/employment-labour-market/lfs_highlights.pdf">Labour Force Statistics Highlights Issue #22-09 (gov.bc.ca)</a> Nov 9, 2022 
<a href="https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/n1/daily-quotidien/221104/dq221104a-eng.htm">The Daily — Labour Force Survey, October 2022 (statcan.gc.ca)</a> Nov 8, 2022 
<a href="https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/n1/daily-quotidien/221116/dq221116a-eng.htm">The Daily — Consumer Price Index, October 2022 (statcan.gc.ca)</a> Nov 17, 2022

October’s given us a lot to talk about!

The living wage has gone up across the province, and West Kootenay and Boundary communities are no exception. They have all seen a significant increase over the 2021 rate, this year’s Living Wage Update report shows.
The increase is driven by two essentials that every family needs: food and shelter.
<ul>
<li>In Trail, the new living wage calculation is $21.13 an hour for 2022, up 16% over last year</li>
<li>In Castlegar, the living wage is $20.54 (this is Castlegar’s first year calculating a living wage)</li>
<li>In Nelson, the living wage is now $20.83, up 6% over last year</li>
<li>In Grand Forks, the 2022 living wage calculation is $20.05, a 17% increase</li>
</ul>
<blockquote>The living wage is the hourly wage that two parents working full-time need to earn to support a family of four. Other communities across the province that have seen staggering living wage increases include Kelowna at $22.88, 23.7% higher than last year; Victoria at $24.29, 18.7% higher than last year; and Metro Vancouver at $24.08, 17.3% higher than last year.</blockquote>
“With general inflation shooting up to a 40-year high this year, and with the cost of food rising even faster and rent increasing everywhere, especially for families that need to move and are no longer protected by rent control, it’s not surprising to see such big increases this year,” says Anastasia French, Living Wage for Families provincial manager.
“Locally, we’ve all seen the cost increases and are finding our own ways to deal with them, regardless of our income,” says Heather Glenn-Dergousoff, poverty reduction program specialist at the Skills Centre in Trail, one of the region’s living wage employers. “For people in working poverty, the concept of a living wage is a huge step up financially that has ripple effects on their stress levels, their health and wellness, their job satisfaction, and their family life.”
“If you’re working a 40 hour week for minimum wage, you’re earning a little over $32,000 a year. A living wage for a 40 hour week is about $42,000 a year. That difference will be life-changing for a family,” Glenn-Dergousoff adds.
<a href="https://policyalternatives.ca/publications/reports/working-living-wage-making-paid-work-meet-basic-family-needs-metro-vancouver" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Read the full Living Wage Update here.</a>

Major increase in the living wage across BC

Have you recently retired and are now looking for a way to connect with people or put your skills to use? Have you thought about a part time job?
Notice how we don’t see those Freedom 55 ads anymore? That’s because the majority of Canadians between the ages of 55 and 64 are still actively working. Only one fifth of Canadians in that age group are fully retired. Are you retired or semi-retired or thinking about how you can make retirement work for you?
Are you considering looking for a post-retirement job? Perhaps part time or a different type of job than you held through your career? What can post-retirement work look like, and who needs it?
These are the important questions we help you answer with our Mature Workers program.
Baby boomer retirements continue to place pressure on an already reduced labour supply. This is a problem, and it can be an opportunity. The 55+ worker has a lot to offer employers. You bring skills, experience and knowledge that are transferable, meaning maybe you’re looking for a different type of job, yet your experience and knowledge are suitable for a wide variety of roles.
<blockquote>A multi-generational workplace is a good thing. Different people at different stages of their careers bring different skill sets, motivations, experiences and ideas.</blockquote>
If you are a mature worker looking to re-enter the workforce and find a new job, here are a few of the many benefits of working after retirement:
<ul>
<li>It can be an opportunity to try something new</li>
<li>You continue to be part of a social group through a job</li>
<li>You are able to top up your income</li>
<li>You can contribute your knowledge and expertise in the workplace</li>
<li>It can give you a sense of purpose</li>
<li>You may have an opportunity to enhance your skills or learn new skills</li>
<li>It can be a chance to stay active and maintain your confidence</li>
</ul>
If you are a mature worker who has recently retired and would like to explore options to re-enter the workforce, whether you are returning for social or financial gain or any other reason, we offer support to get you there.
The Skills Centre’s <a href="https://skillscentre.ca/how-we-help/skills-training/">Mature Workers program</a> offers support in looking for work, finding a job match, applying for jobs, connecting with employers, and helping you improve your resume and interview skills. We also help you develop your skills and get the training to start working again.
You are not alone in the process of finding work past 55. <a href="https://skillscentre.ca/contact/">Contact us today to find out more about how we can help you.</a>

Mature Workers Retirement Blog November 2022

It all comes down to raising a family in the best place for Heather Glenn-Dergousoff. Along with her husband and two young children, Heather traded the urban lifestyle of Calgary for the rural lifestyle of Rossland 10 years ago. Other than driving through once, they hadn’t even spent time here!
Her husband got a job with Fortis, though, and Heather was ready to leave her law enforcement career as a civilian criminal intelligence analyst to stay home with their two daughters. Their son was born here, and when he was 2, she decided it was time to go back to work.
<blockquote>“I started working with families with young children to make this region the best place to raise a family,” Heather says. “It’s very important to support our families, especially with young children, because that’s the way to build vibrant communities.”</blockquote>
Heather started at the Skills Centre recently, working three days a week on poverty reduction initiatives. She continues to work the other two days as the executive director of the Family Action Network.
Last year, she also worked for the school district as an inclusion support employee, helping include the diverse needs of students in the classroom. She sees a natural progression from working with families and the complexities of working with different service providers to working to reduce poverty.
Heather’s work is primarily focused on reducing the number of people who are working yet still living in poverty in Trail. It’s a three year project that’s just getting started, and it lives up to her goal of making this the best place to raise a family.

