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Northern News Services

Yellowknife (Aug 03/05) - The number of people walking through the doors of the city's employment centre this year is already more than the total for all of 2004.

The number of people looking for jobs in Yellowknife is up this year. Many searchers are from other Northern communities and the provinces. Ali Simpson, special projects coordinator for The Genesis Group Ltd., pins up a job at the Northern Career Resource Centre. The Genesis Group has the contract to provide the services at the Resource Centre. - Andrea Markey/NNSL photo

"We had 6,000 visits last year, and as of July, we have already had that," said Caelly Simpson, manager of the Northern Career Resource Centre manager. "We expect to have between 8,000 and 10,000 visits by the end of the year."

About a quarter of the visits to the centre are from people from other Northern communities. Another quarter is people from the south who come North in search of work.

"There is a constant influx of people because they hear Yellowknife is booming," she said. "A lot of young men come looking for work in the trades."

But it isn't just young people who travel in search of work.

"We had a 60 year-old couple in last week who are thinking of moving here and just wanted to see what is available," she said.

The other half looking for work are those living in the city who need employment for a variety of reasons, she said.

Some job-seekers go into the centre, grab a job listing, call the employer and run off for an interview. Others have never typed out a resume or cover letter and need help, she said.

While the number of people looking for work has increased, the number of jobs available in trades, mining and the service industry is up this year also, she said.

Search continues

Two women who completed the pre-technology program at Aurora College's Fort Smith campus, have been looking for jobs since June.

"We each completed high school and went on, but haven't found work yet," said one of the women, who is originally from Rae-Edzo, and didn't want to be named.

The other woman, originally from Wha Ti, completed her trades entrance exam and is looking for work at one of the mines as an electrician apprentice.

"I thought with my education it would be easy to find work," she said. "It seems like maybe the mines hire more from the smaller communities."

If they don't find their first choice of work, they will take anything, they said.

Numbers up

The number of people turning to Office Compliments is up this year also, said Judy Callas, placements manager with the company.

Office Compliments matches companies who are looking for temporary or full-time administration staff with people who contact the placement agency. "We have seen more people from Northern communities and from the provinces than last year," she said. "A lot of people come here because they have heard there is work."