Province, Resolute Make Equal Investment to Help Workers

Workers affected by the Bowater closure in Queens County are getting career specialists to help them train and find new employment.

The province and Resolute Forest Products, Bowater Mersey's parent company, is investing $125,000 each to provide displaced workers with training and match them with available local jobs.

"The Liverpool and Bridgewater career resource centres are reporting an increase in visits from those affected by the closure," said Marilyn More, Minister, Labour and Advanced Education. "While the centres are there to help anyone who's unemployed, this investment ensures a dedicated resource is available for displaced Bowater workers."

The money will fund three, 52 week positions. They are one full-time job developer and two part-time transition needs development officers. Eighty thousand dollars of the funding will support additional program options for workers who require help to retrain or to re-enter the workforce.

"We believe this measure of community support is an important step and commend the province and local authorities for their leadership, said Richard Garneau, president and chief executive officer of Resolute Forest Products. "Our company's financial contribution will help provide important transition services to impacted workers throughout the region."

The job developer's role is to identify employers in the area who are hiring, then match workers to those available jobs. The job developer will split time between the Liverpool and Bridgewater offices.

The transition needs development officers will help workers identify their employment options or training needs. The Liverpool and Bridgewater office will have one officer per location.

"There is a huge job to be done with respect to training and retraining," said John Leefe, Mayor, Region of Queens Municipality. "This is a welcome investment that will help us take the necessary incremental steps for the long journey ahead.”"

The job developer and transition needs development officers will join career resource teams already in place at the South Shore Opportunities in Liverpool, 7 Henry Hensey Dr., 902-354-2616 and Employment Solutions Society in Bridgewater at 215 Dominion St., 902-543-2479. More than 80 workers affected by the Bowater closure have accessed the centres so far.

Additional information can be found at www.gov.ns.ca/employmentnovascotia .