North Island Employment Success Stories

When I called Brent Jordan at home he was busy working on his homework. His assignment was to create a color wheel representing the entire spectrum, using only three primary colors. Although both Brent and his table were covered with paints, he was enjoying it immensely.  But who knew it could be so hard to find the right mix for yellow!

Brent is enrolled in his first semester of the Fine Arts Diploma Program at NIC. He notes,  “The course is extremely challenging. I was used to being the only one in high school that could draw, so I thought I would just walk in there, draw something, and get an A.”  However when the first assignment was given back there were a lot of Cs and Bs. This came as a wake up call to more than a few of the students.

Brent doodled from a young age but it wasn’t until high school that his drawings became more technical, in terms of lighting, shading, and perspective. Although he believed he had some talent he wasn’t sure he could make a living at it. “I felt like in the real world I had to make real money. And perhaps at that time I didn’t feel like I had the confidence to work as an artist.”

After graduating from high school Brent worked in construction, operated an excavator, and also worked in shipping and receiving. However, his life changed in 2000 when he was hit by a drunk driver and three vertebra in his back were crushed. “I was laid low for a long time but eventually I had to find work. I had no choice as I had bills to pay.”

Brent tried to work through it, but he hit bottom one day when he simply collapsed from the pain. By nature an optimistic person, he found it very difficult to find something to be positive about. “I found it really stressful not to be able to work, let alone be an active father to my kids. It was really disheartening not to be able to give my son a piggyback ride.”

As Brent was on Medical EI, he began to look into his options. “When I first came into NIEFS I had no idea what I was going to do. The only thing I knew for certain was that I could no longer perform physically demanding work.”

Brent was given an appointment with an Employment Advisor, Peter, who recommended he participate in a career assessment testing process. However, due to Brent’s family responsibilities he was not able to attend full day workshops. So he was referred to Kim, a NIEFS Vocational Advisor, who was able to book him in for a series of one-to-one appointments at a time which worked well for Brent and his kids.

His assessments indicated he had the skills, aptitude, and interests for a legal career or as a chef, and naturally, as an artist. Brent made the effort to research both culinary arts and paralegal training. However, he ruled out being a chef as it would mean long periods of time on his feet. And to become a paralegal meant going to school in Vancouver, which wasn’t feasible given his family obligations.

“Eventually I decided to just go for what had the strongest pull and applied for funding assistance to take the Fine Arts Program at North Island College.” The process of applying for funding assistance through EI requires an applicant to conduct employer research to determine whether there is a demand for the skills being sought.

Brent realized that Fine Arts might be a hard sell so he met with his Employment Advisor again to brainstorm how to demonstrate practical employment possibilities. They came up with diverse fields such as graphic design, magazine publishing, and computer applications.

Brent found it very difficult to pick up the phone and make the calls. “I’m terrible on the phone. I don’t even like calling for a pizza! So, calling employers I had never met to ask questions about my employment prospects was really challenging.”

“The first time I presented my package they told me I had to get more anticipated hiring numbers.” Brent expanded his research to Nanaimo and Victoria. “By the time I was done I must have made over 200 calls. The good thing was that I made a few contacts and got some feedback from people who had gone through similar programs.”

Eventually, Brent’s package was approved and he was given a financial contribution towards his tuition and living expenses. He is now fully engaged in completing the first semester of the program.

Brent states that his life has completely changed. “I went through a really tough period in my life but now, although I’m working hard and doing hours and hours of homework, I am really happy and loving life. And it is great to see that my happiness is rubbing off on my family.”

Brent realizes that other people may find themselves enduring the same financial and emotional struggles he has.  “It is difficult sometimes but you have to believe in yourself and realize that the only thing really holding you back is you. Put in the work and eventually you will reap the rewards!”

Brent’s long term goal is to be an illustrator for a magazine. However, he notes that “anything where I am putting pencil to paper or paint to canvas will be satisfying.”

Written by Peter Park

Serious Coffee, under the guidance of owner Linda Riddell, opened in the Willow Point Village, in January of 2008. Business has been great and Linda couldn’t be happier!

Linda is a long time resident of Campbell River. Her background includes 11 years managing a dental office and several years with Campbell River Tourism. Linda left town for a couple of years and when she returned she found herself in the job market and looking for work.

“I was finding it hard to get my foot in the door and eventually decided “Hey, why do I want to make money for somebody else, when I can do it for myself? So I asked myself, what do I like to do and what does Campbell River, and more specifically Willow Point, need? Eventually I decided it needed a really nice coffee shop.”

