December 3, 2009
For Immediate Release
Program puts experience to work
Older Workers receive employment support
An employment and self-employment program focused on the needs of Older Workers is about to launch for the third time in Lunenburg County. The Acadia Centre for Social and Business Entrepreneurship (ACSBE) will offer Putting Experience to Work - a twenty-week program for unemployed people aged 55 – 64 who are interested in discovering their age advantage and entering or re-entering the workforce.
Through a combination of workshops, training and one-on-one career coaching, the customized and engaging learning experience provided by ACSBE will give participants the opportunity to examine their personal experiences, skills, and interests as they plan for their new world of work.
“It’s as if participants will have a full-time job where the main function is to focus on discovering themselves”, says Stephanie Lohnes, Program Coordinator of the ACSBE program. “They can finally afford the time to really look at local opportunities and will receive full support throughout the program to do so.”
Putting Experience to Work will see program participants on-site at ACSBE’s office in Bridgewater for the first ten weeks of the program. During this time, participants will work in a group setting as well as with a career counsellor. Some participants will focus on finding employment and others will work toward starting a business of their own. The second part of the program will have participants working with employers in the area to learn new skills and work toward finding long term employment or starting up their business. While the program has foundational information for all participants, each person creates their own path throughout the program.
Funding for Putting Experience to Work is provided through a partnership between Nova Scotia’s Labour and Workforce Development and the Government of Canada’s Targeted Initiative for Older Workers project.
ACSBE has received funding to offer the program twice over the next year, meaning that twelve people will be chosen for the first program that will begin in January, and twelve additional people will be chosen for a program that will run later in the year.
Interested Older Workers should contact Stephanie Lohnes at the ACSBE Resource Centre to register for an information session on December 10th or 14th by calling 543-6776. Employers who have interest in working in partnership with this program are encouraged to reserve their opportunity to provide a work experience opportunity by contacting ACSBE.
