'Career services' event builds skills for job-seeking Albertans

This is the first time that KevinMeighhas had to collect employment insurancesince he was in high school. He has been driving trucks steadily since the early 1970's, and if heleft a company there was always someone there to hire him.

Now, that's no longer the case.

Meighsaidit's difficult to get back into the job market after having steady work for so many years.

"It's different after working for all those years and then being laid off for the first time since, well, 1972,"Meigh explained.

"It's kind of hard to get back in, even to know what you want to do."

Meighwas one of many packed into a room for a "career services" eventorganized by Calgary Nose Hill MP MichelleRempel.

It differs from a job fair in that it's designed to give people skills to find employment, not connect with employers.

Rempelsaid she wanted to organize the event because the way that people search for jobs has changed drastically over the years.

"So we'rehaving workshops today like how to use job searches, we offeringheadshotsfor profiles, understanding how to access new services,"Rempel said.

"Those are all things that it can be difficult for people to understand and for people to look for information on."

Skills learned at this forum could soon be put to use as Monday marks the start of Alberta Works Week which will see Job Fairs hosted across the province.

The unemployment rate in Alberta sits at 7.1 per cent, slightly downfrom 7.9 per cent in February, the province's highest since 1995.

Rempelsaysthis is something the entire country should be worrying about.

"I think there is a lot of concern and all of Canada needs to realize just how dire the situation is in Alberta right now. We are well over 100,000 people having lost their jobs in the energy sector.

"This is something the entire country needs to be worried about."

The downturn isn't just affecting long-term workers in the province, as university students graduate and join the worker pool.

Rachel Greuel is currently in her second year of university where she is studying geology. She islooking for a summer job and trying to staypositive butsays the market is tough for those in her position.

"I've always heard that you want to be in university in a recession because when you get out ... the market is picking up and they're looking for a lot of jobs," Greuel said.

"So honestly, I'm just hoping that will happen."

ShelleyTobinCEO of Hire Success Staffingsays she is seeing hundreds of people looking for help finding employment.

Tobin says the best thing one can do in times like these is to treat finding employment, as your job.

"Get up, get dressed, and get out and pound the pavement," she said.