Summer boredom? The Manitoba Youth Job Centre can help

Youth in the Morden/Winkler area have the opportunity to gain work experience and career education this summer through the Manitoba Youth Job Centre.

Run by the government of Manitoba in participation with local organizations, the Centre strives to give youth entering the workforce the tools and experience they require to succeed. Anna Nikkel, the Youth Engagement Leader working out of the Morden office, assists participants with the various offerings of the centre.

"The centres provide students and youth with important information and education on career development. The services include assistance with resumes and cover letters, mock interviews, job search assistance, group information sessions, and Odd Job Squad events. Our Odd Job Squad program offers 13-16 year olds casual supervised first work and volunteer experiences for young people looking to gain hands-on career-related skills and experience demanded by employers. Some examples of events that we've had in the past include freezie sales, car or window washes, and doughnut drives."

The first Odd Job Squad event of the 2024 season will take place at Lake Minnewasta on June 15th. The centre will have a booth selling jumbo freezies for $1 each (cash only) from 11am-2pm.

Although the Odd Job Squad is limited to participants ages 13-16, the other services that the centre provides are available to participants ages 13-29.

Nikkel says local businesses can also reach out to the Manitoba Youth Job Centre if they are interested in hiring youth and students.

"[W]e have a job bank at our office where [we] collect job orders from businesses that are looking to hire students and then we refer the students to the employers. We offer free job referral services to employers, whether that's full-time, part-time, or casual work. Through Manitoba Youth Job Centre, employers can advertise their job posting with us and we refer youth that are registered with the program to these opportunities. The employer ultimately has the final say in hiring. The goal is to increase awareness of job opportunities for youth within the community".

The Manitoba Youth Job Centre office is located at 160 Stephen Street in Morden beside Service Canada. The office is open 8:30-4:30 (closed from 12-1) Monday to Friday.

According to Nikkel, signing up for the service is a simple process. To register, visit the office during its business hours to pick up an intake form which can be returned to Nikkel once completed. For youth under 16, there must also be a parental consent form signed. From there, Nikkel organizes appointments with participants based on the services that they seek. Nikkel invites anyone with questions to stop by the office, call her at (431) 349-1337, or email Annabella.Nikkel@gov.mb.ca.

Nikkel herself was a participant the Odd Job Squad when she was 13.

"I think it's a good experience for [the participants'] future employment needs, because, through our program, [they] gain lots of experience and skills related to employment. I participated in an Odd Job Squad event, and we went through the steps of collecting money... and I'd never done anything like that before, so having someone there to help me and having the opportunity to gain some first work skills was really beneficial."

The Manitoba Youth Job Centre runs its summer program from May until August.