Are you frustrated from looking at job offers with what seems to be a never-ending, always changing set of skills expected by potential employers? Are you afraid that you will not stay employable in today’s labour market? Are you also overwhelmed by the prospect of having to return to school, possibly racking up expenses and forgoing income while you are studying? Do you even know where to start to look for appropriate courses? I hope through this article to set your mind at ease, to offer you resources to research, and some hints on how to draw up an action plan. First, take a deep breath and let’s approach this one step at a time.
Decide on a job title, grab a few of those ads and DO NOT PANIC! List the skills that show up most frequently for that job title. Note the ones that are described as an asset. Be sure to note the ones that you have, whether through practical experience or potential capability from past learning. Do you see where I am heading with this? List what you have to offer an employer before listing what you think that you don’t. (Is the glass half full or half empty? Actually, either way it is ready to be filled.)
Now, note the skills that seem to consistently show up across most offers but that you have not yet acquired. There is no way that you can take courses for all of them at once, so choose one or two that seem most necessary and attainable at this point in your job search. List the ones that you may like to or need to obtain eventually.
Next comes researching how and where you can obtain those skills. Many school boards and Cégeps offer continuing education; some specialize in specific fields or sectors of activity. Have you heard of https://www.montezdeniveau.ca/ ? It is an excellent source for information on hundreds of mostly short courses, many of which are given in the evening, a bonus for those who must continue working while studying.
Perhaps you can explore government-sponsored training programs, which they choose based on labour market and employer needs. https://www.quebec.ca/en/employment/career-planning-management/training/information-communication-technology-requalification-training
Take for example PRATIC: “The Information and Communication Technology Requalification and Training Program (PRATIC), launched on July 1, 2021, seeks to encourage people who are unemployed to pursue a career in the field of Information and Communication Technology (ICT). Thanks to PRATIC, these people will be able to benefit from training while receiving financial assistance.”
https://www.quebec.ca/en/employment/career-planning-management/training/information-communication-technology-requalification-training
Contact your local Services Québec office to arrange an appointment with an Employment Assistance Agent to discuss your eligibility and what training is authorized and financed by the provincial government. https://www.localisateur.servicesquebec.gouv.qc.ca/en
Now comes the planning. Ask yourself some questions before deciding what is possible or not. Would it be best for you to find work, perhaps part time, requiring the skills that you already have so that you can study to upgrade for another job later? Should you take time off and complete an intense course? Is it best to stretch your studies out over a period of time?
Only you can properly analyse your needs and situation, but I recommend that you reach out to a career counsellor, an employment counsellor, an information agent at the school or anyone who can help you think this through.
Text by Patricia Bélanger, Employment Counsellor