Don't Abandon Your Job Search Over The Holidays

5 Reasons to Continue Job Hunting over the Holidays

By Beth Braccio Hering, Guest Contributor, on November 28, 2012

From: CareerBliss.com

Job seekers who put their searches on hold during December may miss out on valuable opportunities unique to this month. Get rid of the outdated notion that nothing worthy happens in the hiring world between Thanksgiving and New Year and take advantage of the following:

1.  New openings
The end of the year is a prime time for retirements and internal promotions, which create vacancies that need to be filled. Likewise, some companies begin a new budget cycle in January – providing managers with money to hire staff. Smart businesses want to settle their staffing needs now so that they can proceed full steam ahead when the calendar turns.

2.  Less competition
The applicant pool often shrinks during the month of December as job searchers become engrossed in holiday plans or assume hirers will be out of the office. Fewer résumés coming in means yours has a better chance of being noticed.

3.  No-pressure networking
Tired of always feeling like you’re “bugging” people in your network? Christine Bolzan, founder of Graduate Career Coaching, notes that an easy and highly effective way to reach individuals and stay on their minds without asking for anything is to send holiday greetings.
“Reaching out to your contacts only when there is a current opening at a target company is too late. You’ve missed the boat, and in this tight job market, timing is everything. During the holiday season, there are so very many ways to make contacts and touch base with individuals who will subsequently have you in mind when hiring resumes in January. A nice card sent via U.S. Postal Service (NOT e-mail) with a handwritten, personalized message inside is the perfect ‘ping’ to those in your network,” Bolzan says.

To read more of this article click here

Some jobs Currently unfilled in the West

Register and apply or login if you already have an account at www.apprenticesearch.com

Job# 12374 General Machinist in Cambridge x1 0yrs experience

Job# 12348 Truck & Trailer Service Tech in Waterloo x1 4yrs experience

Job# 12346 Auto Body Repairer in Hamilton x1 1yr experience

Job# 12345 Industrial Mechanic Millwright in Guelph x1 2yrs experience

Job# 12208 Machine Tool Builder in Stoney Creek  x1 1yr experience

Job# 12189 Tool Maker in Cambridge x1 1yr experience

Job# 12179 Tire Wheel & Rim Mechanic in Stoney Creek x1 0yrs experience

Job# 12155 Tool & Die Maker in Cambridge x1 1yr experience

Job# 12101 General Machinist in Elora x1 1 or 2yrs experience

Job# 12085 Instrumentation & Control Tech. in Hamilton x4 1yr experience 

Safety: Winter's coming, information on Cold Stress

COLD STRESS

Contents
- Core temperature
- Wind chill
- Hypothermia
- Frostbite
- Risk factors
- Controls
- Exposure limits

Cold stress or hypothermia can affect workers who are not protected against cold. The cold may result naturally from weather conditions or be created artificially, as in refrigerated environments.
Cold is a physical hazard in many workplaces. When the body is unable to warm itself, serious cold-related illnesses and injuries may occur, leading to permanent tissue damage and even death.
Workplaces exposed to cold, wet, and/or windy conditions include

- roofs
- open or unheated cabs
- bridges or other projects near large bodies of water
- large steel structures that retain cold or are exposed to cold
- high buildings open to the wind
- refrigerated rooms, vessels, and containers.

This section provides information on

- effects of overexposure to cold
- factors that can worsen these effects
- control measures.
Knowing this information can help construction workers
avoid hypothermia and frostbite.

Core Temperature

The body tries to maintain an internal (core) temperature of approximately 37°C (98.6°F). This is done by reducing heat loss and increasing heat production. Under cold conditions, blood vessels in skin, arms, and legs constrict, decreasing blood flow to extremities. This minimizes cooling of the blood and keeps critical internal organs warm. At very low temperatures, however, reducing blood flow to the extremities can result in lower skin temperature and higher risk of frostbite.

Click here to download PDF and read more

Watch for more safety informatioln to come

Some jobs currently unfilled in the Western Region

Trade Job # City      # of Vacancies   # of years of apprenticeship  General Machinist 12253 Cambridge       1           0 Tool & Die Maker 12233 Guelph        1           0 Auto Body Repairer 12259 Hamilton       2           2 Auto Body Painter 12260 Hamilton       1           4 Cook 12274 Guelph        3           0 Automotive Service Technician 12283 Stoney Creek       1           3 Truck & Coach Technician 12302 Hamilton       2           1 Const. & Maint. Electrician 12312 Cambridge       1           2 General Machinist 12314 Cambridge       2           4 CNC Programmer 12328 Cambridge       1           4 Construction Millwright 12332 Newton       2           3
To apply to these jobs and more register and or login at www.apprenticesearch.com

DAILY NEWS Nov 9, 2012

New Canadian Website to Promote Careers in Trades

AUTOSERVICEWORLD.COM

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Two national organizations, the Canadian Apprenticeship Forum and Skills/Compétences Canada, have partnered to revamp the popular Careers in Trades website and ensure Canadian youth have to access up-to-date information on skilled trades careers.

