The Green Energy Industry in Ontario

Did you know that Ontario has one of the largest demands for “green collar” jobs?   With the Green Energy and Green Economy Act, released in 2009, Ontario has increased its focus on renewable and clean energy, energy conservation, and the need for jobs in the related fields.  This act is expected to create at least 50,000 new jobs in the green energy industry, which is promising for students and recent grads.  On top of the jobs created by the Green Energy and Green Economy Act, many workers in the industry are looking at retirement within the next ten years, creating even more potential positions.  According to Eco-Canada Environmental Careers Organization, renewable energy is within the top five green sectors with job vacancies.  Some vacancies within this sector include: quality control management, security advisor, mechanical service technicians, and wind technicians.  Renewable and green energy includes things like hydropower, solar energy, wind energy, biofuels, and many others. If this is the sort of thing that interests you, it is definitely worth a look!

Where Will the Jobs be in 2020?

To view the original infographic, visit http://www.nextpunch.com/job-growth-2020/.

M. Silvester

Making It Big Monday

10 Habits of Very Successful College Students

 

They attend class. This might sound trite and obvious. Some classes are boring. Some professors are unexciting, or obnoxious. Some classes are at an inconvenient time. Research on college students indicates that higher class attendance correlates with higher grades, earlier completion of degrees and simply staying at the university instead of dropping or flunking out. And since they're there, successful students take notes and participate.

They sit in front. It's easier to hear, easier to pay attention and easier to "read" the instructor's cues as to what information is important. Listening is one of the most important, yet least recognized, skills necessary for learning from lectures. Most students don't naturally listen in the way that the lecture situation requires. To listen effectively, you must "engage" the instructor - that is, create an internal conversation between you and your instructors as they are lecturing. This includes actively anticipating and questioning what the lecturer says, and sorting or categorizing the information being presented. Engaging the instructor is easier if you sit where you can see and hear clearly.

They attend office hours, Most faculty members have a diversified background above and beyond the course materials. They are a valuable resource to stimulate new ideas. They also are excellent resources for networking. The time spent in one-to-one conversation with a faculty member can influence the choice of a major or a career.

They study on schedule. Studies show that two hours of study for each hour of class time is about right. Managing oneself properly by setting aside blocks of time and a good spot with little or no distractions on a weekly basis is ideal. It is much easier to remain current with a class than to rush to catch up in the days before an exam.

They choose courses wisely. Picking a course in a subject you are interested in, or one taught by an instructor you like adds additional motivation which usually translates to better grades and enjoyment. College life is hard enough without adding the additional stress of classes and instructors you dislike.

They exercise. Good cardiovascular fitness translates into alertness, good attention span, better sleep and more energy. In order to maintain a healthy lifestyle you should be engaging in 20 minutes of aerobic activity 3 times a week.

They are involved in campus life. Your college or university is full of opportunities to broaden your horizons. Join an organization. Every campus has officially recognized groups where like minded people come together to pursue similar interests. Make friends and have fun at the same time.

They eat healthy. Our bodies are complicated biological machines. They need proper fuel to keep them running at peak efficiency. A good diet is a balanced one — lots of different foods and not too much of any one food. That way you get all the nutrients that you need. Many countries have guidelines for healthy diets, including in some cases recommended daily amounts of specific nutrients. However, it is emphasized that these guidelines are for healthy individuals. not for those with disease symptoms or food allergies or intolerances. These people should consult a dietitian or physician.

They drink moderately or not at all. Overdoing it only leads to headaches, upset stomach, acting foolishly and the chance of harming yourself or someone else, slowing your brain activity, affecting your alertness, coordination and reaction time. Until more is known about how alcohol affects your health, your best bet — if you choose to drink — is to drink in moderation. Generally, moderation means no more than one drink a day for women and no more than two drinks a day for men. Because of their body chemistry and composition, women are more sensitive to alcohol than men are.

They have fun. All work and no play leads to stress which inhibits academic performance. Reward yourself for your good study habits with a bit of fun.

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Tip Tuesday

101 Job Tips To Land Your Dream Job (Part 3 of 5)

Are you looking for a better job? A better Career? Recently laid off? No matter what the reason for your job search there are plenty of traditional—and not so traditional ways to find a new job. Here is part three (five part series) of 101 of the hottest job tips in town. There will be 20 new tips released every Tuesday for the next couple of weeks. Take time each Tuesday and read the twenty tips given. No matter how common they sound, a little tweaking always goes a long way.

41. Be old fashioned: Social media, twitter and related technologies are great—but sometimes simply submitting your application and following up by phone is the best approach. Do your homework and find the job online, then mail in a hard copy resume—you will stand out as someone who took the time to do it right.

42. Apply for jobs that may not exist: Even if you don’t see a want ad or job posting, consider sending your resume to any company that hires workers in your field. You may get lucky and find an opening that simply is not being advertised.