Linda recalls seeing an ad that said something like, ‘This is not serious’. That struck a chord with her. She googled the word and discovered the website for Serious Coffee.

Serious Coffee is a Vancouver Island success story. The first store opened in Duncan in 1994. Since that time Serious Coffee has expanded and now includes several franchises on Vancouver Island. The organic and fairly traded beans are still roasted in Duncan before being distributed to the local franchises.

Linda decided to contact them and was pleasantly surprised to hear that they only had one franchise available, and it was for Campbell River! “’Oh really, I thought. That was enough to get me going and I started the application process. I got the ok in July 2007.”

Because Linda was looking for business start up advice she registered with North Island Employment Foundation, (NIEFS) to see what they had to offer. “NIEFS was a big help and Janet, my advisor, helped me put together a self employment action plan in order to apply to Community Futures.”

“I presented my proposal to Community Futures and they enrolled me in their eight week series of business classes. They taught me how to develop a marketing survey and build a business plan.”

Linda took her marketing survey to the streets and asked people what they liked in a coffee shop. Their priorities were friendly service, a comfortable environment, cleanliness and finally, the taste of the coffee!

Linda advises anyone interested in self employment to develop a business plan. “It helps you to see the big picture: construction, hiring staff, buying equipment, marketing, etc. Many people slip up early on because they haven’t thought it out carefully.”

Linda took occupancy of the building in November of 2007. “We started with an empty shell and added counters and shelves, built a washroom, added an office and chose colours and decorations.”

“My son is a general contractor and an artist so he was a big help. He said ‘Mom, it needs to pop, we want people to walk in here and say wow!’ Designing the layout and look of the shop was a lot of fun, and Linda got to create her own style and ambiance.

“Now people come in here to read a book or play Scrabble with a friend. I provide wireless Internet service free of charge. I also have a drive through service.”

Linda suggests that anyone considering self employment should be sure it is what they want. “The days are long and there are lots of challenges, including scheduling staff and having adequate supplies on hand. People think they will make a lot of money but you work twice as hard as you would for anyone else.”

However the rewards of being your own boss are worth it. “I love the girls I have working here now and my customers are great!”

If you like the idea of being your own boss, then call NIEFS at 250-286-3441 and let us help you explore your options!

Written by Peter Park

Never before has a career in the trades looked so promising!  A skilled journeyperson can earn an excellent wage and the future employment prospects are outstanding. The Conference Board of Canada expects nearly one million positions for skilled trades people will open up nationally by 2020.

These opportunities are increasingly attracting the interest of young women. Candice Campbell of Campbell River is a good example.

Candice had worked at Painter’s Lodge as a fishing guide for four years. “I love fishing! I grew up fishing and my grandpa was a fishing guide.”

However, the nature of the work is seasonal which meant a long winter of unemployment. Candice found the layoffs hard. ”It’s depressing when you don’t have a job. Fortunately I knew about NIEFS (North Island Employment) and it gave me a place to get up and go to in the morning.”

When Candice decided to look into training for another career she met with a NIEFS advisor, Jody. Candice found Jody to be “amazing, and fun too!” Jody signed Candice up for a number of career and job related workshops. “All the workshops were good and they inspired me to do more.”

Candice explained that she had always been interested in the trades. “My uncle’s partner Kristina is an electrician and she really inspired me.” So when Candice attended the CR Job Trends workshop and heard that trades are the way to go she knew it was the right choice.

Once Candice decided to pursue a trade she had to decide which one she would find most satisfying. “In my last couple of years of high school I enjoyed math and loved physics so becoming an electrician seemed like a good choice.”

After researching her training options Candice decided to apply to North Island College to take the 24 week Electrical Foundation Program. “I was surprised when I applied that it wasn’t busy and I was able to get in the same year.”

As Candice had been working seasonally she didn’t have enough hours to establish an Employment Insurance (EI) claim. This would have allowed her to access funding assistance for training.

Looking for ways to finance going to school, she attended a Funding Options workshop facilitated by Jody. Among the options presented was a pilot project called the Employment Readiness Training Program (ERTP).

The workshop also alerted her to a program run by the BC Construction Association called the Skilled Trades Employment Program (STEP). STEP is actively encouraging and supporting women to enter the trades. Both ERTP and STEP are available to people who do not have an EI connection.