Meet Heather

Statistics Canada&#8217;s September Labour Force Survey is here! August data trends continued to prevail with a few key additions, so let’s see what the numbers say. 
<img decoding="async" src="https://files.benecms.com/skillscentre/media/September%20imbed%20LMI%20blog%20visual%20(2).png" alt="" />
<blockquote>*Unadjusted data &#8211; regular seasonal events included</blockquote>
September brought about another rise to 6.1% in our region’s unemployment rate (unadjusted, 3-month moving average) which continued to trend higher than the province at 4.8% (4.3% seasonally adjusted) and Canada at 5.3% (5.2% seasonally adjusted).
Provincially, British Columbia led national employment increases adding 33,000 jobs in September and reported one of the lowest unemployment rates in Canada with 109,000 more working today than before the pandemic. BC was one of only two provinces to have experienced job growth for youth.
Nationally, the unemployment rate decreased .2% bringing it to 5.2%. Employment dropped for women 15 – 24 years, but men of the same age saw an increase as did core age women (25-54 years). Unemployment was down for women 55+ and 25 – 54. Insight into two social conditions that influenced employment:
<ul>
<li>Baby boomer retirements continued to place pressure on labour supply as Canadians 65+ have increased 11.6% since 2019 accounting for 736,000 Canadians</li>
<li>Women are more likely than men to make career/job decisions around daycare responsibilities</li>
</ul>
Locally, we continue connecting with local employers to identify labour market trends and listen to the impactful stories of economic conditions in our communities. These conversations and meetings help us respond to needs and build a deeper understanding of issues affecting those we serve. While we continue to report back on what we discover, we welcome employers to reach out. If you are interested in sharing your experience in our labour market or to find out how we can help, let’s connect: (250)368-6360 ext 223, <a href="mailto:alocken@skillscentre.ca">alocken@skillscentre.ca</a>
Interested in what we do? Here’s a list of services for job seekers, employed persons, and employers alike – we have something for everyone!
<blockquote>
<ul>
<li><a href="https://skillscentre.ca/jobs">Job board</a> or <a href="https://skillscentre.ca/jobs/post">Post a Job</a></li>
<li><a href="https://skillscentre.ca/how-we-help/support-for-business/">Support for businesses</a></li>
<li><a href="https://skillscentre.ca/how-we-help/skills-training/">Employment programs</a></li>
<li><a href="https://skillscentre.ca/news">Skills Centre Newsletter</a></li>
<li><a href="https://skillscentre.ca/how-we-help/poverty-reduction/">Poverty Reduction</a></li>
</ul>
</blockquote>
Check out the full survey <a href="https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/n1/daily-quotidien/221007/dq221007a-eng.htm?HPA=1">here</a>!
Questions and/or comments? 
Alia Locken, Research Officer at the Skills Centre, prepared the above statistical interpretations. You can contact Alia directly by email <a href="mailto:alocken@skillscentre.ca">alocken@skillscentre.ca</a> or phone (250)368-6360 ext 223.
<blockquote>Sources:
<ul>
<li>Statistics Canada. <a href="https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/t1/tbl1/en/tv.action?pid=1410038702">Table 14-10-0387-02 Labour force characteristics by province and economic region, three-month moving average, unadjusted for seasonality</a> Oct 13, 2022</li>
<li>Statistics Canada. <a href="https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/t1/tbl1/en/tv.action?pid=1410038701">Table 14-10-0287-01 Labour force characteristics, monthly, seasonally adjusted and trend-cycle, last 5 months</a>Oct 13, 2022</li>
<li><a href="https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/n1/daily-quotidien/221007/dq221007a-eng.htm?HPA=1">The Daily — Labour Force Survey, September 2022 (statcan.gc.ca</a> Oct 13, 2022</li>
</ul>
</blockquote>

Employers, Job Seekers, Employees – how are you doing?

If you think Sandi looks familiar when you first walk through our door and she’s there to greet you, you’re probably right. Sandi was born in Trail and has lived in the West Kootenays all her life. She’s lived in several different Kootenay communities, and now calls Fruitvale home.
You may know Sandi from Little Hands Family Daycare which she ran for 19 years, or from her time as district commissioner for Girl Guides of Canada.
She has recently joined our team as administrative support. With over 20 years of office experience, Sandi will be one of the friendly people helping you when you contact the Skills Centre.
<blockquote>“I’m extremely approachable which is a quality I’m very proud of because not everyone is,” Sandi says.</blockquote>
She has trained at Selkirk College and College of the Rockies in office administration, as an educational assistant, and as a community support worker, all of which give her tools to help our clients and potential clients here at the Skills Centre.
Sandi and her husband have been married for 30 years and have two adult children. Two years ago, they adopted Yogi, a dog originally rescued from Turkey, at the local animal shelter.
Sandi says she knows a lot of people in the community and a lot of people know her, and she’s excited that people will get to know her in her new role with the Skills Centre.

Meet Sandi Oorthuis

We’re launching a new program that will empower people living with low income and their service providers across the Basin and Boundary area.
We’ve partnered with CBAL to offer Financial Navigators: helping people living with low income figure out what support is available for them in the community, and building stronger partnerships among community service providers to offer the best service to their clients.
It will offer workshops, information and resources to navigate government benefits, financial institutions and financial literacy resources to increase the financial well-being of participants.
We’re offering this Financial Navigation program in 16 communities throughout the region: Arrow and Slocan Lakes, Grand Forks, Castlegar, Cranbook, Creston, Elk Valley, Golden, Kaslo and Balfour, Kimberley, Nelson, Revelstoke, Salmo, Slocan Valley, Trail and Area, Valemount, and Windermere Valley.
Contact Jaime <a href="mailto:jmalcolm@skillscentre.ca">by email</a> or at 250-368-6360 ext 215 to get involved.
<a href="https://partners.blackbean.marketing/skillscentre/wp-content/uploads/sites/14/Fin-Nav-news-release-Sep-28-22.pdf">Read the full news release here.</a>

Helping low income population find the finances

Statistics Canada released August’s Labour Force Survey recently, and Alia Locken, Research Officer at the Skills Centre, has had an opportunity to review what’s changed. Here’s what we know.
In August, our region’s unemployment rate increased to 5.1% up from 3.9% in July (3 month moving average, seasonally unadjusted). This rate is higher than the province’s 4.8% yet lower than Canada at 5.4% (seasonally adjusted). Our region’s unemployment rate was 6.7% this time last year and 11.5% in August 2020.
An increasing unemployment rate typically coincides with there being more job seekers than available jobs, but that’s not necessarily what’s happening.
<img decoding="async" src="https://partners.blackbean.marketing/skillscentre/wp-content/uploads/sites/14/August-imbed-LMI-blog-visual-2.webp" alt="" /> 
Nationally, employment is down 40,000 jobs with the unemployment rate rising to 5.4%. This is the first rise in seven months and not related to public health restrictions. The drop in employment was among youth, mostly women, ages 15–24 and people ages 55–64. These are two groups <a href="https://skillscentre.ca/how-we-help/">we can help with specific programs.</a>
There was an increase in job seekers, yet recruitment challenges will likely continue for employers: the number of unemployed people was lower than job vacancies. Coupled with many workers reaching retirement age, this added to an already tight labour market.
The unemployment rate for immigrants was lower but remained 2.6% higher than for people born in Canada. Key to supporting economic growth is immigration, yet many recent immigrants face unemployment when they enter the Canadian labour market.
<blockquote>The local news 
Local employers and industry noted that these tight labour market conditions are also present in our communities. Accounts of challenges filling vacant positions and concerns about keeping employees have persisted for employers in our region.</blockquote>
The latest numbers also show:
<ul>
<li>Hybrid working arrangements continued to trend upwards with a .7% increase</li>
<li>Average hourly wages rose 5.4% to $31.33 per hour (up $1.60)</li>
<li>1 in 10 permanent employees plan to leave their job over the next year, with a career change being the main reason</li>
<li>Inflation remained high at 7.6%, down from 8.1% in June. The slow in inflation is attributed to decreased gasoline prices while prices of other commodities, such as groceries, continued to rise.</li>
<li>Students ages 15 to 24 enrolled in full time studies saw an August employment rate of 55.6%. This is similar to last year and pre-pandemic (August 2019) rates.</li>
</ul>
Are you a job seeker? Labour market conditions continue to be in your favour! Connect with us to learn tools to job search effectively and get the most out of your applications. <a href="https://skillscentre.ca/jobs/">Check out our job board.</a> We post new and exciting opportunities daily.
Are you an employer? Evaluating and evolving recruitment and retention practices remains a priority. Posting to a local job board can help you reach a broader audience. <a href="https://skillscentre.ca/jobs/post/">The Skills Centre offers this service for free.</a>
Interested in the full survey? <a href="https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/n1/daily-quotidien/220909/dq220909a-eng.htm?HPA=1">Check it out here.</a> 
Looking for key definitions? <a href="https://skillscentre.ca/news/view/what-do-the-latest-employment-numbers-mean-for-you/">Our July blog can help!</a>
Alia Locken, Research Officer at the Skills Centre, prepared the statistical interpretations of Statistics Canada’s data release. If you have any information and/or questions, or would be interested in sharing about your experience in our local labour market, contact Alia at <a href="mailto:alocken@skillscentre.ca">alocken@skillscentre.ca</a> or by phone at (250)368-6360 ext 223.
*Seasonally unadjusted/actual = data that does not remove regular seasonal events. 
**Seasonally adjusted = data that removes changes caused by regular annual seasonal events that happen each year

