Not only has the Boyle Employment Centre moved into its very own building, but due to its increasing success, the Alberta government has extended its funding until March 2012.
With an array of public officials on hand, including Athabasca-Redwater MLA Jeff Johnson and Boyle Mayor Don Radmanovich, the Boyle Employment Centre celebrated its achievement last Tuesday with an afternoon cake-cutting and gathering.
The centre first opened its doors on July 28, 2010 and was initially called the Boyle Resource Centre.
The facility was originally intended to be a six-month pilot project, but has blossomed into something much bigger, proving to be a valuable asset to the village and region as a whole.
“Residents have been extremely supportive,” said Jan Bridal, human resource coordinator for the Employment Centre, who admitted that when she started, she thought no one would come in such a small community.
But when people did, they came in larger numbers than anyone expected and Bridal knew they needed their own space.
The Resource Centre called the library basement home for its first six months, and though Bridal appreciated the library’s space, she quickly came to realize that it wasn’t the right place for them.
“I needed a bigger centre,” Bridal explained, adding that the lack of privacy in the library basement, along with sharing the space with a daycare, was a concern for both her and her clients when it came to confidentiality.
Former Boyle Mayor Bob Clark was largely responsible for getting the centre up and running.
“He was instrumental in getting this off the ground,” said Bridal.
Alberta Employment and Immigration representatives Garry Duke and Tony Puim – Puim was also present for the grand opening – were responsible for getting the additional grant money needed to fund the centre.
Bridal, who is currently the Employment Centre’s sole employee, said she sees increasing demand for employment in the area, and a possibility of bringing in some additional part-time help.
The Employment Centre had 501 visitors walk through its doors since opening last July; a few being return customers, most from the local region, but there are also several who come from around the country, as far away as Quebec and New Brunswick.
The Employment Centre has been open in their new location, in the old Boyle Video Store on Railway Ave., since Nov. 9, 2010.
Bridal said the Alberta government hopes that at some point, the community of Boyle will be able to fund the centre on its own.
In addition to posting jobs that can be found in the local newspaper, Bridal said the Alberta government sends in numerous ‘hidden’ and ‘large need’ jobs, many of which are in the oil and gas industry.
“There is very little for right here,” Bridal admitted. “A lot are in Fort McMurray.”