Candice was successful in her ERTP funding application and they are covering her living expenses. Her application to STEP was also accepted and they are paying for her books and tuition.

Candice is currently completing the program and really enjoying it. “School is going well. We’ve done three tests so far; I got 85.5% on my Math test, and 93% on my safety test.”

Candice will graduate in July 2010 with credit towards the first year of her journeyperson status. “I’m the only woman in the program but the students are great and we all get along well.”

Candice has been proactive about finding work when she graduates and reports that “I already have an apprentice position lined up with Anchor Cove Electrical.” For Candice Campbell the future looks bright and her employment options are unlimited!

Her advice to people employed in a dead end job is to “do something different, explore sources of funding and go to school, especially if you can get it funded. Take advantage of the money that is available and get training.”

“If you don’t know where to start then come into NIEFS. NIEFS is a great place with wonderful people and excellent services.”

Written by Peter Park

When Celina Larsen was laid off from her cooking job and wondering what to do next, the only thing she could say for certain was “I didn’t want to work in an office.” Celina had spent four years working as a cook before being let go due to a shortage of work. She had a grade 12 education but no formal cook’s training, and no other employment related certification.

Since she was out of work Celina decided it was time to look into her options and perhaps pursue training. “When I was laid off I came into NIEFS (North Island Employment) to begin looking into my training options, because I didn’t think I could build a sustainable career as a cook.”

Celina’s work history included several years at an industrial plant in Calgary. While there she was often able to provide assistance to the mechanical engineers and soon realized that she had both an aptitude and an interest in the work they were doing. ”I like mechanical stuff and was always doing repairs around the plant.”

“At first I was interested in training to become a mechanical engineer. However when I looked further into it I realized I would have to move to find work. So I researched the electrical trade and I decided that the money was good and there would be job openings locally.”

Celina conducted an online search for schools and programs. One of the programs was offered at Vancouver Island University in Nanaimo. “I went to an Electrical Trades info presentation in Nanaimo and discovered that there were 200 people on the waiting list.”

So Celina looked into North Island College’s (NIC) Electrical Foundation program and discovered that space was available. When she made an appointment with the admissions department she found that “the student advisors at the college were very helpful as there are a lot of details to cover.”

However Celina had to make up two prerequisites, physics & math in order to meet the admission requirements. She completed the courses through NIDES, North Island Distance Education Society, and did well.

NIC’s application process also requires the completion of a mechanical/spatial assessment test. Celina thought “the test was a breeze because I find that stuff very logical.”

Meanwhile Celina was working on her funding application package to apply to the Training Support Centre, for tuition assistance and living expenses while in school. Celina was eligible to apply for funding assistance as she had an Employment Insurance claim.

The funding application process requires an applicant to conduct employer research to demonstrate that there is a demand in the industry for graduates of the training program they wish to attend.

“Laurie, my career advisor at NIEFS, set me up in an empty room with a phone to do my long distance research.  I conducted research locally, but I also spoke to employers in Nanaimo. They were very responsive and the number of potential job openings looked good.”

Celina received a letter from North Island College stating she was accepted into the Electrical Foundation program contingent upon completion of her pre-requisites. “Once I had the provisional acceptance letter I booked an appointment to present my funding application to the Training Support Center.”

Celina is now enrolled in the six-month Electrical Foundation program at North Island College. Although there are 28 students participating in the program, Celina is the only woman. She reports that “it’s going great, the instructors are good and the other students are supportive.”

Looking back, Celina says, “without NIEFS I wouldn’t have known what I needed to do. At first I found the process frustrating because I wanted to do everything at once. But Laurie helped me to slow down and take it one step at a time. She was very patient and a big help in guiding me through the process.”

Celina’s advice to others interested in training for a new career is very clear: “be patient and follow the process. The more effort you put into your funding package the more work you’ll put into your training.”

Celina graduates from the Electrical Foundation program in February 2010 and she is looking forward to starting her new career!  If you are interested in making a new start in your career, call NIEFS at 250-286-3441 and let us help you explore your options.

Written by Peter Park

After years of seasonal employment in the fish processing industry, Chris Falconer decided to make a change. “When I began to explore my options I went into North Island Employment (NIEFS) to see what was available. The people at NIEFS were great! They were all friendly and helpful and my counsellor helped me pull it all together.”