August labour market data is in, so what’s changed?

Statistics Canada released July’s Labour Force Survey last Friday, and we’ve had a chance to dive into the data. Here are a few noteworthy stats about our Kootenay region and Canada (definitions included at the end).
Kootenay Region, July over June 2022
<ul>
<li>Population increased by 100 (up 2,300 compared to July 2021)*</li>
<li>Labour force decreased by 100 (down 300 compared to July 2021) *</li>
<li>Employment was down 200 (yet up 1,300 over July 2021) *</li>
<li>Unemployment increased yet is still down 1,600 compared to July 2021*</li>
<li>Slight decrease in both labour force participation and employment rates*</li>
<li>Unemployment rate edged up slightly .1% to 3.9% (July 2021 it was 5.8%)*</li>
</ul>
What does this mean for our region?
We are in a rapidly changing and evolving labour market that continues to respond to pandemic conditions, high inflation, and persistent labour market shortages. In our region, we are not exempt from these conditions.
In July, our region saw a slight decrease in labour force participation and an increase in our unemployment rate (currently 3.9%*; national unemployment rate is 4.9%**). Yet our unemployment rate remains almost 2% lower than what it was in July 2021.
Though the unemployment rate has increased it doesn’t necessarily mean the labour shortage is over for the region. As this specific data does not remove annual seasonal events, an increase could be from an event like seasonal jobs ending and workers from those now unemployed and job searching.
Job seekers remain in the position of power as the region continues to have labour shortages. This trend is anticipated to continue.
Nationally, inflation is up 8.1% June 2022 from June 2021 continuing to place pressure on Canadians as it outpaces average hourly wage increases (5.2%, + $1.55 to $31.14*) over the same period.
If you are a job seeker, now’s the time to take a chance on a job you may not have considered a year ago. Connect with one of our program Project Specialists to discuss your application or get support in your search!
If you are an employer, now is a time to evaluate your recruitment practices and policies to consider how to attract and retain highly sought after employees.
If you want to explore more details about the latest labour market numbers, <a href="https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/n1/daily-quotidien/220805/dq220805a-eng.htm">read the full survey here</a>.
Definitions:
<ul>
<li>Working age: 15 years and over</li>
<li>Population: number of working age people</li>
<li>Labour Force: total employed and unemployed working age people in the population</li>
<li>Employment rate: percentage of employed working age people in a group of the labour force</li>
<li>Unemployment rate: percentage of unemployed working age people in a group of the labour force</li>
<li>Participation rate: percentage of employed/unemployed working age people in a group of the population</li>
<li>Seasonally adjusted: data that removes changes caused by regular annual seasonal events that happen each year (ie. climate, holidays, vacation, crop cycles, production/retail sales for holidays, etc)</li>
<li>Seasonally unadjusted/actual: data that does not remove regular seasonal events</li>
</ul>
Sources: 
Statistics Canada. Table 14-10-0387-02 Labour force characteristics by province and economic region, three-month moving average, unadjusted for seasonality (x 1,000). doi: https://doi.org/10.25318/1410038701-eng 
The Daily — Labour Force Survey, July 2022 (statcan.gc.ca) August 5, 2022

What do the latest employment numbers mean for you?

Is that good yet vague job posting for real? Or is it a scam? What is a safe job search these days?
I saw a job posted in a newspaper recently, a usually reputable source of help wanted ads. The job posting advertised for multiple positions, good pay, no qualifications needed, and the work started soon.
Yet on closer examination, it didn’t say where the jobs were or in what industry. It was not clear who the employer was or who was actually receiving the resumes and personal information—just a generic email address to respond to. There were a few other inconsistencies that made me wonder if it was a real job posting or some sort of scam.
I don’t like to be suspicious. Yet I had a client recently who applied for a job through a job search website and suddenly started receiving any number of scam and questionable job offers that were sent to him as a result of his resume likely being sold to third party sites.
Many of these offers asked him to download software to be interviewed for a job. That alone should make you cautious. In a couple of cases, he was able to identify the company, call their human resources and discover that the company was not involved in the job posting. They also warned him that they do not advertise for postings that way and never require applicants to download any software to apply or be interviewed for a position.
What can you do to safeguard against scam job postings?
<ul>
<li>Always look for the name of the company, the location, and contact info in the job ad.</li>
<li>Research the company online with your own search. If you can’t find the job posting on their site, contact them to see if the ad is legitimate.</li>
<li>Never download software to apply or interview unless you’ve already spoken to the company and feel confident their request is legitimate (such as using a different video call software than Zoom or Facetime).</li>
<li>If the ad is vague or lacks obvious information, be cautious.</li>
<li>As they say, if it seems too good to be true, it probably is.</li>
</ul>
Scams are an unfortunate reality of the internet, and going after people when they are vulnerable and looking for work is particularly repugnant, mean-spirited and just plain nasty. The onus is on you to do your best to understand that the job ad you are responding to is legitimate.
If you have any doubts or questions, <a href="https://skillscentre.ca/contact/">contact us.</a> We’re here to help.

Is this a real job posting?

Chances are someone in your community has upgraded their skills recently to get a new job, someone has started a trades training program because they found funding that helped cover their expenses, and someone has sought help joining the workforce because English is their second or third language. Chances are also high that someone in your community has found support for trauma to help them prepare to re-enter the workforce, and someone has taken steps to find a path out of poverty.
If you live in the West Kootenays or Boundary area, chances are these people found this support through the Skills Centre in Trail. It’s been a busy year for the Skills Centre with many positive outcomes in the communities it serves.
“Young people, people from equity-seeking groups, women, survivors of trauma, and recent immigrants, all of these people in our communities, took these positive steps towards their training and employment goals. Several of our programs ran at full capacity, and the rest were almost full,” says Morag Carter, executive director of the Skills Centre.
The Skills Centre’s programs helped people in these different walks of life get into trades training, attend boot camps for skills training, access funding to help them upgrade their technology so that they can take the training they need, and work with counsellors and therapists, and in one program, use equine-assisted activities to help survivors of trauma. The Skills Centre also continued to support people living with low income to ensure they had healthy meals and learn to make economical and healthy food choices.
<blockquote>“It may seem like a long list of activities and supports for people in our communities, yet that is exactly what our work and our vision is, fostering inclusive, resilient and prosperous communities. We accomplish this with the many partners we have, from other non-profits to local governments to businesses,” she says.</blockquote>
It’s also been a year of building the Skills Centre’s capacity and adapting to the community’s needs in the second year of the pandemic.
“As an organization, we have a new board chair as of June 16, we brought on a new board member, we developed a new 5 Year Strategic Plan, and we’ve just released our latest Community Impact Report highlighting how we help people in our communities,” Carter adds.
<a href="https://skillscentre.ca/news/view/5-year-strategic-plan-release/">Read a summary of the Skills Centre’s new 5 Year Strategic Plan here.</a>
<a href="https://skillscentre.ca/news/view/collaborating-key-to-community-impact/">Read the Skills Centre’s new Community Impact Report here.</a>

