feature story may 2011 feature story objectives · feature story may 2011 feature story ... about a...
TRANSCRIPT
www.alberta.ca www.cbc.ca/edmonton/eal
Feature Story May 2011
Feature Story Objectives
CLB competency outcomes Listening: Reading: Speaking: Writing:
L: Identify factual details and some implied meanings in extended listening texts L: Extract detailed meaning from a text R: Demonstrate comprehension of a one‐or two page moderately complex extended description, report, or narrative on a familiar topic S: (Global Descriptor) Pronunciation errors rarely impede communication W: Conveys a sense of audience in language format and content
Language skills Vocabulary: Use word definitions and contextual cues to choose correct
vocabulary items
Grammar: Recognize the use of phrasal verbs in conversation
Pronunciation: Identify correct pronunciation for plural endings of words
Language Activities (in order of appearance in materials)
Answering comprehension questions and discussion questions about a short background text Completing pre‐listening activities to build vocabulary and prepare learners for audio Listening to audio to identify facts and details Listening to audio to develop listening transfer skills Taking notes while listening to a podcast Using reduced forms gonna and wanna in speech Identifying phrasal verbs Answering questions about a reading passage Creating compound sentences and subordinating clauses Using action words when applying for jobs
Introduction Before you read, think about the following questions: What are some good ways to find jobs in Alberta? What advice would you give to someone who is looking for work in Alberta? Background Reading: Job fairs The paragraph below is about job and career fairs in Alberta. Please read the paragraph and answer the questions. Alberta has many different types of job/career fairs. A job fair is an event that occurs when different employers go to one place and set up information booths. People looking for work can go and ask employers questions and apply for jobs. Some job fairs also offer people free help with their resumes and job searching skills. Some jobs fairs are very big, with many different types of employers and schools participating. Others can be small with only one employer or one type of employer. For example, sometimes there are retail job fairs, where a small number of retail shops meet together to hire new employees. If you are unemployed and looking for a job, or if you are thinking about a new profession but aren’t sure what you want to do, job fairs are a great way to get ideas and to talk face‐to‐face with people from different companies and organizations. If you are interested in attending a job fair, you can find upcoming fairs listed on the Alberta Employment and Immigration website at this URL http://employment.alberta.ca/CES/3227.html. It is often a good idea to take copies of your resume when you go. Sometimes, you can get interviewed and hired while you are at the fair! Background Reading: Questions
Understanding the reading 1) What is a job fair? 2) What free services are sometimes offered at job fairs? 3) What should you take to a job fair? Why?
Food for thought 4) Have you ever been to a job fair? If you have, was it useful for you? If you haven’t, would you be
interested in attending one? Why or why not?
Vocabulary The words and phrases below are from the Podcast. The definitions are next to the words. Read the definitions then do the activity below.
Word from the text Definition
1. boom (noun) a time when the economy grows very quickly 2. landing (verb) getting or achieving something (usually a job) 3. a sweet gig (idiom) a good job 4. number crunchers (noun) people who work in mathematics and statistics 5. gains (noun) increases 6. mentioned (verb) talked about 7. on the spot (idiom) at that moment, without waiting 8. recruitment (noun) trying to find good people to work for a company or
organization 9. stark contrast (noun
phrase) large and obvious difference between two or more things
10. Baby Boomers (noun) The generation of people born between the late 1940’s and early 1960’s.
11. churn (verb) continue to change slowly and steadily 12. outfit (noun) company 13. anticipates (verb) thinks something about the future 14. in the driver’s seat (idiom) having control and power in a situation 15. going flat out (idiom) working very hard and very quickly 16. indication (noun) sign or signal that shows something is true Use the vocabulary words (questions 1‐16) above to complete the sentences. The first one is done for you.
1. We have been having a lot of recruitment problems since the economy improved. It is really hard to find good people.
2. Our boss _______________ some big problems with our company next year if we don’t increase our sales.
3. If you take your car my mechanic, he will fix it _________________. You don’t need an appointment.
4. Our new house has 5 bedrooms and a swimming pool. It is a __________________ to the one bedroom apartment that I grew up in.
