CANADA-SASKATCHEWAN CAREER AND EMPLOYMENT SERVICES OFFICE OPENS IN YORKTON

Yorkton and area residents will now have one place to help them plan a

career, upgrade their education or job skills, find a job or fill a

job vacancy. Twenty Canada-Saskatchewan Career and Employment

Services offices are now open throughout the province.



The announcement was made at the grand opening of the Yorkton office

today by Education Minister Clay Serby, on behalf of Post-Secondary

Education and Skills Training Minister Maynard Sonntag, and Human

Resources Development Canada Minister Pierre S. Pettigrew.



"Through these Career and Employment Services offices in every region

of the province, all Saskatchewan people will have one-stop access to

quality, cost-effective programs and services," Serby said. "We will

work with industry and other regional partners to link people to

jobs."



"The Canada-Saskatchewan Labour Market Development Agreement signed

last year has brought us to this exciting time," Pettigrew said. "It

demonstrates that governments can work together to address our shared

goal of helping unemployed Canadians find work. As a result, we are

looking forward to improved service to the public through better

integration and easier access."



Canada-Saskatchewan Career and Employment Services will offer a

variety of resources, including written materials on resume writing

and occupations; counsellor-assisted career planning; and computerized

services, such as CD ROM software and videos. Of special interest is

a new web site called SaskNetWork - www.sasknetwork.gov.sk.ca -

Saskatchewan's new electronic link to career, employment and labour

market information. Career information is also available toll free at

1-800-597-8278.



The Career and Employment Services will also provide access to a

variety of information related to apprenticeship, JobStart/Future

Skills, and other skills training and employment programs, basic

education, literacy, and income support programs for learners. More

than 100,000 people a year are expected to use these services in

Saskatchewan. Of these about 10,000 people will be involved in

employment programs gaining work experience or on-the-job training, or

will receive support while in training.



Career and Employment Services offices are located in: Biggar,

Creighton, Estevan, Fort Qu'Appelle, Humboldt, Ile a la Crosse,

La Ronge, Lloydminster, Meadow Lake, Melfort, Moose Jaw, Nipawin,

North Battleford, Prince Albert, Regina, Saskatoon, Swift Current,

Weyburn, Wynyard and Yorkton.



The Canada-Saskatchewan Career and Employment Services offices are a

result of the Canada-Saskatchewan Labour Market Development Agreement,

which came into effect April 1998. Under the agreement, the

Government of Saskatchewan assumed responsibility to provide career

and employment programs to Employment Insurance (EI) clients. The

Government of Canada is a funding partner for these programs and

services through the EI Account.



The agreement builds on the vision of the Saskatchewan Training

Strategy to ensure all Saskatchewan residents have access to flexible,

relevant, quality training and employment services.



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For more information, contact:



Jean Gabert

Regional Director

Post-Secondary Education and Skills Training

Yorkton

Office Phone: (306) 786-5808

Cell Phone: (306) 621-7633