Helping people in our communities

Your cover letter is the first thing a potential employer sees—make a good first impression with these tips
Can a cover letter make or break your chance of getting an interview? Certainly submitting a resume with no cover letter decreases your chances.
Your cover letter is your chance to personalize your first contact with a potential employer. It introduces you, what you know and how you can help the employer.
<blockquote>Inject some of your personality – if you’re enthusiastic, vibrant, loud, or quiet and thoughtful, get a bit of your personality in there that would be relevant to the job posting or the company’s culture.</blockquote>
Tell them how you learned about the position and mention specific skills listed in the job ad.
<ul>
<li>Tell the employer what you will do for them: be specific; what skills do you have that the employer is looking for?</li>
</ul>
Include something you know about the company that is your reason for applying. Research the company on their website. For example:
<ul>
<li>Your website states that your company values collaboration and accountability, values I share and bring to each position I hold.</li>
<li>My resume provides an outline of my background and experience that I hope reflects the type of candidate you are seeking.</li>
</ul>
<blockquote>Tell them enough to show you have what they are looking for while leaving something for the interview – a cover letter is not the story of your life. Also don’t repeat everything on your resume or there won’t be any reason for them to look at it.</blockquote>
Showcase your strengths, what work you are doing currently, and how your experience will help you succeed in the new position.
<ul>
<li>If your are writing a cover letter for a career change or a different role, then show them what transferable skills you have that will help you to succeed in that role.</li>
</ul>
<blockquote>Show them that you are eager to learn, and offer a brief example of a time you were challenged at the job. Problem-solving skills are important in any job, so if you can share an example of a problem you solved, tell that story. If it helped save time or money or resulted in some other positive change, make sure you mention that, too.</blockquote>
Your cover letter is about making that initial connection with your potential employer. Make a good first impression with a good cover letter, and you’ll increase your chances of getting an interview, and hopefully, getting the job.
Read our <a href="https://skillscentre.ca/news/view/10-resume-tips-to-help-you-succeed/">Top 10 Resume Tips</a> to complete your application.

Cover letter tips to wow the employer

Did you know that the Skills Centre partnered with 23 organizations, businesses and local governments this past year to provide training and poverty reduction activities in our communities? These collaborations helped people upgrade their skills, find jobs, get counselling and other pre-employment support, and find some relief from the cycle of living with low income.
Collaboration is one of our corporate values, and it shows in our new Community Impact Report highlighting our work in your communities this past fiscal year. Helping people get training, gain skills, access financial support, and take steps to live the life they want takes a lot of people, time, effort, and collaboration. We’re thrilled to work with other non-profits, businesses and local governments to be able to contribute in our communities.
Because ultimately collaboration is about people&#8211;the people we work with and the people we serve, and our new Community Impact Report shares the success stories of the people who have been part of our last year: staff, clients, partners and funders.
<a href="https://partners.blackbean.marketing/skillscentre/wp-content/uploads/sites/14/CIR-2022-Web-Final.pdf">Read the new Community Impact Report here.</a>

Collaborating key to community impact

2022 is the 25th anniversary of the Skills Centre, and it’s an appropriate moment to take stock of how far the Skills Centre has come since the organization was incorporated in 1997 and to plan for its future.
Our staff and board of directors have put in a tremendous effort to develop a new 5 year strategic plan for the organization. The new plan acknowledges the many challenges and triumphs that are part of our history and lays out an ambitious path for our future.
We will become even more responsive to the needs of our communities as we complete our mission to strengthen rural and industrial communities and workplaces through workforce skills development, training services, social development and poverty reduction programming.
We will strengthen our existing partnerships with all levels of government, businesses, civil society and the community, and we will seek to build new partnerships with more communities and groups that have been marginalized &#8211; especially Indigenous, immigrant or LGBTQ2S+ communities.
The future will be exciting, and we hope you will join us on the journey.
<blockquote><a href="https://files.benecms.com/skillscentre/files/SkillsCentre%205YP%202022%20web%20version-compressed.pdf">Read a synopsis of our new 5 Year Strategic Plan here</a>, and <a href="https://skillscentre.ca/contact/">contact us to learn more</a>.</blockquote>

5 Year Strategic Plan release

Want to work in the service industry? Local restaurants, cafés, accommodations and golf courses are all hiring. Are you unemployed and not a full time student? Sign up for our Service Industry Bootcamp to get all the certifications you need to start your job in the service industry.
We are offering two, one week bootcamps for people ages 17-29. 
Choose either May 24th – 27th or June 6th – 10th.
You’ll get certificates in Serving it Right, Foodsafe, Superhost, WHMIS, First Aid and more—all the credentials your new employer is looking for staff to have. That’s $400 in training that eligible participants get for free, and you’ll get a $100 bonus for completing the bootcamp.
The bootcamp will also cover time management, goal setting, customer service skills along with help perfecting your resume and cover letter to land the job you want. <a href="https://skillscentre.ca/contact/">Don’t wait—sign up today!</a>

Get set for summer at our Service Industry Bootcamp

“It is exciting to be a part of a new program team offering the Sparking Opportunities program,” says Karina Allis. “I look forward to seeing participants take on the challenges of exploring, learning and developing skills that will take them into self-employment or remote work.”
Karina has been providing employment support services at the Skills Centre since 2009. She brings many years of diverse experience to her role as facilitator and is focused on helping each client find their own best path.
“We are going to look at the big employment picture. Helping people identify their skills, interests and strengths, explore learning options by checking out training, software, courses, all kinds of micro-credentials that will build on your existing strengths and capabilities. We will work together to identify opportunities in the labour market, how to best service barriers and create a plan to launch your future business the way you need it to work.”