5. My father wants me to be an accountant but I don’t want to spend my life as a _____________________. I want to be a painter.
6. We came to Edmonton during the _____________________ so we found jobs very quickly.
7. I need some ___________________ that things are going to improve at work or I am going to quit next week.
8. Are you feeling better? Your mother __________________ that you have been a little bit sick this week.
9. I am hoping there will be more jobs for professors available as the ___________________ start to retire.
10. The constant ________________ of the university system is producing more graduates than the economy has jobs for.
11. I was offered a higher paying job at another company but I have _________________ here. I can leave work early if I have an appointment and I get 4 weeks of vacation in the summer.
12. It has been a pretty average year for my company. We have had some ___________ and some losses.
13. I got a job working for a big _________________ up north, making roads in the Yukon. 14. I am so proud of my daughter for __________________ a job a Microsoft! 15. Our team works a lot better when Juan is _______________________. Kerry isn’t very good at
being a leader. 16. We have been ____________________ around the house, trying to get everything ready for our
relatives’ three week visit.
The vocabulary below can all be used when talking about coffee but is used in this listening to describe the economy.
Coffee Vocabulary Meaning In Listening brewing (verb) starting to happen drinking it all in (idiom) learning about or enjoying something as much as possible percolating (verb) slowly increasing or improving bubbling away showing a lot of activity Other vocabulary RRSP (Registered Retirement Savings Plan): a special account designed to save money for
retirement stock share program: something offered to employees that allows them to invest in the
company for a reasonable price.
The Audio In this story, you will hear CBC journalist Adrienne Lamb and Presenter Mark Scholz, discuss the
opportunities in the Alberta Economy. Adrienne interviews a number of experts in Edmonton about
current employment opportunities in the province.
In this Audio, you will hear:
Radio host – Mark Scholz
Radio journalist‐ Adrienne Lamb
New Edmontonian – Britney Leacton
Alberta Health Services Recruitment officer – Sandra Jardine
Temp Agency owner – Shelley Tobin
Vice President Ledcor Construction – Bob Walker
Predicting
Do you think the job situation in Alberta is better than the rest of Canada or are things about the same across the country?
Now listen to the Audio – the introduction is here to help you get started…
MARK Coming up there’s something brewing in the Alberta economy. That reminds me
to go grab a cup of coffee. The economic picture for the country continues to be pretty dark. But a different story here in Alberta. CBC’s Adrienne lamb has been drinking it all in and she joins me now. Good morning Adrienne.
0:00
Listening Activities Listen to the podcast again Listening for meaning Read the following statements and indicate whether they are TRUE or FALSE. If the sentence is false, write the true statement. The first one is done for you.
1. The economy in Canada is starting to improve really quickly. TRUE FALSE The economy in Canada is still not very good, but the economy in Alberta is improving
quickly.
