Monday, 20 October 2014

Look up the meanings of the vocabulary words below.

Aggressive:  ready or likely to attack or confront; characterized by or resulting from aggression.

Annoyed: slightly angry; irritated

Collaborative: produced or conducted by two or more parties working together

Customs: the official department that administers and collects the duties levied by a government on imported goods.

Embarrassment: a feeling of self-consciousness, shame, or awkwardness

Equality: the state of being equal, especially in status, rights, and opportunities

Minimize: reduce (something, especially something unwanted or unpleasant) to the smallest possible amount or degree.

Oblivious: not aware of or not concerned about what is happening around one

Promptness: punctuality, promptitude

Rituals: a religious or solemn ceremony consisting of a series of actions performed according to a prescribed order.

Task: a piece of work to be done or undertaken

Valuable: worth a great deal of money

Values: the regard that something is held to deserve; the importance, worth, or usefulness of something

CANADIAN WORKPLACE CULTURE(http://discovertourism.ca/en/come_work_in_canada/canadian_workplace_culture)

Every culture is has its own norms, including workplace culture. In a Canadian workplace, communication and behaviour may be different than your previous workplaces. Here are some possible differences you should be aware of before you begin a new job in tourism.

Expectations and roles of employees

• Be punctual (be prepared to start on time).
• Know your roles and responsibilities.
• Fulfill your duties and responsibilities.
• Work both independently and as a team member.
• Show initiative.
• Make suggestions and ask questions.
• Be able to work well with others (teamwork).

Individualism and self-reliance

Canadian culture can be highly individualistic. Therefore, you may encounter:

• Independent decision-making rather than group consultation
• Rules and procedures that are emphasized more than relationships
• Looser and less permanent relationships between people, compared to other cultures
• Performance assessment on an individual basis, rather than as team member
• Direct praise and criticism

Work and time

The Canadian approach to work and time may be unfamiliar to you. Typical Canadian attitudes toward work and time include:

• A strong division between home life and work life
• An emphasis on deadlines rather than on relationships
• An emphasis on punctuality and “getting down to business” rather than on building relationships

Status and formality

Canadians can be very informal in work relationships compared to individuals from other countries. Their typical behaviour may include:

• A stress on equal opportunity
• Saying “no” directly
• Emphasizing accomplishments over family background, titles, age or gender
• Expecting you to say what you mean more directly

For more information about Canadian workplace culture

Here are other resources that explain what Canadian employers are looking for from their employees.

Friday's Assignment 10 October 2014

Search the Employment Ontario website to find services or courses in your community that can help you to write cover letters and résumés. Go to the Employment Ontario website at this link (http://www.tcu.gov.on.ca/eng/employmentontario/) (http://www.skills.edu.gov.on.ca/OSP2Web/EDU/Welcome.xhtml?lang=en)
Click on I am new to Ontario.

Cover Letter (from handout)

February 16, 2012

Ms. Debra Walsh
Direct of Human Resources
Wire Teck Inc.
777 King St. Suite 400
Kitchener, ON

Dear Ms. Walsh:

Please accept my application for the position of customer service representative at your company. I would very much like to be considered for the position. I have enclosed my resume for your review.

I believe I can make a positive contribution to your company. I have extensive experience as an assistant manager, and later as a manager in two different retail settings. In these positions, I was responsible for all areas of  customer relations, including staff scheduling, training and supervision as well as sales generation and reporting. In addition, I have worked in restaurant management. Currently, I am working as a part-time sales associate with a large retail chain.

I am confident that my skills and experience would be an asset to your organization. I would welcome the opportunity to participate in a personal interview to answer any of your questions and present my qualification. Thank you for your time and consideration. I look forward to speaking with you soon.

sincerely,
yzwx

TUESDAY, 7 OCTOBER 2014 Tuesday's Assignment

Resume Writing:

In order to be prepared for the work force, you need to have a well written resume. Here is one of the good websites (http://www.youth.gc.ca/eng/media/skills_inventory.shtml)that provides a lot of useful language that we can use.
Here are another two samples of a chronological resume sample and a functional resume sample. Use these just as guidance to help you frame your masterpiece.

MONDAY, 6 OCTOBER 2014 Monday's Assignment

Use this website (http://www.jobbank.gc.ca/advanced_search.do)and this one to locate two job postings for an occupation that interests you. Take notes on the information from both postings and compare the information. Use the following headings to record your information:

1. Job requirements (education, experience, hard skills, soft skills, experience); 
2. duties and responsibilities; 
3. employer information; 
4. how to apply.

