News Release
BUSINESSES SEARCH FOR WORKERS IN THEIR "THIRD QUARTER"
Vancouver, B.C. – May 31, 2010 - The BC Chamber of Commerce has joined business leaders across Canada and renamed an entire generation in a bid to help more employers find and hire experienced workers who are only in the “third quarter” of their lives.
“Today people turn 50 and aim for 100. At 50 they are just entering the third quarter of life and work. And they make that third quarter count by bringing emotional maturity and a strong work ethic to re-invest in the workplace,” said BC Chamber of Commerce President & CEO John Winter, Thursday.
Winter unveiled the ThirdQuarter program and www.thirdquarter.ca, designed to connect savvy employers, who value experience, with people in their 50s and 60s who want to reverse or delay their retirement plans.
The Manitoba Chambers of Commerce created the ThirdQuarter program and partnered with the Chambers of Commerce in the Atlantic Provinces, Saskatchewan and British Columbia to deliver it to over 16 small and rural communities across Canada over the next two years. The program is made possible with funding from the Government of Canada’s Office of Literacy and Essential Skills.
“More and more often we hear business leaders tell us they worry about a shortage of workers as we face a retirement boom. But we also know people who retire from full-time careers have plenty of essential skills they can transfer to entirely new fields and work only part-time. For the Canadian economy to grow and for small towns to prosper we’ll need them to remain active. And we’re going to help them,” Winter said.
“For example, if you have been an accountant for a plant in Prince George all your life, you may have the skills to manage a hardware store in the community or small town you’ve retired to,” he added.
Self-administered skills assessments on the website will help workers identify their transferable skills. They will be able to post their skill set and connect with firms that are looking for highly valued essential skills. Even the act of getting on-line will help develop an essential skill for some workers.
A typical resume does not tell the full story of the hidden talents of ThirdQuarters. But www.thirdquarter.ca will bring those essential and valued skills to the surface, Winter adds.
The pilot launches in Manitoba this summer with communities in British Columbia joining in the fall.
For more information, see the FAQ sheet or the video on this project
BC Chamber of Commerce
John Winter
President & CEO
T 604-638-8110
E jwinter@bcchamber.org
National Project Manager
Michael Stewart
T
204-898-1074
E
michael.stewart@thirdquarter.ca