2. Britney and her husband moved to here from Saskatoon so that she could get a good job with a national grocery chain. TRUE FALSE _________________________________________________________________________
3. Britney was able to make more money here than she could in Saskatchewan. TRUE FALSE _________________________________________________________________________
4. Last month more jobs were created in Alberta than in all of the other provinces combined. TRUE FALSE _________________________________________________________________________
5. Ontario and Alberta are the only provinces with notable employment gains. TRUE FALSE _________________________________________________________________________
6. All of the jobs being created are in oil and gas, construction, and healthcare. TRUE FALSE _________________________________________________________________________
7. According to Sandra Jardine, it has been difficult to find enough nurses, lab techs, and IT experts for the past couple of years. TRUE FALSE _________________________________________________________________________
8. In an employee market, workers can ask for more money and salaries because it is difficult for bosses to find good people. TRUE FALSE _________________________________________________________________________
9. Shelley Tobin believes that soon there will be even greater shortages of employees than there was during the economic boom in 2008. TRUE FALSE _________________________________________________________________________
10. Bob Walker thinks that if you are thinking about building something new, it is better to wait until next year. TRUE FALSE _________________________________________________________________________
Listening strategies
The Cornell Method of note taking This method was devised by a Cornell University professor, Walter Pauk1 to help all students improve their ability to take notes during an academic lecture. This method helps you to become an organized note taker. How to take notes according to the Cornell method (adapted)
• Divide the paper in two • The right hand column is the note taking column and should be two thirds of the page. • The left had column is the questions/key word column. • Leave 5 cm at the bottom of each page
See the example on the following page During the listening or lecture In the note taking column:
Take notes on the main ideas and use symbols and abbreviations. In the question/key word column:
During the listening or lecture, record the questions and key words. At the end of the lecture: In the bottom section of each page
Summarize that page of notes. This will help you study for exams. Also when you are studying for exams, you can cover the note taking section and review the questions and key words to see if you remember the main ideas. For more information on the Cornell method see The Cornell Note‐taking system: http://lsc.sas.cornell.edu/Sidebars/Study_Skills_Resources/cornellsystem.pdf
1 Pauk, Walter; Owens, Ross J. Q. (2010) [1962], How to Study in College (10 ed.), Cengage Learning,
Listening/lecture title: Question/key word column Note‐taking column
Summary of each page goes here: Adapted from How to Study in College 7/e by Walter Pauk, 2001 Houghton Mifflin Company Use this method to take notes from the listening, Jobs, Jobs, Jobs. In the Answer key you will see an example of notes taken from the listening using this method.
Building Speaking Skills Pronunciation: gonna and wanna. Read the excerpt from the transcript below. Bob Where we see it is in our estimating department. Our estimating department is
going flat out right now. And that just is an indication of, people wanna know what today’s prices are and and they’re just I think yeah maybe we should be getting going so it’s quite exciting and I think everybody is out looking for good people again. And they wanna get the good people because we know it it’s gonna come back over the next few years.
4:44
Adrienne That’s Ledcor’s Bob Walker and he’s expecting staffing costs and in turn construction costs to go up and his advice: if you’re gonna build, get in early.
5:09
Instead of saying “going to” and “want to” sometimes when people are speaking freely, they say gonna and wanna. Many textbooks say that this is only appropriate in very informal situations, but as you can see from this newscast, it is actually very common, even when people are speaking for an audience. You may want to avoid using gonna and wanna in very formal situations, such as a job interview, but most times it is acceptable. Grammar note: You cannot replace wants to with wanna. e.g., I wanna go. They wanna find a new car.
He wanna go to the park X Pronunciation Note: In both wanna and gonna, the stress falls on the first syllable. (ie. WAnna, and
GOnna) Usage Note: Gonna and wanna can make your speech sound more natural but remember, people use these short forms sometimes, but not all of the time. Also, they are very rarely appropriate in writing. You should avoid them in almost all writing, including email. TIP: When you are talking to native speakers, try to listen for when they say wanna and gonna, and when they say “want to” and “going to”. Many people think that they never use wanna and gonna, but most people do!
Grammar Activity Phrasal Verbs A phrasal verb is a phrase made up of a verb and an adverbial or prepositional particle. The combination of words in the phrase changes the meaning to one, which is often difficult to determine from analyzing the parts of the phrase. A simple example of a phrasal verb, you probably already know is “look up” – Look up the word in the dictionary…This means to search for a reference and does not mean to look up in to the sky! Phrasal verbs are very common in fiction and conversation and there are lots of examples in the CBC audio, Jobs, Jobs, Jobs. Examples of phrasal verbs from the audio: … Adrienne Lamb has been drinking it all in – this has nothing to do with drinking; it means to pay close attention to something Another example of this phrasal verb in use is: When I visit the mountains, I drink in the beautiful views …they recently moved from Saskatoon so he could snap up a better job…‐ no snapping in this meaning; it means to grab something quickly Another example of this phrasal verb in use is: When I went to the mall on Boxing Day I snapped up some great deals in the sales. Can you find any other examples of phrasal verbs in the audio transcript? Hint: When searching for phrasal verbs, look for verbs + prepositions together and then see if the meaning of the phrase can be explained by analyzing the meaning of the whole sentence. Using an online dictionary such as Oxford Online Dictionary, check out the meaning of the phrasal verb if you are unable to guess it from the sentence. http://oxforddictionaries.com ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Answers can be found in the answer key in the Appendix
Reading Activity: A changing workforce Before you read: Below is a reading from the Alberta Government website about trends in the workforce (Excerpt from Economic and other trends affecting the world of work to 2013 Alberta Career and Industry Outlook) Read more on this topic at http://alis.alberta.ca/pdf/cshop/careerindustry.pdf Pre‐Reading Vocabulary The following vocabulary activity will help you to understand the reading below. These are some difficult words from the reading. The words chosen for this activity are also found on the academic word list.