Meet Your Facilitator: Karina Allis

If the longevity of an organization is a sign of its success, then 23 years spent on its board of directors is a sign of a good board member. Roberta Post has been on the Skills Centre board since 1999, and she’s retiring from the board this spring ready to hand the work over to someone new.
“The board members have always been interesting, each with different life experiences, and we don’t always know what those life experiences are, which can be good,” Roberta says of her time in the volunteer position.
<blockquote>“It’s a well-run board, which doesn’t always happen in all organizations. I’ve been on other boards that weren’t as interesting, and never for as long as I’ve been on the Skills Centre board, which says a lot,” she says.</blockquote>
Roberta has been vice-president, president, and is the current past-president. When Lila Cresswell steps down as president in June, she’ll take on the mantle of past-president, and Roberta sees this as a good time to step down herself and let someone new join the board.
She says that she felt fully supported and appreciated in her various roles on the board. That the Skills Centre is still going strong after 25 years is significant and really shows its value in the community, she adds.
Different perspectives build a good a board
Roberta was asked to join the Skills Centre board of directors in its infancy. She worked at the hospital and brought a healthcare perspective to help the organization’s mandate of building skills and job opportunities in Trail and the surrounding communities. After she retired from her job, she and her husband opened a business, so she brought in a small business perspective as well.
“I’ve had the opportunity to work with some great people—staff members, board members—really smart, good people.”
“I appreciated working with people with great values; otherwise they wouldn’t be working here or on the Board. Values are very important to me. The Skills Centre supports the community in any way it can. It’s had two excellent executive directors; they wouldn’t be in that role if they weren’t excellent people.”
The opportunities for the board members and the staff to interact at planning sessions are among the highlights she notes of her years contributing to the Skills Centre’s success.
<blockquote>“It gave me a sense of involvement in the community that I wouldn’t have otherwise. It gave me an ability to speak and be heard and have my opinion valued, have my involvement valued.”</blockquote>
Her advice for people thinking about volunteering and what they can contribute as well as what they get out of the experience for themselves also hinges on values and being valued. It’s clear she has both fondness and respect for her time with the Skills Centre.
“It’s really important that anyone coming on the board understands what the Skills Centre represents. New members need to be interested in the community.”
“I have been proud to be on the board with other caring, community-minded, empathetic people,” Roberta says as we wrap up our conversation, and she is confident that new board members will have a similar experience.
Do you want to make a difference in your community?
Are you interested in helping Trail and area communities solve employment, skills training and poverty issues? The Skills Centre is looking for two new board members this spring. If this sounds like you, give us a call.
<a href="https://skillscentre.ca/jobs/view/board-of-directors/">Read more about this volunteer position here.</a>

Roberta Post marks 23 years on Skills Centre board of directors

Do you want to make a difference in your community? Are you interested in helping Trail and area communities solve employment, skills training and poverty issues? The Skills Centre is looking for two new board members this spring. If this sounds like you, give us a call.
We strive to reflect the communities where we live and work. We want you to be able to see yourself in our organization, and that means we reflect the diversity of the people we serve. Our board of directors also needs to include this diversity, and we’re especially looking for new board members from these communities: 
• BIPOC 
• Indigenous 
• LGBTQ2S+ 
• People living with disabilities
And we’re looking for people who can bring skills including: 
• Experience with not for profits or charities 
• Legal, financial and compliance 
• Fund development and fundraising
<blockquote>Our board members all contribute to our success at the Skills Centre, and since we will be celebrating the Skills Centre’s 25th anniversary this year, you can be part of the next era by joining our board and making your contribution.</blockquote>
More about this volunteer opportunity
The Skills Centre Board of Directors is a policy/governance board that meets six times each year. The board is responsible for financial and strategic oversight of the organization and delegates authority over operational issues to staff through the executive director. The board has committees for Policy &amp; Planning, Development, Audit, Bursaries and Human Resources.
Read more about this volunteer position <a href="https://skillscentre.ca/news/view/skills-centre-board-of-directors-job-description/">here</a>.
Our annual general meeting and election of directors takes place in June. If you are interested in joining our board of directors, please contact us at <a href="mailto:mcarter@skillscentre.ca">mcarter@skillscentre.ca</a>.

I walked into the kitchen at the Trail United Church to meet the participants of Community Kitchens. Five friendly, enthusiastic people greeted me. They were working together to prepare a healthy meal for their families. They were tossing advice back and forth on how to prepare this or how to fix that, handing each other ingredients they needed, sharing the dishwashing duties, and generally just being social.
They looked like they were having fun. It was a good day. I was there to take their pictures for the Skills Centre’s social media and other communications. I wanted to stay and help and, yes, test the chocolate peanut butter squares that hadn’t even gone into the oven yet. (I didn’t; that’s not why I was there.)
Community Kitchens is one of the Skills Centre’s poverty reduction programs. People living with low income join our facilitator each week to learn about nutrition and food budgeting. Together they make a healthy meal with inexpensive ingredients. This day they were making meatloaf, a vegetable side dish, and chocolate peanut butter squares. Alanna, the facilitator, was clearly pleased to share that they were doing all this for less than $50 in food costs for all of them.
<blockquote>There was much more at play than economical meal planning though. They were sharing stories, socializing, becoming friends, building each other up.</blockquote>
They were happy to have me take their photos. They were equally happy to share how much they appreciate Alanna’s guidance and Community Kitchens. They shared their gratitude openly and unsolicited. It made me feel good to hear their genuine appreciation for the opportunities Community Kitchens is giving them.
It is a great example of strengthening our community together. Wouldn’t it be great if we could have more programs like Community Kitchens and more local people taking part?
Community Kitchens is part of our <a href="https://skillscentre.ca/how-we-help/poverty-reduction/">Thriving for All poverty reduction initiative</a> and is funded by the Union of BC Municipalities (UBCM) and Teck. The Skills Centre is dedicated to strengthening the region’s workforce, promoting inclusion and eliminating poverty through initiatives such as Community Kitchens.

Community Kitchens participants take the cake

Are you 17 to 29 years old and want to train as a wildfire fighter? We’re offering a Boot Camp April 11-14 near Nelson. Take these four courses:
<ul>
<li>S100/S185 Fireline Safety &amp; Suppression/ Fire Entrapment Avoidance</li>
<li>S212- Fireline Communications</li>
<li>ICS100 – Introduction to the Incident Command System</li>
</ul>
You’ll also get employment readiness workshops and soft skills training in workshops such as resume writing, cover letters, interview prep, and soft skills including communication, team work, and time management.
<a href="https://skillscentre.ca/contact/">Contact Bethel</a> today to see about eligibility.

Wildfire Fighting Boot Camp this April

Your resume is one of the most important pieces in your job search. Try these tips to make your resume stand out.
Think of your resume as a list of what you did in the past and a blueprint for what you can do in the future.
Resumes are fact based. They are a record of your work experience, your training and certifications, your volunteer experiences, and your accomplishments.
Focus on accomplishments rather than job duties to show what you can do to contribute with your skills. For example: Revamped office filing system for more efficient access shows how you can help the company succeed rather than just listing filing as one of the duties of your last job.
As another example, which one would impress a potential employer more, do you think? 
• I answered the phones. Or 
• I was the first point of contact, welcoming clients, responding to inquiries and directing people to the person they needed to see.
Clearly, there is more than one way to showcase your experience and skills!
Follow these tips to write your best resume:
<ol>
<li>Use clear, plain language</li>
<li>Be honest &amp; accurate</li>
<li>Make sure it sounds like you</li>
<li>Keep it clean &amp; easy to read: use standard fonts in black and white, no fancy graphics &amp; use a standard layout</li>
<li>Use bullet points and numbers to break up the information into easy to read sections</li>
<li>Match your skills to the job posting</li>
<li>Focus on accomplishments rather than job duties</li>
<li>Keep it to two pages maximum</li>
<li>Create a clean &amp; clear professional email address for your job search, such as your name and the year or a simple number if needed @email.com</li>
<li>Proofread: double check your spelling, numbers, dates &amp; contact info</li>
</ol>
Got that resume looking great? Then <a href="https://skillscentre.ca/contact/">contact us</a> with your questions. We’re here to help you in your job search.

