Spectrum Job Search closed

[Mike K.]

Spectrum Job Search, an organization that helped individuals find employment, has closed its 1405 Douglas Street office and it's website (http://spectrumjobsearch.com/) is no long accessible.

Spectrum had been located at the Johnson and Douglas intersection for a number of years.

[Nparker]

I noticed this yesterday. Not good news for those looking for work.

[Mike K.]

Admittedly I don't really know what these organizations offer that online job depositories do not offer.

[VicHockeyFan]

Originally Posted by Mike K.

Admittedly I don't really know what these organizations offer that online job depositories do not offer.

Me either. Although they do offer extra coaching and interview skills etc. Motivation, if you will. Some are funded by government (federal and/or provincial) in an effort to reduce welfare rolls or unemployment insurance payouts.

But I've always wondered if that's a false economy. If there are x number of jobs in a town, don't they all get filled by someone anyway? I suppose not, many jobs that don't get filled means extra hours for other workers, but surely that brings in corresponding income tax revenue.

So the real goal of government ought to be to get as many people as possible to not collect EI and welfare, not just by working, but by sitting at home watching Oprah, living off their spouses' one income, acquiring a sugar daddy/mommy etc. There might not be a politically correct way to do that.

I think Frank Bouree's just expanded. I think these companies work on contract, and likely get paid bonuses on performance.

[sdwright.vic]

It had all been replaced by the WorkBC office just next door on Douglas. Amber Education and Spectrum had their contracts pulled and it is now all a centralized provider under HR Hiring Solutions. Same services, just all under one roof now.

[Nparker]

Originally Posted by sdwright.vic

Same services, just all under one roof now.

Thanks for the update sdwright!

[Kikadee]

Originally Posted by sdwright.vic

It had all been replaced by the WorkBC office just next door on Douglas. Amber Education and Spectrum had their contracts pulled and it is now all a centralized provider under HR Hiring Solutions. Same services, just all under one roof now.

I've spoken to a few of the former employees of Spectrum, and the contract was not "pulled." The fellow who operated Spectrum did not submit a bid for the contract because it requires a long-term commitment and I believe he was ready to retire. Still, I'm interested in seeing what goes into the spaces that Spectrum vacated. The lower level is being gutted, and it's quite a nice, open, brightly lit, room.

[Nparker]

Originally Posted by Kikadee

...I'm interested in seeing what goes into the space that Spectrum vacated. The lower level is being gutted, and it's quite a nice, open, brightly lit, room.

I would hope for retail, as ground-level office space is such a waste. I won't hold my breath however.

[spanky123]

I had heard that all of the job placement work was being consolidated to Chemistry. In addition to Spectrum, Worksource and Reger Group have closed their doors as well.

It is cheaper to re-employ people in minimum wage jobs then it is to try and retrain them.

[sdwright.vic]

Originally Posted by Kikadee

I've spoken to a few of the former employees of Spectrum, and the contract was not "pulled." The fellow who operated Spectrum did not submit a bid for the contract because it requires a long-term commitment and I believe he was ready to retire. Still, I'm interested in seeing what goes into the spaces that Spectrum vacated. The lower level is being gutted, and it's quite a nice, open, brightly lit, room.

Actually the contract was pulled because they did not make a bid. The new bidding process required the provider to pay up front and then submit a bill to the government. So instead of getting a allotment of money each year to provide services and live within a budget of those services its now if you do "a" with a client you may bill this much. Each type of service having a different rate it may be billed at. Since Spectrum was a non profit, they could not afford to continue because they did not have the funds available to pay for first tgen get reimbursed.

[sdwright.vic]

Originally Posted by spanky123

I had heard that all of the job placement work was being consolidated to Chemistry. In addition to Spectrum, Worksource and Reger Group have closed their doors as well.

It is cheaper to re-employ people in minimum wage jobs then it is to try and retrain them.

It was GT Hiring Solutions that got the contact. Check out their website. They have partnered with Beacon to run the Sidney office and some services.

[spanky123]

Originally Posted by sdwright.vic

It was GT Hiring Solutions that got the contact. Check out their website. They have partnered with Beacon to run the Sidney office and some services.

GT Hiring Solutions

GT Hiring Solutions (2005) Inc. is a subsidiary company of Chemistry Consulting Group Inc. and is a leading Canadian human resources company offering a wide array of programs and services to employers and job seekers across British Columbia.
With our partners in government and industry, we develop and deliver highly successful, innovative employment programs in all sectors of the industry and provide a wide range of HR services to our clients and partners. GT Hiring Solutions (2005) Inc. helps people find meaningful work and employers find the workers they need.
See our website for more details www.gthiringsolutions.ca.

[spanky123]

The point I was making is that Spectrum, Worksource, Reger and others providing job training, resume preparation and work placement services for the unemployed. As far as I can tell, those programs are gone now and we have a nice website to replace the hands on approach.

[sdwright.vic]

^ also from my understanding the new mandate is to divide client services into 3 categories; those that can be employed again, those that can be employed with a little assistance, and those that can't be employed. My understanding is they are not to waste resources on the third category.

[concorde]

Originally Posted by Kikadee

I've spoken to a few of the former employees of Spectrum, and the contract was not "pulled." The fellow who operated Spectrum did not submit a bid for the contract because it requires a long-term commitment and I believe he was ready to retire. Still, I'm interested in seeing what goes into the spaces that Spectrum vacated. The lower level is being gutted, and it's quite a nice, open, brightly lit, room.

the federal government is taking over the space

[zoomer]

Correct, Service Canada..so will be a relatively high volume traffic. EI, OAS, CPP and various other federal services.

[Mike K.]

Will the office on lower Pandora be closed if Service Canada is moving into this space?

[zoomer]

that's right, Pandora office will be closing and a new smaller office opening later this year to serve the Western Communities.

[Mike K.]

Thanks for the update, zoomer.