Word from the text Definition Answers 1. pace (noun) A. move forward with increasing
speed 1. h
2. generation (noun) B. ranking 2.
3. accelerate (verb) C. solving of a problem or difficult situation
3.
4. attitude (noun) D. feedback or criticism that helps a person to improve
4.
5. ethics (noun) E. get rid of 5.
6. priorities (noun) F. ability to be clever and skillful 6.
7. resolution (noun) G. to continue to have 7.
8. emphasis (noun) H. rate 8.
9. retain (verb) I. ability to start things independently
9.
10. eliminate (ing)(verb) J. point of view 10.
11. mandatory (adjective)
K. group of people born around the same time
11.
12. veteran (adjective) L. required by law 12.
13. initiative (noun) M. rules of behaviour 13.
The definitions or synonyms
are provided but mixed up Match the words with their correct definition or synonym. The first answer has been completed for you. (Answers can be found in the appendices)
A changing workforce
The pace of change in the workplace continues to accelerate as employers look for ways to remain competitive in the global market. Following is a list of some of the trends affecting the workplace. More generations in the workplace More generations with different experiences are crossing paths on the job. Workplaces include people with a wide range of attitudes, ethics, values, priorities and behaviours, increasing the need for greater communication, conflict resolution and productivity. Increased workloads Albertans are working harder than ever. More than 40 per cent of Albertans work more than 40 hours a week, about a quarter have cancelled or postponed vacations because of the demands of work, roughly one‐fifth check their messages while on holiday and 12 per cent trade vacation days for money. Increased emphasis on retention In an effort to retain the knowledge and experience of older workers, some organizations are eliminating mandatory retirement regulations. Some schools, for example, are keeping veteran teachers and professors on staff to teach and mentor students. Characteristics of 21st century workers To be successful, workers need the following skills and attitudes: • a high level of initiative and imagination • a high degree of flexibility • innovation, ingenuity and a creative approach to problem‐solving • to be inquisitive • an ambitious and entrepreneurial nature • to be loyal, if not to the employer, then to a work project • a post‐secondary education (jobs for university graduates doubled in the last 20 years) • the ability to do many tasks at once • an ability to accept responsibility for actions and decisions on the job • good communication skills
14. constructive (adjective)
N. an employee with long service and experience
14.
15. ingenuity (noun) O. importance given to something
15.
• computer and technology skills • team skills • a willingness to continually learn and upgrade skills • the ability to accept constructive feedback and advice for continual improvement • to contribute to a healthy work environment Characteristics of 21st century workplaces The workplace of the 21st century has many of the following characteristics: • integrated learning and training opportunities • gender, ethnic, cultural and generational diversity • an emphasis on team environments, learning skills from co‐workers • healthy and safe working environments • new organizational structures designed to foster effective operations • more flexible work arrangements, including telecommuting, job‐sharing, part‐time work and combination jobs • a focus on knowledge management and enhancement • more sophisticated technology • a focus on customer service • an entrepreneurial focus, with an emphasis on competitiveness and productivity Prospective and existing employees are looking for the following in their workplaces: • the opportunity to engage in challenging work • the ability to make decisions in favour of a work‐life balance • opportunities to learn, grow and advance • intellectual and emotional connections with co‐workers and others in the organization • a commitment to corporate social responsibility on the part of the employer • fair and adequate compensation, a competitive benefits program and an attractive retirement package
Reading for Meaning Please answer the following questions about the reading.
