CANADA-SASKATCHEWAN CAREER AND EMPLOYMENT SERVICES OFFICES OPEN IN FORT QU'APPELLE

Fort Qu'Appelle and area residents now have one place to help them

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

fill a job vacancy. Canada-Saskatchewan Career and Employment

Services offices are now open throughout the province.



The announcement was made at the grand opening of the Fort Qu'Appelle

regional office today by Lorne Scott, Minister of Environment and

Resource Management and MLA for Indian Head-Milestone, on behalf of

Maynard Sonntag, Minister of Saskatchewan Post-Secondary Education and

Skills Training (PSEST), and Pierre S. Pettigrew, Minister of Human

Resources Development Canada.



"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," said Sonntag. "We

will work with industry and other regional partners to identify where

the jobs are and what education or training people need to get the

jobs. We will use this information to link people to jobs."



"The Canada-Saskatchewan Labour Market Development Agreement

signed last year has brought us to this exciting time," said

Pettigrew. "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, signed in 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 local information, contact:



Jean Gabert

Regional Director

Phone: (306) 786-5808

(306) 621-7633 (cell)