Learners in this module series will engage in activities designed to equip them for an independent and successful job search. Participants will be able to identify and articulate their skills, experience and training to prepare for and successfully engage in job interviews. Participants will receive guidance in working through OFE’s Job Search Action Plan and will learn and apply various job search techniques in order to market their skills to local employers, follow-up on applications and perform well in job interviews.

Career Exploration is a half-day module, designed to help job seekers identify a short-term achievable job goal. This module guides individuals through the process of examining their interests, skills and values in the context of identifying how they align with various opportunities available in the local labour market. This module recommended for individuals who need to identify a job goal to participate in the development of an employment plan.

This module is designed for program participants who are typically ready to work, but require assistance in preparing for a digital job search and learning how to use a computer as an effective job search tool. Participants will learn how to create and access an e-mail address and how to store and retrieve files on a cloud based host site. In addition, participants will learn how to email job search documents to employers, how to use job search engines online, fill out online applications and complete online assessments. Participants must take Introduction to Computers as a pre-requisite for Digital Job Search.

As an initial step at OFE, applicants take part in an online assessment of their essential skills (Skills for Success) in three primary areas: numeracy, document use and reading. This baseline assessment is used as an important component of designing an employment development plan and creating an individual program schedule. The assessment is useful for all participants, whether they are looking for an entry level position or a professional opportunity, they will find this exercise to be helpful in evaluating their job goals, developing a plan and marketing their skills to employers.

This module is specifically designed for job seekers who are 50+ years of age. Mature workers are often concerned about age discrimination, skills gaps or addressing job loss in interviews. In this module, participants will learn about various types of interviews, compare traditional to behavioral-based interview questions and have an opportunity to practice their interview skills and receive feedback. The module also emphasizes being prepared for interviews, understanding appropriate questions to ask the interviewer, staying positive, and following up with potential employers after the interview.

Mature workers may be seeking new or alternative types of work in order to pursue their passions or perhaps to respond to a recent change in employment. The Job Search Skills Module emphasizes the importance of identifying a strategic or targeted job goal. Various methods of accessing the hidden market are discussed, drawing on the job seekers’ own experiences to emphasize important strategies and lessons. Participants will explore the most current job search practices and will build their capacity to effectively network.