Jobs, jobs, jobs: Baffin business group reaches out to Cape Dorset

Cape Dorset residents line up to open bank accounts at the Baffin Region Chamber of Commerce’s job fair March 30. The fair, held at the Cape Dorset community hall, offered Cape Dorset residents a chance to gain access to much-needed financial services for the day, organizers said. (PHOTO BY THOMAS ROHNER)

Kuzy Simeonie (left), aged eight, and his friend, who gave only his first name, Joanasie, 10, smile for the camera at the Cape Dorset community hall during a job fair March 30. The fair, hosted by the Baffin Regional Chamber of Commerce, drew 400 people, organizers said. (PHOTO BY THOMAS ROHNER)

CAPE DORSET — A job fair held at Cape Dorset’s community hall March 30 provided residents with a sorely-needed and vital service, organizers said.

The Baffin Regional Chamber of Commerce, or the BRCC, put on the one-day event, which Sarah Bedford, its manager of events and members services, said drew about 400 people.

“We had over 200 people in the first hour. And about 50 new bank accounts were opened for people who didn’t have bank accounts before,” Bedford said.

Two of the 10 booths at the job fair belonged to financial institutions.

Bedford said job fairs give communities a chance to get together, and also provide important business and professional development information.

“The Nunavut Arts and Crafts Association, for example, shows artists that they can make money, and how to run their own business.”

The second component of the job fair involved presentations for local high school students at Sam Pudlat Elementary School.

After the Peter Pitseolak High School burnt down September 2015, high school students have been sharing class space at Sam Pudlat school on a rotating basis with elementary students.

But the presentation portion of the job fair was not very well attended, Bedford said, possibly because of the schedules that high school students now cope with, which can keep them in school until the evening.

Bibi Bilodeau, who presented on behalf of Skills Canada Nunavut, said the smaller-than-expected audience allowed her to sit down and get to know a few keen students.

“It’s good to know that even in this difficult year, there’s a few keen students who have dreams of going to culinary school or of sewing and who are ready to compete next month,” Bilodeau said March 30.

Starting April 30, Skills Canada Nunavut will host the annual territorial competition at Inuksuk High School in Iqaluit with the national competition held in May.

Bilodeau said its important for Skills Canada Nunavut to get into community high schools as often as possible to encourage students’ interest in trades, which are not integrated into the school system “as well as they could be.”

“We really need to meet with students and teachers and let them know what we do. Even though we’re based in Iqaluit, we represent all of Nunavut,” she said.

Meanwhile Bedford said the BRCC hopes to increase the number of job fairs in Baffin communities during the next fiscal year.

The plan, Bedford said, is to visit a different community ever second month so that job fairs occur every second year in each community.

And presentations to local high school students will continue to be a component of the job fairs, Bedford said.

“Some of the people who attended today are really interested in the booth, and some just want the swag. That’s always going to be the case. But if we can really reach just a handful of kids, it’s worth it.”