1. What are three examples given that indicate that Albertans have heavy workloads?
2. Why are some organizations trying to get employees to work past retirement age?
3. Read “Characteristics of 21st century workers.” Place a checkmark beside the statements that, according to the reading, might describe a successful 21st century worker. ____ I often have new and interesting ideas. ____ I prefer to work on projects independently. ____ I like to have the same work hours every week. ____ I am always taking courses online and reading books to learn more about my
profession. ____ I think it is better to concentrate on doing one job at a time, and doing it well. ____ I like it when people offer me suggestions on how I can improve. ____ I think that it is my boss’s job to tell me what needs to be done, and it is my
job to work hard to follow my boss’s instructions. ____ I think it is disrespectful to ask for a promotion or more responsibility at work. ____ When I start a project, I always finish it, even if it gets difficult or something
more interesting becomes available.
4. Read “Characteristics of 21st century workplaces”. What are the two characteristics of the 21st century workplace that appeal to you the most? Why?
5. Look at the last section of the reading, “Prospective and existing employees are looking for the following in their workplaces.” Imagine that you are an employer who is trying to attract employees to your company. What is an example of something your company could do or offer in order to make itself attractive to employees in the following categories (the first on is done for you): a) opportunities to grow, learn, and advance
My company could offer to pay for part‐time college courses for employees or offer interesting training courses within the company.
b) the ability to make decisions in favour of a work‐life balance
c) intellectual and emotional connections with co‐workers and others in the organization
d) a commitment to social responsibility
Reading skills activity We use compound sentences and subordinate clauses to present more than one simple idea in each sentence. The following phrases are taken from the lists in the reading. Using a variety of strategies such as coordinating conjunctions, subordinate clauses and parallel structures create compound and complex sentences by combining the items below. The first compound/complex sentence is made for you
1. To be successful, workers need/a high degree of flexibility/ to be inquisitive
To be successful workers need to be flexible, as well as inquisitive.
2. To be successful, workers need /good communication skills /computer and technology skills
3. To be successful, workers need/ a post‐secondary education/ team skills
4. To be successful, workers need/ the ability to accept constructive feedback/ a willingness to
continually learn
5. Employees are looking for/ the opportunity to engage in challenging work/ the ability to make
decisions in favour of a work‐life balance
6. Employees are looking for/ intellectual and emotional connections with co‐workers/
opportunities to learn
7. Employees are looking for/ safe working environments/ more flexible work arrangements
8. The workplace of the 21st century/ training opportunities/ learning skills from co‐workers
9. The workplace of the 21st century/ more sophisticated technology/ a focus on customer service
10. The workplace of the 21st century/ an emphasis on competitiveness and productivity/ an
emphasis on team environments
11. Sample answers can be found in the Appendix , in the answer key
Writing Activity: Describing you skills: Use Action Words to Get the Job ALIS Tip Sheets are short, easy‐to‐read articles on topics related to learning, employment, and careers. Tips provide practical information about issues in your life.
Other Relevant Tips For more, visit the TIPS home page at alis.alberta.ca/tips
Action words tell employers that you get results. When you are filling out application forms, preparing a resumé or talking to employers, use action words to describe what you have done, the positive results you have achieved, and how well you are able to handle different situations.
The following exercise has helped many people find words that describe their skills and personal strengths in an action‐oriented way.
