At 63-years-old, Cynthia Roberts arrived at a crossroads.
The office building where she worked in Calgary had burned down and staff were laid off, but she wasn乌鸦传媒檛 ready to retire. She could find another admin job and work there until she turned 65 or take a chance at one more fresh start.
Roberts chose adventure.
She loaded her life into her van, got in the driver乌鸦传媒檚 seat, and never looked back.
乌鸦传媒淚 knew I didn乌鸦传媒檛 want to be in Calgary when I retired,乌鸦传媒� Roberts says. 乌鸦传媒淚 had been travelling all over Alberta and decided to come back to the Okanagan where I was born and raised. I chose to go where I wanted to retire.乌鸦传媒�
Living a comfortable life in her van, Roberts spent afternoons at the Okanagan Regional Library in Vernon looking for work. After a few weeks, the weather started getting colder. She found a comfortable place to live and continued her job search.
乌鸦传媒淚 was using the computers at the library when someone said to me, 乌鸦传媒業f you go to WorkBC, they have job support there and will help you do your resume,乌鸦传媒櫸谘淮綕 Roberts says. 乌鸦传媒淚 went to WorkBC, and they were so welcoming. I was with them every day and they were always so sweet.乌鸦传媒�
Located on the first floor of WorkBC乌鸦传媒檚 building in downtown Vernon, the centre is open to anyone looking for a quiet place for career exploration. The centre also provides access to the tools required for an independent or supported job search.
When Roberts went into the centre, she knew exactly what kind of employer she was looking for: a small business with people that have a positive attitude and a great atmosphere where she乌鸦传媒檇 be happy to work until retirement.
Roberts spent weeks at the centre using the computers to fine-tune her resum茅, connecting with the team and browsing the job boards for the right fit. And, finally, she got the call she had been waiting for 乌鸦传媒� a local alarm company was looking for a secretary.
Months after landing the job at Hewberry Alarms, Roberts says she乌鸦传媒檚 in heaven. She乌鸦传媒檚 living in the community where she dreams of retiring and is working for a company that cares about its people.
乌鸦传媒淗ewberry Alarms is such a nice place to work. I love small businesses. I love the atmosphere and the attitude,乌鸦传媒� Roberts says. 乌鸦传媒淭hey乌鸦传媒檙e such nice people and are amazing to work for.乌鸦传媒�
With her own desk in the alarm company乌鸦传媒檚 quiet office building near downtown, Roberts spends her mornings answering phones, walking customers through how to operate their alarm systems, coordinating customer appointments and managing accounts receivable.
It乌鸦传媒檚 going so well, she says, that she乌鸦传媒檚 already thinking about how she might stay on part-time when it乌鸦传媒檚 time for retirement in a few short years.
And it乌鸦传媒檚 a job that Roberts says was only possible thanks to the help of WorkBC.
乌鸦传媒淭he WorkBC team is so positive and informative. They乌鸦传媒檙e willing to walk over and show you what they think you乌鸦传媒檇 be good at and read your resume over. They乌鸦传媒檙e just really good partners in getting you a job. They really care,乌鸦传媒� she says.
乌鸦传媒�I would definitely recommend that people go and use WorkBC. I乌鸦传媒檝e been doing this for many years, and I乌鸦传媒檝e done many things. I乌鸦传媒檝e driven a bus, been a cleaner, done admin work. You name it, I乌鸦传媒檝e done it. But if it hadn乌鸦传媒檛 been for WorkBC, I may not have found the perfect job.乌鸦传媒�
For more information about the WorkBC Centre in Vernon and its resources for an independent job search, call
roger@vernonmorningstar.com
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