43. Apply at unconventional places: You may think your local hospital doesn’t have any jobs for you if you aren’t a doctor, nurse, or health-care worker. You would be wrong! A large organization, like a hospital, has a full staff of marketing, PR, IT and administrative positions. The same is true for other large employers that may seem like they are not a good match for your skills.

44. Apply for jobs that are beneath your current level: If you are out of work, or desperate to make a change, consider applying for a job that is a small step down from your current position, as long as there is some improvement to your current situation. A new position that is closer to home or has fewer hours or better benefits can make it worth taking a small cut in pay or title.

45. Apply for jobs that are above your current level: Don’t feel limited by the most recent job you have had! If you see a job that would be a bit of a promotion for you, apply for it—you may be more ready than you think!

46. Apply for jobs that are listed as part-time: A part time job can sometimes extend into a full-time position over time. If you secure a part time job, you will also be on hand to apply for any in–house job openings that come up as well.

47. Create an “elevator speech” about yourself: An elevator speech is a quick one or two sentence spiel about who you are and what you do. If you have one prepared in advance, you won’t stumble around the next time someone asks what you do for a living.

48. Use your social contacts to find work: If you are on one of the large social media sites, make sure you let everyone know you are looking for a job.

49. Share your contacts with other job seekers: If you know others who are seeking work, share your resources. You will both expand your horizons if you share.

50. Target organizations you would like to work for: Do some research online. Visit their sites and look for employment information—you may find jobs listed that don’t appear in search engine listings.

51. Think locally: While many large employers utilize the internet to find employees, many small businesses do not. Use your local paper to keep an eye out for jobs with businesses in your hometown.

52. Join your local business association: Join the Chamber of Commerce or any other local business group you can. The contacts you make may be able to point you in the right direction for your next job—and you may hear of openings before they are even advertised in the paper.

53. Don’t overlook the government: The government is a huge employer, encompassing federal, state, local and civilian jobs with the military.

54. Use your local resources: Even if you aren’t a college student, you may be able to use the college library to research jobs or even work on your resume. No college access? Use your local town library instead.

55. Go back to college: Check in with your Alma Mater to see if they offer any type of alumni job placement services—a number of them do.

56. Belong to a church or house of worship? Let your fellow friends know that you are looking. They may know of a job opening, or be able to give you a personal referral.

57. Take some classes: Brush up on your skills, especially if you have been in the same job for a long time. Taking a semester of night classes in the latest computer technologies, or getting a new certification may give you an edge over the competition.

58. Subscribe to your alumni newsletter: Many colleges offer an alumni newsletter or magazine and they often have job listings with local companies looking for specific degrees or skills. If you don’t receive the publication, you won’t get these leads.

59. Join a professional trade organization: If your field has a trade group, make sure you become a member. Check the trade group’s website and newsletter for targeted job leads.

60. Become known as an expert in your field: Contribute to trade journals, speak at conferences and post to relevant websites and blogs. The more people who know you and your work, the more chances you have to make a new contact when you are seeking a job.

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Tip Tuesday

These top interview tips will help you cover everything you need to know to successfully ace a job interview. From checking out the company to sending an interview thank you note, these job interview tips cover all the basics needed for interviewing success.

Check Out the Company

How much do you know about the company that just contacted you to schedule an interview? It should be plenty, and all the information you need is available online. Here are tips on how to research a company, get the inside scoop on the company culture, and use connections who can help you get an interview advantage. More Info

Use Your Contacts

Who you know at the company you are interviewing with really does matter. Here's how to use your contacts and connections to get an insider advantage so you can ace the interview and impress the interviewer. More Info

Practice Interviewing

Taking the time to review typical interview questions you will probably be asked during a job interview will help give you a framework for your responses and will help calm your frazzled nerves, because you won't be scrambling for an answer while you're in the interview hot seat. Practice interviewing with a friend or family member ahead of time and it will be much easier when you're actually in a job interview. More Info

Improve Your Interview Technique

A job interview gives you a chance to shine. What you say and what you do is going to either move you to the next round of consideration for employment or knock you out of contention. More Info

Dress for Interview Success

The first impression you make on a potential employer can make a big difference. The first judgement an interviewer makes is going to be based on how you look and what you are wearing. That's why it's always important to dress professionally for a job interview. More Info

Handle a Group Interview

Interviewing with one person is tough enough, but it's even harder when you have to interview with a group (or panel) of interviewers. Here's how advice on how to ace a panel interview. More Info

Interview While Dining

Taking you to breakfast, lunch or dinner provides the interviewer with a chance to check out your communication and interpersonal skills, as well as your table manners, in a more casual environment than an office setting. Here's advice on how to handle an interview while dining. More Info

Prepare for a Phone Interview

While you're actively job searching, it's important to be prepared for a phone interview on a moment's notice. You never know when a recruiter or a networking contact might call and ask if you have a few minutes to talk. Review these tips for advice on how to pull off your phone interview without a hitch. More Info

