Starting over never felt so good

By Sara O'Dacre

odac0004@algonquincollege.com

Ben Stalkie was getting tired of being laid off during the winter seasons from his job in the forestry industry.

It was then that he decided to take his life in another direction.

The 25 year-old, who had graduated from forestry in 2001, applied for a career in the radiation safety program with the Second Career Strategy at the Pembroke campus.

“I asked myself if I really wanted to do this for the rest of my life,” said Stalkie.

He is one of many employees who took advantage of the Second Career Strategy created in June 2008 by the government of Ontario, which gives laid off employees funding towards training at Algonquin.

According to the Algonquin website, this program is targeted towards providing opportunities for workers to enter into a second career in growing areas of the economy. If a worker qualifies for government assistance, they will be granted up to $28,000 to cover their personal tuition, living and transportation costs.

Stalkie was one of these qualified workers, and after applying for the Second Career Strategy in January 2008, he successfully got his tuition of $2,800 paid for by the Ontario government.

“The manufacturing sector in Ontario has been particularly hard hit with plant closures and job losses in recent months,” said Jamie Bramburger, the second career advisor for the Pembroke campus.

Bramburger said he believes the new government program will be a promising one for the Woodroffe and Pembroke campuses.

“These programs are an excellent fit for displaced workers who are interested in re-entering the workplace as quickly as possible,” said Bramburger.

There are many types of skill training programs available at the college for the Second Career Strategy that could provide secondary careers for employees.

On the government of Ontario website, one can find a list of jobs in high-demand sectors such as construction, health care, hospitality and tourism.

Bramburger suggested applicants should start out by verifying their eligibility by making an application for the Second Career Strategy funding through an Employment Ontario office.

He stressed the importance of researching personal secondary career choices.

“They need to choose a second career that will provide them with the opportunity to secure sustainable employment, and they have to ensure they are capable of doing the work. For example, some jobs have more physical strain than others,” said Bramburger.

Stalkie said he would recommend the Second Career Strategy to anyone who has been laid off or unemployed.