10 Resume Tips to Help You Succeed

Productivity is up. Absences are down. Staff are happier and healthier. Thank the four day work week.
We’ve seen media attention recently about testing the four day work week. Generally, people report positive results. At the Skills Centre, we moved to a four day work week almost two years ago, and we wouldn’t go back.
The four day work week is part of a package of measures that we established in 2019. It standardized benefits across the organization and got rid of institutionalized inequalities.
Here’s the summary: 
• 34 hour work week for all employees. (Previously, staff worked a 40 hour week.) 
• Includes a paid 30 minute lunch break, but no morning or afternoon breaks 
• There is no overtime accrual except in circumstances with prior approval 
• Some staff work Monday to Thursday, some Tuesday to Friday
The key to the four day work week is flexibility 
The office is open from 8:30 – 5:00 on Monday, 8:00 – 5:00 Tuesday to Thursday, and 8:00 – 4:30 on Friday. We offer flexibility for staff to ensure that they have time to cover child care, elder care or care for dependents with disabilities.
Staff must be in the office or working from home for core office hours (which we set as 9:00 – 3:30) to maximize the time that they have for collaborative work with their colleagues. This means that we have some staff who are in the office between 8:30 and 4:00 on their work days, and they work from home either early in the day or later in the evening.
Several staff work from home one day or part of a day each week. If weather or road conditions are a concern, as they can easily be in a Canadian winter, staff are set up to work from home and encouraged to stay safe and not drive to the office.
There are accountability mechanisms built into each employee’s roles that are outcomes-based, which is how we track their productivity. We also have minimum staffing requirements for the office. One person is in charge of our calendar and manages staff coverage.
Salaries &amp; expectations stay the same 
We did not reduce staff salaries – which was the equivalent of a 17% increase in their pay rates. We did not reduce staff work load either, and we increased accountabilities.
Tactics to make the four day week work include: 
• Keeping meetings to a minimum &amp; keeping meetings short 
• Helping staff manage their workload to get everything done in the reduced time 
• Staff are expected to plan personal appointments on their day off, although if the doctor or dentist, for example, is not open on their day off they can use sick time to cover the appointment
In weeks with a statutory holiday, staff can work either a three or four day work week. If they opt to work four days, they can ‘bank’ the holiday to contribute towards a two week winter closure. The closure is timed to coincide with Christmas, Boxing Day and New Year’s Day, so staff only need to accrue five or six of the annual statutory holidays to cover the time for the winter closure; otherwise they use vacation days.
We do not allow staff to carry forward banked statutory holidays from one year to the next. Just as we can’t afford the liability of unused vacation, we cannot afford the liability of accrued unused lieu time either.
Tip: If a closure at that time is not feasible for your organization, you could explore a rotation with one group off one year, another the next.
Time off 
We also offer staff two flex days in the year and a day off for their birthday. Staff rarely use their flex days now because of the four day work week.
We also standardized the vacation package. 
• 3 weeks for staff in first 3 years of employment 
• 4 weeks in years 4 and 5 
• 5 weeks at the completion of 5 years of service 
• Management start at 4 weeks and the executive director at 5 weeks
All vacation must be taken during the year and only one week of vacation is permitted as carry-over for the next fiscal year. In extraordinary circumstances (for example maternity or paternity leave), we will allow an additional week to be carried over, but because it is an organizational liability, it needs to be approved.
After all this, what are the results? 
• 20% increase in productivity 
• Reduction in staff sick time and a general increase in well-being 
• Staff are very proud of their workplace – and it shows 
• No Covid outbreaks in our workplace
Staff Satisfaction Survey 
• 2021 – 89% overall staff satisfaction (after multiple organizational shifts and changes, Covid shutdowns and reopens) 
• Continued increase in positive responses (Strongly Agree + Agree) year over year 
• 2021: 85% of statements above 80% 
• 2018: 81% of statements above 80% 
• 2017: 65% of statements above 80%
Just do it 
Is now the time to test the four day work week? Absolutely. The pandemic has highlighted the need for flexibility and the value of helping your employees find a work-life balance. We have heard people say immediately that it can’t work for their company. We have also heard others say that it’s an idea worth exploring.
If you’re challenged to find and retain employees and concerned about productivity and down-time, the solutions might be easy to find: things like a living wage, benefits, and, yes, a four day work week.
We’re happy to share more about the benefits we’ve seen with the four day work week. <a href="https://skillscentre.ca/contact/">Contact us</a> if you want to discuss how you can make it work.
Want to learn more about the 4 day work week? <a href="https://skillscentre.ca/news/view/skills-centre-embraces-four-day-work-week/">We blogged about it here as well.</a>

The Case for the 4 Day Work Week

Community Kitchens is back in downtown Trail!
Community Kitchens provides people living with low income a supportive environment to learn about healthy, affordable food preparation, and creates a space for community and inclusion. A small group (up to six people including the facilitator) will meet regularly to prepare a nutritious meal together. They’ll prepare enough food for participants to take home for their families or others in their household. We will have COVID safety practices and policies in place to ensure a safe and healthy environment.
Alanna, our facilitator, will prepare for the group and guide the process: teaching about cooking and nutrition while ensuring everyone is engaged and feeling connected. She will ensure participants feel welcome and included in the group decision-making and task-sharing, and she’ll promote community inclusion and healthy lifestyle habits.
Alanna will develop menus for the weekly programs based on what is available at the food bank that week and what is on special in the local grocery stores.
We will work closely with organizations such as FAIR, Trail Association for Community Living, CDS, Sanctuary, the United Way and others to identify potential participants who might benefit from Community Kitchens.
Community Kitchens is part of our Thriving for All poverty reduction initiative and is funded by the Union of BC Municipalities (UBCM) and Teck. The Skills Centre is dedicated to strengthening the region’s workforce, promoting inclusion and eliminating poverty through initiatives such as Community Kitchens.
If you or someone you know would benefit from Community Kitchens, <a href="https://skillscentre.ca/contact/">please contact us</a>.