Take the Time to Say Thank You

Taking the time to say thank you after a job interview not only is good interview etiquette, it reinforces your interest in the position. Use your thank you letter, as well, to address any issues and concerns that came up during the interview. More Info

More Job Interview Tips

More tips for phone interviews, second interviews, lunch and dinner interviews, behavioral interviews, interviewing in public, and additional advice for interview success. More Info

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Top Job Thursday

Where the jobs will be

Economic uncertainty, the spectre of a jobless recovery and debt crises threatening the eurozone — no economy stands immune from the instability.
But there are bright spots amid the gloom.
Jobs by the tens of thousands are opening in the Canadian mining industry — one of the top five sectors expected to be hiring in 2015, trend analysts say. Canadian job forecasters also predict employment growth in oil-and-gas, health care, construction, and information and communications technology.
The trick is to match education with employment.
On formal post-secondary education, Canada ranks No. 1 in the world, according to the Paris-based Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development, or OECD, which calculates college and university graduates as a percentage of population.
To increase the chance of landing a post, young people training for a career — or employees re-training for a transition — might want to consider an industry whose openings are almost certain to expand. Here’s a look at some of the top spots to be in by 2015.

Health Care Services:
This sector makes everybody’s Top 5 list.
“The society is aging — everybody knows that,” said professor David Livingstone of the University of Toronto’s Centre for the Study of Education and Work.
“Therefore gerontology, the care of the aged — there will be more jobs in that area, a growing need,” he said.
Health-related occupations, from nurses to technicians, were already deemed to enjoy among the lowest unemployment rates in the country in 2010, according to a recent job-trends report by analyst Roger Sauve, of People Patterns Consulting near Cornwall.
Job prospects go way beyond doctors and nurses, said Michelle Dunnill, Toronto branch manager for the job-tracking firm Manpower. Physiotherapists, medical laboratory technologists, administrative staff and non-clinical support workers of all types are bound to be in demand.
“With increased government spending, training in health care is a great choice looking to 2015,” Dunnill said. “Health care has become one of the fastest growing and in-demand career fields in the world.”

Construction and Skilled Trades: An aging population also factors in the demand for construction workers and skilled trades, said Michael Burt, head of industrial and economic trends at the Conference Board of Canada.
“Trades workers are older, on average,” he said. “There have been fewer people going into apprenticeship programs, (creating) a healthy demand.”
Prior to the 2008 recession, the construction sector saw strong wage growth and scarcity of some types of workers, Burt said. During the recession, unemployment in the sector jumped, he said, but has since dipped below the national average.
Particularly in Manitoba and Alberta, demand for construction and skilled trades workers is expected to grow, said Manpower Group’s Dunhill.
“Heavy equipment operators, industrial mechanics, industrial electricians, building trades, steel and iron workers, automotive trades, welders,” she said to name a few types in demand.
“Economists are saying the skilled trade worker shortage may affect Canada’s ability to compete on a global market,” she said.

Information and Communications Technology: Between now and 2015, more than 120,000 jobs will have to be filled, said David Ticoll, director of the Canadian Coalition for Tomorrow’s ICT Skills.
“Half (the hires) will be to fill new positions and half will be to replace people who have left the field, due to leaving the workforce or shifting to non-ICT jobs,” he said.
Occupations waiting to be filled include designers of new technologies — cyber security and data analysis, for example — and especially management jobs that combine business and technology skills, including IT managers and chief information officers.
“The Canadian population who required computer literacy in their jobs went from around 30 per cent in the late 1980s to more than 90 per cent now,” said U of T professor Livingstone. “The interesting point is that people are more likely to say they are overqualified for the jobs available in terms of computer skills than underqualified.”
After landing a job, many Canadians face a further challenge, he said.
The next step for the overqualified is not just to adapt to the position available.
“The point would be to use whatever job you are able to get in imaginative ways,” the professor said, “to make it a richer job, a more fulfilling job in terms of your talents and, hopefully, in terms of rewards from your employer.”

Mining and Oil-and-Gas: Half the mining workforce is eligible to retire in the next 10 years, meaning that — even without growth in mining — the industry is forecast to need more than 112,000 new workers in that period.
If commodity prices rise, the mining sector would need more than 140,000 new workers in 10 years. In the oil-and-gas industry, Alberta Oil Sands expansion accounts for much of the anticipated growth.
“We expect to see (job) growth almost double the average for the economy as a whole,” Conference Board of Canada analyst Burt said this week of the mining and oil-and-gas sectors. In his analysis, the construction and health care industries fall into the same category.
Mining companies will be looking to hire for 66 key mining occupations, says the 2011 forecast by the Mining Industry Human Resources Council.
Demand is expected to be high for everybody from welders and industrial electricians, to geologists and civil engineers, to human-resources and financial managers, the report says.

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