Priorité-emploi Job Fair

MAKE WAY FOR YOUTH INTRODUCES FOUR STUDENTS TO PRIORITÉ-EMPLOI JOB FAIR

Pictured outside of the Expo-Sherbrooke building, site of the Priorité-Emploi job fair, are: Peter Frank (Pre-Commerce) from Burundi, Panchol Alier (Pure and Applied Sciences) from Sudan, Michelle Lepitre, Make Way for Youth/Desjardins Migration Agent, Claire Holt (Political Science) from Nova Scotia and Peter Bul Manyok (Chemistry) from Sudan.

A local partnership between Emploi-Québec Estrie, the Tribune and a number of regional partners, Priorité-emploi takes place every spring at the Édifice d'Expo in Sherbrooke. The largest job fair in the Eastern Townships, it brings together many of the biggest employers in the region, job seekers looking for employment and those interested in new professional challenges. Over 50 exhibitors greet as many as 4,500 job seekers every year. This year there were almost 2,000 jobs to be filled.

The students came to the fair looking primarily for summer jobs. The students identified four employers and one vocational centre they found most comfortable speaking to in English. The employers included Nordia, Charles River Laboratories, Sykes and the Wales Home long term care facility (CHSLD) in Richmond. The Lennoxville Vocational Centre was the other exhibitor that the students were most comfortable speaking with.

Nordia is one of the premiere customer service centres in Quebec and one of the top 20 employers in the region. Responding to the needs of over 100,000,000 customers a year, Nordia frequently seeks bilingual customer service agents. Their local office in Sherbrooke offers paid training, coaching, workshops and incentive programs.

Charles River Laboratories is a relatively new player in the area. Opened officially in 2009, it provides pre-clinical testing for pharmaceutical companies. The biomedical laboratory currently hires around 170 people at its facility adjacent to CHUS in Sherbrooke.

Sykes, formerly ICT, is a provider of out-sourced customer services for Fortune 1000 companies around the world. In Sherbrooke, Sykes hires bilingual individuals for its expanding customer support and technical troubleshooting services. The company offers a flexible work-at-home service delivery program for its new and existing agents.

Wales Home is a private, non profit organization that offers a wide range of long-term care services for seniors. Located in Richmond, The Wales Home provides several levels of medical and care services in a peaceful, country environment. Job opportunities are available for those seeking work related to nursing, attendant care and, from time to time, other health-related fields.

The Lennoxville Vocational Training Centre provides bilingual vocational education and training for clients age 16 and older. The centre offers eight different programs and serves over 100 full-time students.

The student's experience at the Job Fair underscored the need for preparation, as Michelle Lepitre noted, "It is really important to sit down before going to the Priorité-Emploi Job Fair and think about the kind of experience you have, the job you are looking for and the kind of hours you can work." Michelle also emphasized the importance of having a CV translated in French and "dressing to impress."

If you would like to know more about the Priorité Emploi job fair or other employment opportunities, contact Michelle Lepitre at Townshippers' Association at 819-566-5717(toll free 1-866-566-5717) or ml@townshippers.qc.ca, or visit www.topportunity.ca.

Townshippers’ Association is a non-partisan, non-profit community organization serving the Eastern Townships English-speaking community. Contact www.townshippers.qc.ca; ta@townshippers.qc.ca; 257 Queen, Lennoxville (819-566-5717; 1-866-566-5717) or 584 Knowlton Road, Lac Brome (450-242-4421; 1-877-242-4421).

-30-

SOURCE:      Daniel Ozon, Communications Agent, Townshippers’ Association,

819-566-5717, 1-866-566-5717, ta@townshippers.qc.ca

Visit the Make Way for YOUth Main Page