Everywhere Chris had worked they asked him to fix things. Whenever equipment broke down, whether it was water pumps or chainsaws, Chris was asked to get it going again.  “My dad had a hobby shop when I was a kid and I was always in there tinkering with engines. In high school I enjoyed the shop classes and did well in them. So when I decided to train for a new career, Heavy Duty Mechanics seemed like a natural choice.”

Chris learned that being on EI opened the door to apply for funding assistance to facilitate training and skills development. So he decided to apply for financial assistance to take the Heavy Duty and Commercial Transport Program at North Island College.

In order to receive funding Chris had to demonstrate that there was a demand for Heavy Duty Mechanics. This involved speaking directly to potential employers to get their feedback on the labour market. Chris found this process challenging but once he was able to explain what he was trying to do, the response was positive. His application was successful and Chris received a contribution towards both his tuition and living expenses.

Although he had been out of school for many years Chris was eager and ready to go. “The course was great. It covers everything you need to know including shop safety, welding, hydraulics and electrical systems. It also provides for a lot of hands on experience.”  The course includes a practicum placement which gives the students a chance to gain valuable experience in the workplace.

Chris couldn’t be happier with his new career.  “I had my first job before the course was over. There is a huge demand for skilled heavy duty mechanics and the guys in the business are great.  They all love their work and there is always something new to learn”.

If you are interested in exploring your options for retraining, give NIEFS a call at 250-286-3441 and let’s get started!

Written by Peter Park

Cory moved to Campbell River last summer from Saskatoon. When he arrived in town he discovered that,”10 years experience as a DJ didn’t help me in the local labour market.”

Cory had discovered NIEFS (North Island Employment) online and was accessing the local job board. “I was faxing out resumes but not hearing back from anyone. Eventually I called NIEFS about a job posting and was put through to Lynton in the work support centre.” Lynton encouraged Cory to come in and connect with an advisor.

“So I came in and sat down with Sheila who explained the services available and suggested changes to my resume. She signed me up for a resume workshop, the CR Job Trends Workshop and Career Moves.”

“The workshops were great. I was at home feeling depressed and NIEFS gave me a place to get up and go to in order to start the day off right. I met some good people, they had a good vibe and the facilitator Laurie, was a really good and gentle person!”

“The facilities at NIEFS gave me a place to organize myself. It was always positive and supportive. I was new to town and didn’t know anyone so I really needed some help.”

Cory had some short term work before discovering his current position posted on the job board. “It was the first job I applied for with my new resume. I don’t know if that’s what got me the job but it sure didn’t hurt.”

Looking back at his work search Cory stated that “the facilities at NIEFS are good, the people are great and they have a personal touch. I have no hesitation recommending their services to anyone.”

If you are looking for that personal touch give NIEFS a call at 286-3441 and let us help you achieve your goals!

Written by Peter Park

The first cut was the deepest. When Catalyst Pulp and Paper started laying off workers, Dave Sayers was among the first to go.

After 15 years of steady service Dave found losing a good job hard to take. Although the job disappeared, the bills kept coming. And as Dave has a family to support it was very stressful. “I found it hard to sleep at night.”

“So I went to work at the mill in Kitimat but found that being away so much was hard on me and my family. I’m very involved in the life of my kids so I decided that I had to find a way to make a living closer to home.”

Dave is active in the community as a coach for hockey and baseball, and was recognized at the mill for having a positive attitude.

Dave came into North Island Employment (NIEFS) with the intention of retraining to enter the healthcare industry. He was on the Emergency Response team at work and had completed first aid training, so he felt that he had an aptitude for the work. “One of the jobs I was interested in was Sterile Supply Technician.”

Dave was given an appointment with Janet, an Employment Advisor. After reviewing his situation she recommended he participate in several career related workshops. These included Career Assessment Testing, Career Research and the Campbell River Job Trends presentation.

It was after attending the Job Trends workshop that the light went on.
“One of the things they talked about was the changing demographics on Vancouver Island and especially the Courtenay and Campbell River area. There are a lot of retired people moving here from cities elsewhere in Canada. I’ve always been handy so I began to think there might be a market for a home and yard maintenance business.”

He reconnected with his advisor, Janet, who registered him for NIEFS’s Exploring Entrepreneurship workshop.  Dave states that the facilitator, Colleen, was excellent. “She had great energy and lots of good ideas.”
At that point Dave decided to look deeper into what it took to start a business. This required research into start up costs, business licenses, insurance and the potential market for his services.