From the following list, choose words that describe something you have done (whether or not you were paid for it). If you find that you are choosing most of these verbs, skip to step two.
accomplished delivered investigated revamped achieved demonstrated launched reviewed adopted designed lowered revised adjusted developed maintained revitalized administered disseminated monitored risked advised distributed motivated saved analyzed diverted multiplied scheduled ascertained doubled/tripled negotiated secured assessed eliminated obtained selected assisted enforced opened simplified attained engineered operated sold budgeted equipped ordered solved calculated established organized stimulated collaborated evaluated originated strengthened communicated executed persuaded submitted completed expanded predicted succeeded conceived expedited prepared supported conducted generated prescribed transferred consolidated implemented produced translated constructed improved promoted trouble‐shot consulted improvised proposed uncovered contributed increased/raised provided unified
controlled initiated/started realized upgraded co‐ordinated inspected recommended utilized counselled inspired reconciled widened created installed reduced/cut won decreased instructed reinforced wrote delegated introduced repaired
Check off (or write down) the words that describe activities you enjoy.
Ask yourself "what?" or "whom?" after each word that describes things you enjoy doing (e.g. achieved what? advised whom about what? motivated whom to do what? recommended what to whom?). Write out your answers to these questions.
The following words describe work‐related characteristics. Copy (or check off) the ones that describe you best.
accurate courageous informal quiet adaptable courteous innovative realistic adventurous creative introspective receptive alert curious kind reflective ambitious daring knowledgeable reliable amiable decisive light‐hearted resourceful analytical dedicated logical responsible articulate dependable loving self‐confident assertive determined loyal self‐reliant attentive diligent mature sensitive attractive disciplined meticulous sharp‐witted broad‐minded discreet modest sincere businesslike eager motivated smart calm easy‐going objective sociable capable efficient obliging sophisticated careful energetic open‐minded spontaneous cautious enterprising optimistic stable charitable enthusiastic original steady charming flexible organized supportive cheerful forceful outgoing systematic clever formal patient tactful compassionate frank people‐oriented talented competent friendly perceptive tenacious competitive generous persevering thorough confident hard‐working pleasant thoughtful conscientious healthy positive tolerant
conservative helpful practical trusting considerate honest productive trustworthy consistent humorous progressive unaffected constructive imaginative prudent versatile cool‐headed independent punctual co‐operative industrious quick
Write 10‐15 sentences to describe work and volunteer situations in which you have shown these qualities.
The more specifically you can describe your skills and strengths and the situations in which you have demonstrated them, the more impressed employers will be!
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
______________________________
In the Answer key you will see an example of some sentences describing work and volunteer experience using these words.
Links to learning about language and your community Visit this website to learn about upcoming job fairs in Alberta
http://employment.alberta.ca/CES/3227.html
Visit this website to learn about large career fair in Edmonton
http://www.canadacareerfairedmonton.com/
To learn more about the history of Alberta’s economic ups and downs visit this URL
http://www.cbc.ca/history/EPISCONTENTSE1EP17CH3PA1LE.html
To check out the trends in the Alberta economy to 2013
Read more on this topic at http://alis.alberta.ca/pdf/cshop/careerindustry.pdf
To read tips about getting a job, check out the Alberta Government Employment
website:
http://alis.alberta.ca/ep/eps/tips/tips.html
Answer Key
Before you read, think about the following questions: What are some good ways to find jobs in Alberta? Answers will vary. Possible answers include the following: the Internet, newspapers, friends and acquaintances, calling companies you are interested in, and job fairs. What advice would you give to someone who is looking for work in Alberta? Answers will vary Background Reading: Questions
Understanding the reading 1) What is a job fair? A job fair is an event where different employers go to one place
and set up information booths.
5) What free services are sometimes offered at job fairs? Sometimes job fairs offer resume
writing help and help with job search skills.
6) What should you take to a job fair? Why? You should take a resume because sometimes
you can apply for (and get) a new job while you are at the job fair.
