1.
“Connecting Our Youth with Industry and Employers”
Port McNeill & District Chamber of Commerce

2.
Building on Success 2013
• Connections was a pilot project begun in 2012 and
funded by School District 85 under the Coordinated
Workforce Strategy funds;
• A second, more ambitious, student workplace experience
pilot program began January to June 2013 with funding
being made available from the Labour Market
Partnership (LMP) contribution agreement.
• With further investment from the RDMW, this project
began a life beyond the LMP and represents an
important community project linking students firmly with
local employers in their North Island communities.
• 2013 has seen the development of a Field Studies 12
course as another layer of “Connecting Our Youth with
Industry and Employers”

3.
The Opportunity
• Work together to get students hands-on experiences with
industry and business.(Field Studies)
• Provide high quality learning and exploratory opportunities.
• Allow students to see, hear, and do before they decide.
• Get kids connected.
• “Travelling Career Fair”

4.
Connections Trips
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Since September 2013 we have taken sixteen Connections trips involving over
100 students
North Island Kayak
Port McNeill & District Hospital
The Gate House Theatre
Hobby Nook and West Coast Community Craft Shop
Visions Hair Salon
Black Bear Resort
Community Futures: Young Entrepreneurs
Orca Sand & Gravel
Port McNeill Firehall
RCMP
Pacificus Biological Services
Flower Shoppe
Harvest Food Bank
Hardy Buoys
Keltic Seafoods
Canadian Fish Co.

5.
Learn, Observe, Involve
Orca Sand & Gravel

6.
Understand Community
Harvest Food Bank Port Hardy

7.
Practice with Employers

8.
Upcoming Tours
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Westcoast Helicopters
Neucell
Alert Bay
Windmill Fall
Strategic
Sointula

9.
Student Feedback
• Students fill in a form after each trip. They
answer anonymous questions as to the benefit of
the trip, is it a field they would pursue and what
would future trips consist of.
• 72% felt trips were beneficial
• 52% would pursue a career
• Comments included “well worth the time, I am
going to pursue a career in medicine”. “I learned
a lot about charity and not for profit
organizations, as well as the theatre in our town.”

10.
Team Talk
• Two students have been involved everyday
with the connections program.
• Adam has been working on technical aspects
and is earning credits for his involvement
• Zaida has been working on office aspects and
is also earning credits for her involvement

11.
Zaida’s Experiences

12.
Adam’s Experience

13.
Student Feedback Comments
• “I am planning on joining the RCMP when I
graduate, I am happy to know they will take
my application at 18”
• “I learned how much experience you need to
be a doctor”

14.
What’s Happening Now
• Through the use of contacting businesses’
through mail, email, and phone contacts, those
businesses’ our now contacting us and wanting
students to come to their workplaces.
• Businesses’ are also wanting students to be more
involved. Employers want more students
involvement, whether through work experience
or job shadowing, they have a need to give back
to community and youth; as one employer stated
“to pass the torch.”

15.
Our Partners
• Regional District
• School District 85

16.
Projects
• Project Comeback – two students helped the
Regional District with their project Comeback
study, gathering data through student surveys,
adding input into the survey and compiling
results.
• Continually adding to our list of businesses on
the North Island that would encourage
students to have a good look at them as
future employers.

17.
Field Studies
• It is a new course with themes of mentorship,
work experience, regional economic issues,
and employment readiness.

18.
Help Wanted
• If you are an employer, business owner, or an organization
who is interested in having students participate in a guided
tour of your worksite, please contact us.
• This could include a small group visit, larger group, or a
personalized “hands on” experience. We will arrange all
transportation to and from the worksite and supervision
throughout.
• Also, if you know of a student interested in participating in
a “Workplace Awareness Activity” and/or one that has a
particular career interest area, please feel free to contact
us.

19.
Website
• The Connections program provides an opportunity for high
school students to take in part in “Workplace Awareness
Activities” throughout the North Island. To date over 150
students have participated ranging from Port McNeill, Port
Hardy, Alert Bay, Woss, Sointula, and other surrounding areas.
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http://connectionsniss.webs.com/