Dave met with Janet again and, as Dave was EI eligible, she referred him to Community Future’s Self Employment Program. Community Futures offers classes on marketing, basic accounting and business plans. If they approve your business idea, they will provide an income during your first year in business.

Dave’s idea for a home and yard maintenance business was accepted by Community Futures, and Dave Sayers – Chore List Complete was launched. Now in his first year of operation, Dave is focusing on quality not quantity. He realizes that over time his best source of marketing will be satisfied customers.

Business is good and Dave now has a wide range of clients. They include two-income families, retirees and families whose breadwinner works in camp. As Dave points out, a lot of people don’t want to spend their limited time off doing chores and completing projects.

Dave advises anyone who is unemployed and unsure of what to do next to “utilize the services at NIEFS and go to the workshops. Come with an open mind and be prepared to learn. Explore and research everything; don’t expect it to be handed to you.”

As Dave points out, “Being unemployed provides you with an opportunity to access training or business support. Put the effort in and do the paperwork; it paid off for me.”

Written by Peter Park

“Research, research, research”. This is the advice Denise Witczak offers to anyone who is interested in training for a new career. “If you don’t know where to start go into NIEFS. They have the resources to help you make a career decision and can guide you through the process.”

Denise had been working as a Confined Space Technician during mill shutdowns. This meant she was responsible for monitoring gases to ensure the safety of crews working inside enclosed environments, such as boilers. She enjoyed the work and the income; however she found that it only kept her busy 6 to 7 months of the year, while she wanted year round employment.

Denise came into North Island Employment (NIEFS) to explore her career options. She participated in a career planning process where she was able to identify how her existing skills and interests could apply to other lines of work.

After she identified a number of career options she looked into each one thoroughly. This included getting a clear idea of the nature of the work, and identifying the schools offering the training, the income potential and the market demand.

Denise pointed out that the most useful labour market research was to make direct contact with potential employers to determine if they were actively hiring. After completing her research she made a decision to pursue Non Destructive Testing offered by the Southern Alberta Institute of Technology.

“I had become aware of the work they performed while working on mill shut downs. When I looked into it I found that there was a real demand for skilled workers. The work involves identifying potential mechanical and structural faults and their services are required everywhere from shipyards to aircrafts, and the oil and gas industry.”

Denise was eligible for training assistance through Service Canada since she had an active EI claim. In her application she was able to demonstrate that she had the aptitude for the work and that there was a real demand in the industry. In Denise’s case she was approved to take her training starting in Sept/06 and received a contribution towards her tuition and living expenses.

Denise pointed out that “if you can wake up and look forward to going to work then you know you have found the right career for you.” To find the right career for YOU and to get started on your research contact NIEFS at 286-3441.

Written by Peter Park

Anyone who has been unemployed for any length of time realizes it can be hard to keep a positive attitude. This is especially true when the economy is slow and there is a lot of competition for the available openings.

Diane Carter found this out first hand. In 2009 Diane was laid off from her position as a payroll clerk with NVI mines. When she was hired for the job a year and half earlier, she assumed that it would provide steady work for a long time. However the economic meltdown of 2009 hit all sectors of the economy equally hard.

Diane took a little time to catch her breath and deal with some family priorities, before beginning her work search in earnest. However she soon realized the job market was very tight and began to feel frustrated by her lack of success. She notes that “it was hard to remain positive sometimes and keep on sending out resumes and going to interviews.”

In order to deal with the frustration Diane found that it was “important to maintain a routine and to take care of yourself.” She states that “it is too easy to lose focus and motivation when you are unemployed.” For Diane that meant accessing her network of friends and keeping active by going to the gym or out for a walk.

As part of maintaining her routine Diane took advantage of the services at NIEFS. Diane came into NIEFS to explore her options, including the possibility of retraining. After meeting with an employment advisor she attended a number of career related workshops to determine what would be most suitable for her.

Diane also attended the  Retraining Options workshop to see what funding might be available to pay for either formal or on the job training.  As her priority was to find work in accounting or bookkeeping and/or perhaps train on the job she registered with the New Employee Wage Subsidy (NEWS) program. NEWS provides a subsidy to an employer willing to hire an employee and provide some training in new skills.

Eventually Diane’s perseverance and hard work paid off. The Campbell River Art Gallery was advertising for an Executive Assistant and indicated they were willing to train the right person under the NEWS program. Diane responded with a resume and a cover letter specifically addressing the needs of the position. She was invited for an interview where she had to answer a number of behavioral type questions.  A few days later they called and offered her the job.

