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WAI'I'ZRUX) CHRONICIJ'I IWednesday, December ”i, doll ' I9 Staying connected * " ' Former RIM workers getting help with new jobs through action centre 8v BoaVrtnuw: , them connect with resources and chronicle Sta/I .. .. find jobs and ensure that they can : stay here and continue to raise twashardlomlllastwuek'soflicial theirfamilieshereandbeapanof Iopening of the Tech iobs (annex i; this community. action centre a celebration. given 4: ”The minute we were it came on the heels oia massive : -’ approached about it we said. restructuring at Waterloo‘s Research ‘ . n, ‘Absolutely. we will make the space in Motion. ’ ‘ available." But there was good news about Thient retention is also high on the work being done by the joint ‘-. A the city's mind as measures have partnership of (Iommunitech. A , _ been put in place to keep these RIM, the (2in of Waterloo and the " ‘ high-tech workers here, including Province of Ontario as it has , _ improvements to the overall quali- helped is per cent of the workers " ty of life and opportunities avail- who have come through the doors able in the city. at Waterloo city hall find jobs or ,. ”We wanted people with this connect with additional education ,, incredible skill set to find opportu- opportunities ; . g .- _ __ _ ., nities to stay here and live here." “Quick action to invest in the » said Halloran."1his an appro- skills and vision of workers dis- ‘ priate use of cit l space to placed during RlM's cutbacks is ’ ”a » show our suppo or RIM, for our helping to ensure that talented and ’ \ \ ‘ community an for the high-tech experienced people will continue \- - : : sectnringeneral. to be part of Ontario‘s information ' 4 if 3 g y W ' 'We want these people to stay and communications technology ‘- '-;";,;Ewt_,}g . -.~ :23 ffing’w. here and we’ll do everything we sector.” said John Milloy. the R \iflvm‘: it ”355 £1". .. canto assist." provincial minister oftraining, col~ eh ' ‘ "5 Mt Milloy said the strong early leges and universities. about the ‘ ,. results are promising and shows threeAmonth endeavour so far. Paul Woodward, centre. takes part in some of the networking that occurred during the official opening of the his govemment’s commitment to The Tech lobs (lonnex centre Tech Jobs Connex action centre last week at Waterloo City Hall. The centre helps laid-off RIM workers find work. the high-tech sector. as well as to started at the Accelerator Centre “WW industries that have also suffered before moving to city hall munity?” said Klugman. ”These provided in order to land a new The other sideweli’ect ofthe RIM from changing economic fortunes on Oct. is. II has provided support people. unlike other industries role in thisarea." layoffs is it has also contributed to in recent years like Budd Automo- to more than 2,000 people affected where layoffs occur. have very spe- in additional to the individual the entrepreneurial spirit that is tive and l. M. Schneider's in Kitch- Iocally since the restructuring was cific skills and can work anywhere success stories. the expertise that creating new high-tech ventures in ener. announced. providing them with in the world. went into making RIM an intema- the region. “The high-tech community is job search advice, training and “We really thought what we done] success is now beingshared “We have seen a number of booming here and these are all support for their careers in the needed to do. and this is what this with other local high~tech compa- companies sprout up by former people who have had great jobs in highwtech field. certainly is all about. is retain as nies RlM employees," said Kiugman. the community and have made a It was an important strategy to many ofthem as possible. The bot- “in terms of global skills and "We also had companies come contribution to the community," keep and retain talented people in tom line was how to get them to do how to scale a business. people at here and say they want to set up a said Milloy. “We want them to stay. a sector with more than 1,000 tech that here as opposed to some RIM and a couple of organizations development shop because they the high-tech community wants companies locally that generate where else in Canada or around in town like OpenText, that's kind know of the talent that is coming them to stay. more than $30 billion in revenues the world." of the training ground for the rest out oleM and theywant toacoeas 'So if we can give them this said lain Klugman. president and And early indications are that it of the tech industry," said Klug- that talent.” service and link them into peer (LEO of (Lommunitcch which rep- has achieved some of those aims. man. ”They're not only important Mayor Brenda Halloran said it supports and show them what's resents those companies. That “Having the support of Tech in helping build the big tech com- was more than symbolic that the out there already.“ includes 400 startups anti. by its lobs (lonnex definitely made a dif- panics. they are also important in centre was brought right into the Milloy said the toughest part of own estimate. more than 1.300 ference to my job search. which helping companies who are on a bean of city hall. it was a commitâ€" job loss sometimes is the isolation. yohs available in the field. has ended successfully in re- big growth curve and trying to fig- ment to support both the laid-off and the Tech Jobs Connex centre "When the announcement was employment." said former RIM ure out how to scale up from 10 workers and their role in the oom- helps them stay connected. made. our first response was, employee Baljeet Bllkhu. who was customers to l.000. munity. "When you‘re alone. you don’t ‘What can we do to make sure that in attendance for the announce- "That really is a scarce talent 'lt comes down to helping the know what to do and what the first we ( an retain as many of these ment. “I would encourage others and a scarce resource that we want people and citizens ofthis region,‘ steps are." he said. "This helps extraordinary people in our com- to avail themselves of the services to keep in the community.” said Halloran. "We wanted to help workyourwaythrough.” aw Eryn '1“. w . a“, ,1 .3 : -‘,; V." a.” . , «‘39s; f" w. If . .i . . W .. .. i . W. . m; ,"L’ I ., ”a '1, '~,. >3" 4 ‘ is"; ' M) [r 5 .' . . .. w l; u; ‘3 .~ gflyerlandsa . / It I I I I r . » . . mom? » on“ "In! saw- nousv . ", g 4‘!" ’ w" ‘ ‘fl ; v3, ‘ , at“ . w 1’ " at ., ’ . g a? or ”it" “I; so ,, “A!” em -â€"--- - - " J ‘ ".w. ‘ I ’1 , ~’ - it e i i . ' "a .. a“??? ’ i ' qwfé ,/' 5.. 2% m ‘m. . W. m E .‘ M. k? ,1}. 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