Education and employment are key pathways out of poverty. Challenges with accessing essential skils, preperation for the workforce, personal health issues, limited personal supports, achieving a GED, negative experiences with school can act as barriers for someone making the transistion into employment.

The welfare wall is a commonly used term to describe the barriers facing individuals on income assistance when they attempt to move into the labour market. The policies that serve as disincentives for workplace particpation include: limited wage exemptions, lack of affordable childcare, loss of health benefits, inadequate supports for post-secondary education, and inability of minimum wage to meet the cost of living.

A continum of education and employment programs that result in living wage employment is required. Programs need to be accessible and there is a need for new strategies to improve awareness of available services. Education to employment programming tailored to individual needs and a range of options (e.g., literacy, essential skills, job specific training, workplace training, mentoring and support) should be available. The province’s commitment to essential skills training is a step in the right direction.

Skill shortages heighten the urgency of providing programs that directly link individuals to workforce opportunities. For Saint John, this means involving employers more meaningfully into the employment preparation process. Approaches that meet the immediate needs of employers and support individuals in acquiring a set of essential skills for a specific job will require reaching out to employers and unions and having them play a role in the development and implementation of solutions.

Innovative approaches and programs

The Saint John Learning Exchange and VCSJ together with employers, government and educational institutions are providing unemployed individuals with a new short-term essential skills training program tailored to meet employers’ specific needs. TIES 2 Work facilitates a match between employers and potential employees through 12 weeks of job specific essential skills training, resulting in employment at a minimum starting wage of $10 / hour. The first intake of the program resulted in the three participating employers hiring the six individuals who were matched with them.

The Work Room

The Work Rooms are state-of-the-art career resource centers located in Simonds High School, Kennebecasis Valley High School, Sussex Regional High School and Belleisle Regional High School. The centres are made possible through a partnership between the Department of Post-secondary Education, Training and Labour and School Districts 6 and 8.
The Work Rooms are open to everyone in the community! They provide a one-stop resource library for those looking to explore career options, whether it is deciding on a future career, changing careers or re-evaluating a career.
The Work Room Career Resource Centres can help you;

  • Explore career fields
  • Identify marketable skills.
  • Polish your resume.
  • Write a cover letter.
  • Create a portfolio.
  • Refine your interview skills.
  • Research employers.
  • Find job opportunities.
  • Prepare for employment.

The Work Rooms provide free access to the internet, fax and vast multimedia career resources through a huge lending library.
For more information, please visit www.careersthatwork.ca.

Makin' It Work

This brochure was developed to make it easier for potential learners, employees and service providers to learn about the available supports to transition to work. Link to brochure

Barriers to work

Click here for the policy recommendation list.

Employers - What you can do?

Information coming soon.

Living Wage

The minimum wage in New Brunswick has increased by $.50 in 2009 to $8.25. While this is an improvement, New Brunswick’s minimum wage is the second lowest in Canada.

© 2009 Saint John Poverty Reduction Strategy