Looking back at the process Diane states that “with the amount of competition out there today it is important to know how to market yourself.
It is really important to identify your strengths relative to each job posting, and to create a cover letter that will catch an employer’s attention, so they realize you do have skills to offer them.”

Diane found the services at NIEFS to be invaluable. “All the staff are wonderful and they provide a great support system. I encourage anyone who is unemployed to hang in there and utilize the services that are available to them. This includes everything from the client advisors to the workshops and the various retaining and wage subsidy programs.”

For information on our Marketing Me workshop or our other programs, call NIEFS at 250-286-3441 today!

Written by Peter Park

Gary Roberton began his working life at a young age. “I started working at the Coast Hotel when I was fifteen and stayed on right through high school.” After leaving school, Gary continued at the hotel for another three years before moving on  to work in construction.

When Gary was laid off he decided that he might enjoy dairy farming. “I began scoping out dairy farms in the area between Oyster River and Courtenay and applying for work.”

Eventually he met the Doberstein family who run a successful dairy farm. They decided to take him on even though he had no experience. “I was hired on and really enjoyed it. The lifestyle is rewarding, the work is steady and the industry is recession proof. People will always need milk and food.”

The Dobersteins proved to be a positive influence on Gary’s life. “I learned many useful attributes from a family that takes extreme pride in their work. They gave me all the tools I needed to be successful in whatever I wanted to be.”

The farming industry in the Comox Valley is far more extensive than many people realize. There are upwards of 450 operating farms in the Valley contributing over 30 million dollars to the local economy. This includes everything from dairy farming to raising poultry, bison and cattle. There are also honey producers, hothouse vegetable growers and nurseries.

The trend towards eating locally grown and raised products and the success of books like ‘The 100-Mile Diet’ bode well for this industry on Vancouver Island.

Gary discovered that the seasonal rhythm of farming means in the winter the farmers do the maintenance work, and because he had no tickets and limited experience he was laid off. “I got on with another dairy farm but at reduced hours. So on my time off I went back to school. When I was laid off again I continued with my schooling and managed to earn my High School Diploma. However I realized that unless I wanted to earn $14 an hour for the rest of my life, I had to get training.”

Gary came into North Island Employment (NIEFS) and met with his advisor Janet.  He was looking for a way to tie together his passion for mechanics, being outdoors and dairy farming.

“Originally I was only going to apply for my Class 1 License thinking that I would be able to drive the silage, manure and gravel trucks. However, a friend suggested that I get my Heavy Duty Mechanics Ticket since I was handy and enjoyed fixing stuff. So Janet recommended I try for both tickets, as they could work together to achieve my objective of finding steady work in the dairy industry.”

In order to qualify for training assistance an applicant needs to demonstrate that there is a demand for the skills and training they are pursuing. The best source of this information is the employers themselves.

Gary found the research and funding application process challenging. In order to receive training assistance to earn a Class 1 License for local employment, an applicant needs a job offer. Eventually Gary managed to secure an employment offer contingent upon successfully earning his Class 1 License.

To research the demand for heavy duty mechanics Gary approached employers directly for feedback. “They were generally pretty responsive when I explained what I was trying to do.”

Gary’s application was accepted by the Training Support Center and he was approved to take his Class 1 License with Air at 1st Class Driving School, and the Heavy Duty & Commercial Transport Mechanics Program at North Island College.

Looking back at the process Gary stated that “NIEFS helped me see that I could have a future without a lot of financial resources. I would have had to work for a long time at $14 an hour to save up enough money to go to school. It wouldn’t have been possible without the help from NIEFS.”

Gary feels that the two tickets will open doors for him in a lot of different areas. “When I graduate I may take a job up north as a heavy-duty mechanic in order to save as much money as I can. My long-term goal is to buy into the dairy business. There are some older farmers in the area who don’t have kids to take over the farm. I’ll need to come up with a good down payment to buy in, but it’s a great lifestyle and very satisfying to make a living off your own property.”

Gary’s advice for others is to find out what your passion is. “Find out what you like and pursue it. I went through a lot of obstacles but I made up my mind to just put my head down and do it.”

Gary attributes his work ethic to the lessons he learned while working in agriculture. “I learned a lot from the farmers and the main thing is they taught me how to work.”

If you are interested in working towards a new career, call NIEFS at 250-286-3441 to explore your options.

Written by Peter Park