Val Courtney is expecting her last unemployment cheque from the government in two weeks.
“I have told my creditors that I would give myself to the end of January to find employment. If I don’t find employment…I’ll probably be looking at bankruptcy,” she said.
In a span of three months, Courtney and her husband were both laid off from their jobs in Calgary. She worked for an engineering company and her husband worked construction.
READ MORE: Calgary’s streak as Canadian city with highest unemployment rate hits 6 months
The couple felt it was best to move out of their hometown where unemployment was and still is high. But after moving to Coaldale about a year ago, not much has changed.
“It’s really a scary position,” Courtney said. “It wouldn’t be so scary if my husband was working but he hasn’t been able to find work as well.”
She decided it was time to get help and she is now at the tail end of a 12-week government funded program at Teamworks Career Centre. A place for people to seek advice or sharpen up on skills in order to increase their chances at landing a job.
“We’re still seeing (an) over 80 per cent success rate of people going out there, accessing services and finding full-time work,” Ryan Miller, the Director at Teamworks Career Centre, said.
Miller says the first piece of advice he gives to clients is to figure out what you want to do, then believe you can do it. After that, he says it’s about polishing up your skills, building a nice resume, knowing how to conduct a professional interview and networking any chance you get.
“Today’s market requires that. If you’re hoping to just apply online and that a job will fall on your lap… that’s a lot tougher to do today. A skilled job seeker still has an advantage in today’s market,” Miller said.
READ MORE: How to ace an interview and land the job
Watch below: A job-seeker profiled on Global News caught the attention of a national employer looking for a mechanical engineer. Mia Sosiak filed this report on July 6, 2016.
The unemployment rate in the Lethbridge-Medicine Hat region continues to be one of the lowest in the province. Trevor Lewington, CEO of Economic Development Lethbridge, says there are jobs up for grabs in southern Alberta.
“I would say there are a number of employers looking for labour and there are a number of jobs posted… across the board there are industries looking for general labour… there’s areas looking for skilled labour,” Lewington said.
Courtney is hoping to find work as an accounting technician and she’s not calling it quits any time soon.
“There is still room out there for me. I just have to convince someone of that… that’s all.”
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