Food for thought
Have you ever been to a job fair? If you have, was it useful for you? If you haven’t, would you be interested in attending one? Why or why not? Answers will vary. Vocabulary
1. We have been having a lot of recruitment problems since the economy improved. It is really hard to find good people.
2. Our boss anticipates some big problems with our company next year if we don’t increase our sales.
3. If you take your car my mechanic, he will fix it on the spot. You don’t need an appointment. 4. Our new house has 5 bedrooms and a swimming pool. It is a stark contrast to the one bedroom
apartment I grew up in. 5. My father wanted me to be an accountant but I don’t want to spend my life as a number
cruncher. I want to be a painter. 6. We came to Edmonton during the boom so we found jobs very quickly. 7. I need some indication that things are going to improve at work or I am going to quit next week. 8. Are you feeling better? Your mother mentioned that you have been a little bit sick this week. 9. I am hoping there will be more jobs for professors available as the Baby Boomers start to retire. 10. The constant churn of the university system is producing more graduates than the economy has
jobs for. 11. I was offered a higher paying job at another company but I have a sweet gig here. I leave work
early if I have an appointment and I get 4 weeks of vacation in the summer.
12. It has been a pretty average year for my company. We have had some gains and some losses. 13. I got a job working for a big outfit up north, making roads in the Yukon. 14. I am so proud of my daughter for landing a job a Microsoft! 15. Our team works a lot better when Juan is in the driver’s seat. Kerry isn’t very good at being a
leader. 16. We have been going flat out around the house, trying to get everything ready for our relatives’
three week visit. Listening Activities Listen to the podcast again Listening for meaning Read the following statements and indicate whether they are TRUE or FALSE. If the sentence is false, write the true statement. The first one is done for you.
1. The economy in Canada is starting to improve really quickly TRUE FALSE The economy in Canada is still not very good, but the economy in Alberta is improving
quickly.
2. Britney and her husband moved to here from Saskatoon so that she could get a good job with a national grocery chain. TRUE FALSE They moved here so that her husband could get a better job.
3. Britney was able to make more money here than she could in Saskatchewan. TRUE FALSE _________________________________________________________________________
4. Last month more jobs were created in Alberta than in all of the other provinces combined. TRUE FALSE _________________________________________________________________________
5. Ontario and Alberta are the only provinces with notable employment gains. TRUE FALSE Only Alberta had notable employment gains.
6. All of the jobs being created are in oil and gas, construction, and healthcare. TRUE FALSE Oil and gas, construction, and healthcare are examples of some of the kinds
of jobs being created
7. According to Sandra Jardine, it has been difficult to find enough nurses, lab tech, and IT experts for the past couple of years. TRUE FALSE Until recently they were not hiring very many people because they were worried about money.
8. In an employee market, workers can ask for more money and salaries because it is difficult for bosses to find good people. TRUE FALSE _________________________________________________________________________
9. Shelley Tobin believes that soon there will be even greater shortages of employees than there was during the economic boom in. TRUE FALSE _________________________________________________________________
10. Bob Walker thinks that if you are thinking about building something new, it is better to wait until next year. TRUE FALSE Bob Walker thinks that if you are thinking of building, it is good to do it soon.
Listening Skills Activity Sample Notes Listening/lecture title: Job, Jobs, Jobs Question/key word column Note‐taking column What are some of the benefits you can expect in a job in Alberta? What proportion of new job are in AB? Name some industries hiring employees Name some types of
Economy looks good EDMN Fort Mac Hiring high numbers- people moving back to AB High wages (4$) -benefits-RRSPs-stock share program AB diff to rest of Canada In 2 mnths - 35,000 new jobs 14,000 of 15,000 new CNDN jobs last month 5.7% Unemp in AB ON = 8% Type if jobs Oil/ Gas /construction/ health care/ Calgary /Sherwood Pk /Fort Mac Alberta Health services 1000 jobs: Nurses/ Lab techs/ IT experts End of hiring freeze/Boomers retiring
employees in high demand When was the last boom?