salespersons EMPLOYER DETAILS Job Number:7619160	ACCOUNTING CLERK  EMPLOYER DETAILS Job Number:7602611
Salary: Hourly: min. $12 max. $15 for 42.5 hours per week	Salary: Hourly: min. $11 for 25.0 hours per week
Benefits Group Insurance Benefits	Benefits Group Insurance Benefits
Anticipated Start Date: As soon as possible	Anticipated Start Date: As soon as possible
Terms of Employment: Permanent   Full-Time	Terms of Employment: Permanent   Part-Time
Number of positions:1	Number of positions:1
Employer: Bolts Plus Inc Web Site: http://www.boltsplus.ca	Employer: 1256590 Ontario Inc.
JOB REQUIREMENTS Languages English Education Completion of high school Credentials (certificates, licences, memberships, courses, etc.) Not required Experience Will train Type of Sales Construction Type of Sales Account Local accounts Customers/clients Commercial establishments Products/Services Construction materials and equipment; Manufacturing and industrial products Specific Skills Promote sales to existing clients; Identify and solicit potential clients; Assess client's needs and resources and recommend the appropriate goods or services; Consult with clients after sale to provide ongoing support; Resolve product and service related problems Transportation/Travel Information Own transportation; Willing to travel Work Conditions and Physical Capabilities Fast-paced environment; Work under pressure; Tight deadlines; Handling heavy loads; Physically demanding; Manual dexterity; Attention to detail; Hand-eye co-ordination; Ability to distinguish between colours; Sitting; Combination of sitting, standing, walking; Standing for extended periods; Bending, crouching, kneeling Ability to Supervise Staff in various areas of responsibility Essential Skills Reading text; Document use; Numeracy; Writing; Communication; Working with others; Problem solving; Decision making; Critical thinking; Job task planning and organizing; Significant use of memory; Finding information; Computer use; Continuous learning	JOB REQUIREMENTS Languages English Education Completion of college/CEGEP/vocational or technical training Experience 1 year to less than 2 years Work Setting Public sector Business Equipment and Computer Applications General office equipment; Electronic mail; Excel; Accounting software; Quick Books Typing (Words Per Minute) 0 - 40 wpm Type of Bookkeeping Computerized Specific Skills Prepare financial statements; Prepare payroll; Invoice clients; Prepare reports; Store, update and retrieve financial data; Perform clerical duties, such as maintain filing and record systems; Answer customer inquiries Transportation/Travel Information Own transportation; Valid driver's licence Work Conditions and Physical Capabilities Fast-paced environment; Repetitive tasks Essential Skills Reading text; Document use; Numeracy; Writing; Communication; Working with others; Problem solving; Computer use

FRIDAY, 3 OCTOBER 2014 Friday's Assignment

Task 1:
Fill the table below and add your own occupations if you can't find it in the table. Write 'R' for regulated, 'L' for licensed, and 'UL' for unlicensed occupations.

Profession	Regulated, Licensed, Unlicensed	Governing or Regulatory Body
Social worker	R L	Ontario College of Social Workers and Social Service Workers
Medical laboratory	L	College of Medical Laboratory Technologists of Ontario
technician	U
Grade two teacher	R L	Ontario College of Teachers
Early childhood	U	College of Early Childhood Educators
College instructor	U L	Ontario College of Teachers
Lawyer	R L	Law Society of Upper Canada
Orchestra conductor	U
Scientific researcher
Engineer	R L	Association of Professional Engineers of Ontario
Carpenter	L
Airplane mechanic	R L	Association of Professional Engineers of Ontario
High  school teacher	R L	Ontario College of Teachers
Web designer	L
IT technician	L

ASSIGNMENT ON 30TH 2014

On the Job Futures website, read the information about an occupation that interests you. Prepare a short presentation and present it to the class. The following questions can guide you.

accounting CLECK:

1431 Accounting and related clerks

Accounting and related clerks calculate, prepare and process bills, invoices, accounts payable and receivable, budgets and other financial records according to established procedures. They are employed throughout the private and public sectors.

1. What are the main duties in this occupation?

Accounting and related clerks perform some or all of the following duties:

Calculate, prepare and issue documents related to accounts such as bills, invoices, inventory reports, account statements and other financial statements using computerized and manual systems

Code, total, batch, enter, verify and reconcile transactions such as accounts payable and receivable, payroll, purchase orders, cheques, invoices, cheque requisitions, and bank statements in a ledger or computer system

Compile budget data and documents based on estimated revenues and expenses and previous budgets

Prepare period or cost statements or reports

Calculate costs of materials, overhead and other expenses based on estimates, quotations, and price lists

Respond to customer inquiries, maintain good customer relations and solve problems

Perform related clerical duties, such as word processing, maintaining filing and record systems, faxing and photocopying.

2. What are the educational requirements?

Completion of secondary school is usually required.

Completion of college or other courses certified by the Certified General Accountants Association of Canada, Canadian Securities Institute or Canadian Bookkeepers Association may be required.

Some accounting clerks must be bondable.

3. What are the work prospects (hourly wages, unemployment rates)?

http://www.statcan.gc.ca/daily-quotidien/140905/dq140905a-eng.htm

12---15---18

Employment was little changed in August and the unemployment rate remained at 7.0%.

Compared with 12 months earlier, employment increased by 81,000 (+0.5%), mostly in part-time work. Over the same period, the total number of hours worked was virtually unchanged.

There were fewer people employed in wholesale and retail trade, as well as transportation and warehousing. There were gains in construction, in professional, scientific and technical services and in public administration.

The number of private sector employees decreased in August, while self-employment rose.

There were 27,000 fewer people employed in wholesale and retail trade in August. Compared with a year earlier, employment in this industry was virtually unchanged.

In August, employment declined by 15,000 in transportation and warehousing. Despite this month's decrease, employment in this industry was up 29,000 (+3.4%) on a year-over-year basis.

There were 24,000 more people employed in construction in August. Compared with 12 months earlier, employment in this industry was little changed.

The number of people employed in professional, scientific and technical services increased by 21,000 in August. On a year-over-year basis, employment in this industry was up 34,000 (+2.5%).

Employment in public administration rose by 21,000 in August, continuing an upward trend that began in February. Compared with August 2013, employment in this industry increased by 48,000 (+5.1%).

Following an increase in July, the number of private sector employees declined by 112,000 in August, with notable losses in wholesale and retail trade; professional, scientific and technical services; and health care and social assistance. At the same time, self-employment increased by 87,000, following a decline in July. Self-employment grew in professional, scientific and technical services as well as construction.

Public sector employment has been on an upward trend since February 2014, while the trend for private sector employees and self-employment has been relatively flat since the fall of 2013.

4. What are some interesting facts about this occupation?