Calgary Job Search Strategies Forum Report

Welcome

Video

Jennifer Dillon - Job Search Strategies Consultant, NEADS

Jennifer Dillon welcomed the participants who were attending in person and via the webcast. Since the National Educational Association of Disabled Students (NEADS) began in 1986, demand for employment initiatives and job strategies to help students has increased said Dillon.

In August 2005, NEADS partnered with BMO Capital Markets for a two-year workshop series; this original project has been extended twice with a current mandate to run workshops across Canada until March 2011.

The workshops provide practical job-search strategies and techniques that appreciate different perspectives from students, service providers, and employers. The Calgary workshop is the fifteenth one held by NEADS. These forums have been held across Canada.

Following a video on the impact of BMO Capital Markets’ Equity Through Education Program, Dillon thanked the thoughtful and committed people who have continued to support NEADS.

Dillon suggested that participants practice their networking skills and learn from other people’s experiences during the course of the day. The forum was designed to be a safe environment for learning and asking questions for everyone, and participants would also have many opportunities for individual conversations if they did not feel comfortable in group discussions.

Over the lunch hour, participants one-on-one meetings with employment professionals were scheduled to discuss resumés and job-hunting techniques. Dillon encouraged participants to be open-minded and receive feedback in the spirit in which it is intended.

During the morning and afternoon, two panel presentations were to take place with discussions after each. Dillon noted that following the workshop a report summarizing everything from the day would be available on the NEADS website.