With a willingness to learn and a commitment to hard work, sometimes all we need to succeed is a little experience. That’s exactly the philosophy behind the Workplace Training Program and Work Exposure through DFW Career Services here in Wetaskiwin.
At the same time, with many Wetaskiwin-area businesses having open positions to fill, the partnership is a win-win for both employee and employer, says DFW Director Wayne Di Lallo.
Funded by the Province of Alberta and Canadian Government, Workplace Training matches unemployed and marginally employed individuals in need of skills training or work experience with employers willing to train them and give them that experience. The program provides focused work-site training opportunities that let individuals secure a job and boost their employment.
In turn, employers help someone find their new path in life and ideally gain a permanent employee that they’re proud to call a member of their team.
Throughout the placement, the DFW team is available for questions, tips and other information to help the employee be successful. “We’re there to support them along the way. You’re not going to know everything right away and that’s OK – you have to give it time,” Di Lallo says, noting the success is in the numbers: More than 70 per cent of participants are still employed after 90 days.
How it works:
- Potential employees are age 18 or older and typically lack the skills or training needed to secure a position.
- Employers simply need to have a position available, time to train, WCB coverage and general liability insurance of $2 million.
- Through Workplace Training, employers are compensated for between 50 and 70 per cent of the employee’s rate of pay, up to $10 per hour, to a maximum of $390 a week.
- Alternatively, through a newer initiative complementing this 12-year-old program, employers can be compensated to a maximum of $15 an hour for a three-week paid work experience term.
- Additional funding is also available for specialized clothing such as high-vis vests or steel-toed boots, or training such as safety courses that an employee needs before they start, Di Lallo notes.
Get started today!
Beyond the Workplace Training program and WorkForce Development Work Exposure component, as a designated resource centre open to anyone in the Wetaskiwin community, the Directions for Wellness office offers access to computers, assistance with resume writing and interview skills, tactics for online job applications, and more.
Even better, there’s no appointment necessary – simply drop in at #103 & #104, 5220-48 Ave. in downtown Wetaskiwin to see how they can help.
To learn more, call