Betsy Kline
Castlegar News
If you are a job seeker or an employer searching for workers then the Kootenay Career Development Society is a place you will want to visit.
KCDS celebrated its second anniversary with an Open House last week.
The event featured refreshments and door prizes.
The staff was on hand to offer tours and overviews of the work they do to help employees and employers find each other.
“We are so happy to be here celebrating our second year,” Employment Services Centre manager Joanna Swanson-Kutaseswich said. “Our role in the community is to help job seekers, employers, and community members. We like to work collectively as a team in the community.”
KCDS offers free services to those who are unemployed or underemployed. They provide resume and cover letter writing assistance, interview skills training, help with organizing and accessing funding and workshops and skills training. The centre serves between 400 and 600 clients each month.
KCDS receives its funding from the Province of British Columbia and the Federal Government.
The first person you meet when you walk through the doors is Leni Normington.
The employment counsellor is very passionate about helping those who come to the office.
“When a person walks through the door, I am going to do my best to help them with whatever they need,” she said.
The centre has several other employment counselors, self-serve specialists, a wage subsidy coordinator and a youth employment counsellor on hand.
Their overall goal is to explain the labour market, provide resources and help people to overcome barriers to employment.
The office is open Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.