Community Kitchens returning to downtown Trail

Skills Centre Board of Director’s Job Description
The Board of Directors guarantees the accountability of the Skills Centre. It is a policy/governance Board responsible for financial and strategic oversight of the organization and delegates authority over operational issues to staff through the executive director.
The Board governs with an emphasis on outward vision, encourages diversity in viewpoints, strategic leadership, collective decisions, clear distinction of Board and chief executive roles, and is future-focused and proactive.
The Board:
<ul>
<li>Operates with consistency and is accountable for competent, conscientious and effective accomplishment of its obligations.</li>
<li>Cultivates a sense of group responsibility. The Board is responsible for excellence in governing, is the initiator of policy, and uses the expertise and strengths of individual members to enhance the ability of the Board as a whole to express its values.</li>
<li>Expects of its members: regular attendance, preparation for meetings, respect for roles, and ensuring the continuity of governance capability.</li>
<li>Provides inspiration, direction ad control to the organization through the careful establishment of Board written policies reflecting the Board’s values and perspectives.</li>
</ul>
Contributions of the Board shall be:
<ul>
<li>Their collective expertise and knowledge in effective governance with the wider community.</li>
<li>Participation in the meetings and decisions of the Board and its committees.</li>
<li>The board meets in September, November, January, March and May. The Annual General Meeting is in June.</li>
</ul>
Core committees are:
<ul>
<li>Policy &amp; Planning (the executive committee of the board)</li>
<li>Development (Board recruitment, training and capacity development)</li>
<li>Audit (oversees financial reporting and the annual audit)</li>
<li>Bursary Committee (oversees and participates the award of Skills Centre bursaries)</li>
<li>HR (performance and evaluation of the executive director)</li>
</ul>
The Board commits itself and its members to ethical and business-like conduct in carrying out its mandate. This includes proper use of authority and appropriate decorum when acting as Board members. Board members also commit to follow all Board policies and the Code of Conduct.

Skills Centre Board of Director’s Job Description

Finding the confidence to learn new skills and take the steps to getting a job is at the core of four new employment programs at the Skills Centre.
<blockquote>“The programs all have a crucial element of building people’s confidence to take the steps they need to find the job they want,” says Jaime Malcolm, programs manager.</blockquote>
The four new programs address different labour market needs. The programs are: Brave Beginnings for Newcomers, HEART (Healing through Equine Assistance &amp; Resiliency Training), Spark Your Start-Up, and Tools for Trades.
“<a href="https://skillscentre.ca/how-we-help/healing-and-wellness/">HEART</a> is about helping women heal to get to the stage where they can look at re-entering the workforce with the confidence and skills to succeed. <a href="https://skillscentre.ca/how-we-help/skills-training/">Brave Beginnings for Newcomers</a> helps recent immigrants build the skills and confidence to find work, and it’s amazing that our staff have the diversity to offer this service in five languages,” she adds.
<a href="https://skillscentre.ca/how-we-help/skills-training/">Tools for Trades</a> helps youth, Indigenous people, women and other members of under-represented groups take the training they need to get into the trades. Options include enrolling in the Trades Foundation Program at Selkirk College or taking short courses and completing job placements, all with the support of a facilitator at the Skills Centre and financial supports to make it happen.
<a href="https://skillscentre.ca/how-we-help/skills-training/">Spark Your Start-Up</a> introduces youth to the process of creating a business concept and the steps to starting and running their own business.
<blockquote>“The Skills Centre provides workplace training services and social development programming to our community members, including the most vulnerable and isolated among us. These four programs address some of the biggest skills gaps we see in our communities,” Malcolm says.</blockquote>
“People in the Kootenays will have the chance to launch themselves into new careers with more training opportunities at the Skills Centre,” said Katrine Conroy, MLA for Kootenay West and Minister of Forests, Lands, Natural Resource Operations and Rural Development. “The work being done at the Skills Centre will enhance our workforce, lead to good-paying jobs, and help our small businesses find qualified, skilled employees when they’re so in demand. This is great news for our local economies and communities, and I’m grateful that as a government, we’re able to support these initiatives.”
Funding for the programs comes through B.C.’s Economic Recovery Plan through the Ministry of Advanced Education and Skills Training, the Industry Training Authority (ITA) and the Government of Canada through the Canada-British Columbia Workforce Development Agreement.

Confidence the key to new job training programs at the Skills Centre

Government investments in child care and family supports offset other expense increases
The gap is closing between the minimum wage and the living wage in the Greater Trail area. A new report from the Skills Centre and Living Wage for Families BC has found that the 2021 living wage for Trail and its surrounding communities is $18.15 per hour.
This is a slight decrease from the living wage calculation of two years ago when it was $18.83. Rather than an indication that the cost of living is going down, it signals that there are more financial supports available for low wage earners.
“The living wage indicates what it costs to get by in a community, so if there are more subsidies and credits available, then that living wage can decrease. That doesn’t mean the cost of living has decreased, it means that we’re taking better care of our low income earners,” explains Morag Carter, executive director of the Skills Centre.
“The reality is that many families in the Greater Trail area earn less than a living wage and struggle to make ends meet with the rising cost of living,” she says. “Minimum wage is the minimum an employer legally has to pay an employee. A living wage is the minimum pay to keep your employees above the poverty line.”
The living wage is calculated as the hourly amount that each of two working parents with two young children must earn to meet their basic expenses, including rent, child care, food and transportation, once government taxes, credits, deductions and subsidies are taken into account. Recent government investments in child care and other policy measures to support families have helped to prevent an increase in the living wage.
Steve Morissette, mayor of the Village of Fruitvale, a living wage workplace, says that for employers, paying a living wage makes sense.
“There are many places looking for workers. This is an opportunity to promote your business as a living wage employer and attract people to come work for you,” he says.
“It made sense for Fruitvale to show our resolve that everyone should be afforded the dignity of a living wage. We made a commitment to providing a good quality of life for our employees and contractors, and to being a leader in bringing awareness of poverty issues in our area and finding solutions. I’m really excited that Fruitvale is leading the charge for municipalities both locally and provincially. Hopefully, it will inspire others,” Morissette adds.
“This year’s calculation shows the impact of public policy changes since 2018, notably significant child care investments, the new BC Child Opportunity Benefit and elimination of MSP premiums, as well as other small changes to government transfers and taxes,” says Anastasia French, Living Wage for Families BC Organiser.
“These changes have helped offset the increase in family expenses since 2018, improving affordability for modest- and middle-income families with young children, which demonstrates the power of good public policy to make life more affordable for families,” she says.
In 2021 Living Wage for Families BC certified over 100 new living wage employers across the province, suggesting that employers have found paying a living wage as a solution to some of the pandemic-related hiring challenges they have experienced.
“The pandemic has revealed how much of our economy depends on undervalued and underpaid workers in service and care industries,” French says. “Public sector employers such as municipalities, school boards, health authorities and universities and private sector companies can support poverty reduction efforts and pandemic recovery across the province by increasing wages. This will also stimulate local economies because lower-income families tend to spend almost all of their income in their communities.”
The five living wage employers in Greater Trail are the Skills Centre, the Village of Fruitvale, Modern Purair, Community Futures Boundary and Grand Forks Credit Union.

