At 63-years-old, Cynthia Roberts arrived at a crossroads.
The office building where she worked in Calgary had burned down and staff were laid off, but she wasn鈥檛 ready to retire. She could find another admin job and work there until she turned 65 or take a chance at one more fresh start.
Roberts chose adventure.
She loaded her life into her van, got in the driver鈥檚 seat, and never looked back.
鈥淚 knew I didn鈥檛 want to be in Calgary when I retired,鈥� Roberts says. 鈥淚 had been travelling all over Alberta and decided to come back to the Okanagan where I was born and raised. I chose to go where I wanted to retire.鈥�
Living a comfortable life in her van, Roberts spent afternoons at the Okanagan Regional Library in Vernon looking for work. After a few weeks, the weather started getting colder. She found a comfortable place to live and continued her job search.
鈥淚 was using the computers at the library when someone said to me, 鈥業f you go to WorkBC, they have job support there and will help you do your resume,鈥欌�� Roberts says. 鈥淚 went to WorkBC, and they were so welcoming. I was with them every day and they were always so sweet.鈥�
Located on the first floor of WorkBC鈥檚 building in downtown Vernon, the centre is open to anyone looking for a quiet place for career exploration. The centre also provides access to the tools required for an independent or supported job search.
When Roberts went into the centre, she knew exactly what kind of employer she was looking for: a small business with people that have a positive attitude and a great atmosphere where she鈥檇 be happy to work until retirement.
Roberts spent weeks at the centre using the computers to fine-tune her resum茅, connecting with the team and browsing the job boards for the right fit. And, finally, she got the call she had been waiting for 鈥� a local alarm company was looking for a secretary.
Months after landing the job at Hewberry Alarms, Roberts says she鈥檚 in heaven. She鈥檚 living in the community where she dreams of retiring and is working for a company that cares about its people.
鈥淗ewberry Alarms is such a nice place to work. I love small businesses. I love the atmosphere and the attitude,鈥� Roberts says. 鈥淭hey鈥檙e such nice people and are amazing to work for.鈥�
With her own desk in the alarm company鈥檚 quiet office building near downtown, Roberts spends her mornings answering phones, walking customers through how to operate their alarm systems, coordinating customer appointments and managing accounts receivable.
It鈥檚 going so well, she says, that she鈥檚 already thinking about how she might stay on part-time when it鈥檚 time for retirement in a few short years.
And it鈥檚 a job that Roberts says was only possible thanks to the help of WorkBC.
鈥淭he WorkBC team is so positive and informative. They鈥檙e willing to walk over and show you what they think you鈥檇 be good at and read your resume over. They鈥檙e just really good partners in getting you a job. They really care,鈥� she says.
鈥�I would definitely recommend that people go and use WorkBC. I鈥檝e been doing this for many years, and I鈥檝e done many things. I鈥檝e driven a bus, been a cleaner, done admin work. You name it, I鈥檝e done it. But if it hadn鈥檛 been for WorkBC, I may not have found the perfect job.鈥�
For more information about the WorkBC Centre in Vernon and its resources for an independent job search, call
roger@vernonmorningstar.com
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