“Apprenticeship stakeholders across trades, across sectors and across Canada tell us promoting careers in the skilled trades is a fundamental priority,” said Sarah Watts-Rynard, Executive Director of the Canadian Apprenticeship Forum. “With skills shortages looming in many trades, ensuring youth and students have opportunities to explore career options in the trades is as important to the Canadian economy as it is to individuals suited to hands-on, well paid and highly-satisfying work.”
The revamped website features step-by-step information on how to take up an apprenticeship, lists the advantages of a career in the trades, and offers youth, educators and parents stories from real apprentices across Canada. Over the next few months, additional resources for educators and students will also be updated.

"We are pleased to partner with the Canadian Apprenticeship Forum to reintroduce the Careers in Trades website,” said Shaun Thorson, CEO of Skills/Compétences Canada. “It will be a valuable resource for thousands of career seekers looking for a rewarding future in the trades and technologies. Supporting and promoting apprenticeship and training is essential to meet the demand for qualified skilled trades professionals."

The original Careers in Trades website was developed by the two organizations and launched more than five years ago as part of a national career awareness campaign. It remains one of the most popular sites in Canada for information in the skilled trades.

The Canadian Apprenticeship Forum is an inclusive national body that brings together all of the stakeholders in Canada’s apprenticeship community to share common challenges and identify solutions, promote careers and research apprenticeship barriers and best practices.

Skills/Compétences Canada is a national, not-for-profit organization that actively encourages and supports a coordinated Canadian approach to promoting careers in skilled trades and technologies to Canadian youth.

Visit the new site at www.careersintrades.ca.

From apprentice to entrepreneur

From: Canada Business Network -Government Services for Entrepreneurs

October 25, 2012 • Tags: Startup, Training

 

Sometimes the best way to learn something is to do it. Taking the leap to start a business in a skilled trade might be your dream, and learning from someone who is already in business may be the perfect place to start. Your journey to entrepreneurship could begin with apprenticeship.
So what are the benefits of choosing apprenticeship? As an apprentice, you:

• Experience the work first hand
• Learn the skills that are needed for your trade
• Get paid while you train

You can choose from over 140 exciting trades that are part of apprenticeship programs in Ontario. When you enrol in a program, you will likely be trained in the workplace for 2 to 5 years. This hands-on training gives you the chance to learn about the industry directly and network with others in your field.
Another benefit of apprenticeship is the availability of financial support for you and your employer. As an apprentice, you may qualify for a scholarship or grant of up to $2,000 to help you pay for training or tools. Your employer may be eligible for the Apprenticeship Training Tax Credit or financing to hire and train you as an apprentice in specific skilled trades.

Link to the article

Third Time Is A Charm

It is very hard to put into words how I feel about driving the apprenticesearch car.  It seems like only a few weeks ago we had our first meeting.  Looking back it is amazing what we have accomplished together.  I am honoured and very proud to say that together we have won our third Ontario Pro Challenge Championship!!!!!!!  We finished up this season at Sunset Speedway, everyone drives fast at this track.  After winning two races in a row, you would think that we had the car to beat, right?  Not wanting to sit back and just go racing, my team went for a whole new setup.  I know, it is crazy to try something new when all seems good.  We wanted to expand our learning.  We documented every change, to make it easy to go back if things didn't work out.  From our first lap the car felt different, it felt slow.  I mean really slow, like I was pulling another car around the track.  Not exactly what I wanted to feel.  In the pits we looked at the lap times.  My initial thought was my team started celebrating a little early!!!! The stop watch never lies, so out for the second practice we went.  This time we went out first in line to gauge what we have for the competition.  Sure enough the car felt slow, but the other drivers were getting smaller in my mirrors.  Knowing that we found something good, we parked the car and waited for the racing to start.  Starting in last again, we were in the lead on lap 3 and driving away to the victory.  A seventh starting spot in the feature, and right up to the lead in 4 laps.  This car was great, my driving was as good as ever.  We did have some company, the 02 car was a rocket as well.  We drove side by side for almost 12 laps before I could clear him and drive away.  It was an amazing race, the most aggressive I have ever driven.  Turns out the car isn't so slow after all.  We had a perfect night, 54 points and winning the championship cup.   I would like to thank everyone at apprenticesearch.com for their support and kind words.  Thanks to every visitor to this blog as well.  It was great to see everyone at the track this year.  Looking forward to next year already. 
Stay tuned to see the complete rebuild and painting of the car in the off season.
Any ideas for a new paint scheme?