New living wage shows progress for low income earners

Thriving for All is the official poverty reduction plan adopted by the City of Trail, City of Rossland, Village of Warfield, Village of Montrose, and Village of Fruitvale. The Skills Centre helped develop this plan with residents and representatives from the municipalities, including those with lived or living experience of poverty. With this information, we developed a series of strategies to reduce poverty and increase the opportunity to thrive, which fall into these five themes.
<h3>Housing</h3>
<ol>
<li>Ensure the availability of data required to support affordable housing initiatives</li>
<li>Facilitate coordination amongst organizations operating subsidized housing for low income households</li>
<li>Develop mechanisms for low income households to access information on affordable housing options</li>
<li>Increase the number of subsidized rental housing options for low income households</li>
<li>Advocate for support by government to develop and operate affordable housing</li>
</ol>
<h3>Social, Health &amp; Community Services</h3>
<ol>
<li>Promote increased access to social and health services</li>
<li>Promote barrier free access to transportation for low income households</li>
<li>Promote barrier free access for lower income households to recreation, arts and culture activities</li>
</ol>
<h3>Food Security</h3>
<ol>
<li>Promote the development of community gardens to support poverty reduction</li>
<li>Promote opportunities for low income households to earn livelihoods through the production and sale of food and food-related products</li>
<li>Promote opportunities for low income households to prepare nutritious food</li>
<li>Encourage planning and communication amongst food security players that contributes to the reduction of poverty</li>
</ol>
<h3>Learning &amp; Development</h3>
<ol>
<li>Improve access to learning and academic upgrading for low income individuals</li>
<li>Improve the availability of and access to childcare</li>
<li>Improve access to early childhood services and resources for low income families</li>
</ol>
<h3>Vibrant &amp; Inclusive Economy</h3>
<ol>
<li>Promote the Living Wage as a means of providing workers access to a good quality of life</li>
<li>Promote employment of lower skilled individuals by supporting the development of workplace essential skills</li>
<li>Support the development and diversification of the local economy</li>
</ol>

Thriving for All Poverty Reduction Strategies

<h3>Snapshot shows local impact of job training, poverty reduction programs</h3>
Kelton is one of the 73% of youth who found regular employment after completing their training plan. Jenn is one of the 97% of mature workers who completed a short term occupational certificate. Damaris is one of the clients who accessed training services in Spanish.
All three were clients of the Skills Centre in the past year, and all three are representative of the impact the Skills Centre has in the community. The Skills Centre has released its first Community Impact Report showcasing the work it does in the Kootenay and Boundary region.
“We help a lot of people get training and find jobs. We have solid partnerships with a lot of local organizations. We do a lot in the community, and we realized that we haven’t been sharing some of these positive stories publicly,” says Emily Gora, Program Development Officer at the Skills Centre.
“This report is a snapshot of the work we do in our communities. It highlights our poverty reduction work with five local governments. It lists the sponsorships we have made to shine a light on equity, diversity and inclusion, such as the Jesse Thistle and Desmond Cole presentations with the Mir Centre for Peace and Selkirk College.”
“Our mission is to create opportunities for all people to be engaged in a caring community. Next year we’ll be celebrating our 25th anniversary in the community, so it’s time we tell our story,” Gora adds.
Read our 2021 Community Impact Report, then contact us with any questions.
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Did you know our logo represents diverse people connecting and supporting each other? We&#8217;re here to help you.
We promote inclusivity, equity and diversity in the community and in the workplace. We also believe in skills development throughout our careers, so we’re constantly learning and passing these new skills on to our clients. The Skills Centre is an inclusive, accessible, safe &amp; welcoming place for people of all genders, sexual orientations, abilities, ethnicities &amp; lived experiences.
Our staff take Mental Health First Aid and trauma informed workplace training. Our program facilitators have your best interests in mind. They are caring, capable &amp; trained to help you succeed. We know you have questions. Contact our office today to find out how we can help you.

Meet Your Facilitators

Bethel Torres has served our clients in many roles, as admin support, project specialist and IWL Learning Assistant. She works with our youth programs and HEART. Helping guide you to achieve what you want is an important part of our work, and Bethel says there is so much that we can learn at any point in our lives.
“Young people know they can learn new skills. They’re not always sure what to learn because there are so many options. We’re here to help them focus on what they want,” she says.
“This is just the beginning of their career journey. We help them identify their abilities and match them to their preferences. They often discover many things about themselves that they didn’t know, and that leads them to start to realize their potential,” she says.
Driven by her commitment to make a positive impact on our clients, she takes pride in providing support to our programs for young adults.

Your Skills Training Facilitator: Bethel Torres

Allan Pusey is a Red Seal Carpenter with more than 14 years of hands on work experience in construction, including 5 years operating his own custom woodworking company. He has taught 3 ITA approved Carpentry Red Seal refresher courses and helped over 300 laborers, apprentices and journeypersons prepare for training and new employment in the trades.
“One of the biggest challenges for people entering the trades is knowing what to expect and what is expected of them, and gaining the skills that employers are seeking. We help them overcome these hurdles with Tools for Trades,” Allan says.
Allan has 10+ years of experience working with job seekers and employers across the Kootenays, giving tried and tested advice, assistance and supports. Tools For Trades participants can expect to gain valuable insights into the world of construction, access to funding for foundations training as well as safety courses, work clothing, tools, accurate labour market information, and thorough job search coaching.

Your Tools for Trades Facilitator: Allan Pusey

Bethel Torres has been part of the Skills Centre as admin support and more recently as our new project specialist. Using her professional expertise, especially with languages, and her experience moving to Canada and finding a rewarding job, she knows how to help clients who are new to the country.
“Brave Beginnings is really a unique opportunity for people to adjust to life in Canada and get help finding a job. I am from Mexico, and I have lived in Canada for more than 10 years. I remember how challenging it was to get a job. I would have been so happy to have help like this,” she says.
“It helps so much to be able to talk with someone in the language you are most comfortable speaking. I really encourage people to come in and speak to us and see how we can help them gain the skills they want.”
Driven by her commitment to make a positive impact on our clients, Bethel takes pride in providing support to our programs for newcomers.
Harshil Patel works at the Skills Centre as a program facilitator and placement coordinator. He is fluent in Gujarati, Hindi and English.
“When I came to Canada, I found it very hard to find a job for the first six months that I was here. We know people sometimes have language barriers to learning a new skill or getting a new job. That’s why Bethel and I are excited to offer Brave Beginnings for Newcomers in all of these languages,” he says.
Learning new skills and applying for a job in a new country can be challenging. Helping people build their confidence to take these steps is one of the most important parts of working with clients, Harshil says.
“Brave Beginnings supports participants with individualized employment assistance services, skills training, and financial supports. I am passionate to support newcomers and help them to settle into their new life in Canada,” he says.

Meet Our Multi-lingual Facilitators: Bethel Torres & Harshil Patel

Karina Allis changed career tracks as a mature worker to become an employment counsellor. Her experience making a career and employment transition is key to successfully supporting job seekers. She knows her stuff, and she knows how to help people find the confidence and comfort level to learn new skills and find a new job at any stage of their life.
“There are many reasons why people over 55 are looking for a different job. We understand those reasons, and I will work with them to help them make that change,” she says.
“Many of our clients haven’t written a resume in 25 or more years. The last time they looked for a job, it was a very different experience. We’re here to give people the tools to get through those challenges and start a new phase of their life.”
“I often say to people I practiced being unemployed before starting my career as an employment counsellor, and learned that finding the right employer is as important as finding the right job!”

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Skills Centre executive director receives King’s Coronation Medal

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Skills Centre executive director receives King’s Coronation Medal

You can contribute as a board member

“Good food and meeting new people”

Community comes together for Coldest Night of the Year

Trail’s living wage up 6% as cost of living continues to soar

Helping women find their place in the trades

Meet Sara Cameron, one of our new board members

Local opportunities to help end working poverty in Trail

Meet Edward, our new maintenance pro