Staff agency *3 in searching for employees Employee market coming– salaries/vacation Fewer workers than last boom in 2008 Construction – estimating department very busy Looking for good people now expecting next 3 years will be busy
Summary of each page goes here: Job market is beginning to get very hot in AB Most new jobs in Canada in AB – Many different sectors hiring Employee Market – You can get a great deal Grammar Activity Phrasal Verbs Examples from the audio and their meanings were (be ) on hold - temporarily stopped
account for –to equal a specific amount
turns out – proves to be true
headed back – return to
Reading Text – Pre‐reading vocabulary
Word from the text Definition Answers 1. pace (noun) A. move forward with increasing
speed 1. h
2. generation (noun) B. ranking 2. z
3. accelerate (verb) C. solving of a problem or difficult situation
3. a
4. attitude (noun) D. feedback or criticism that helps a person to improve
4. j
Reading for Meaning
1. Wh
at are three examples given that indicate that Albertans have heavy workloads? More than 40% of Albertans work over 40 hours per week, a quarter have cancelled or postponed vacations because of work, 1/5 check their messages while on holiday, and 12% traded vacation days for money.
2. Why are some organizations trying to get employees to work past retirement age? Organizations want to retain the knowledge and experience of older workers.
3. Read “Characteristics of 21st century workers.” Place a checkmark beside the statements that, according to the reading, might describe a successful 21st century worker. ____ I often have new and interesting ideas. ____ I prefer to work on projects independently. ____ I like to have the same work hours every week. ____ I am always taking courses online and reading books to learn more about my
5. ethics (noun) E. get rid of 5. m
6. priorities (noun) F. ability to be clever and skillful 6. b
7. resolution (noun) G. to continue to have 7.
8. emphasis (noun) H. rate 8. o
9. retain (verb) I. ability to start things independently
9.
10. eliminate (ing)(verb) J. point of view 10. e
11. mandatory (adjective)
K. group of people born around the same time
11. l
12. veteran (adjective) L. required by law 12. n
13. initiative (noun) M. rules of behaviour 13. i
14. constructive (adjective)
N. an employee with long service and experience
14. d
15. ingenuity (noun) O. importance given to something
15. f
profession. ____ I think it is better to concentrate on doing one job at a time, and doing it well. ____ I like it when people offer me suggestions for how I can improve. ____ I think that it is my boss’s job to tell me what needs to be done, and it is my
job to work hard to follow my boss’s instructions. ____ I think it is disrespectful to ask for a promotion or more responsibility at work. ____ When I start a project, I always finish it, even if it gets difficult or something
more interesting becomes available.
4. Read “Characteristics of 21st century workplaces”. What are the two characteristics of the 21st century workplace that appeal to you the most? Why? Answers will vary. a) I would really enjoy having integrated learning and training opportunities
because I like to know all of the new information related to my profession and I enjoying learning new things
b) I would really like more flexible work arrangements because I have a family, and flexibility in how and when I work would allow me to spend more time with them.
5. Look at the last section of the reading, “Prospective and existing employees are looking
for the following in their workplaces.” Imagine that you are an employer who is trying to attract employees to your company. What is an example of something your company could do or offer in order to make itself attractive to employees in the following categories (the first on is done for you): Answers will vary e) opportunities to grow, learn, and advance
My company could offer to pay for part-time college courses for employees or offer interesting training courses within the company.
f) the ability to make decisions in favour of a work-life balance
Employees could be offered extra days off without pay, and also be given the chance to change their work schedules if they need to leave early or arrive late due to personal commitments.
g) intellectual and emotional connections with co-workers and others in the
organization.
My company could host parties for staff and allow staff members to try working in different departments.
h) a commitment to social responsibility
My company could give me to charity and make sure that it produces and sells products ethically.
Reading skills activity Sample Answers
1. To be successful, workers need/a high degree of flexibility/ to be inquisitive
To be successful workers need to be flexible, as well as inquisitive.
2. To be successful, workers need /good communication skills /computer and technology skills
To be successful, workers need to have not only good communication skills, but also
computer and technology skills.
3. To be successful, workers need/ a post‐secondary education/ team skills/ technology skills
In addition to a post-secondary education, workers need to have both team and
technology skills to be successful.
4. To be successful, workers need/ the ability to accept constructive feedback/ a willingness to
continually learn
To be successful, workers need both the ability to accept constructive feedback
and a willingness to continually learn.
5. Employees are looking for/ the opportunity to engage in challenging work/ the ability to make
decisions in favour of a work‐life balance
Employees are looking for the opportunity to engage in challenging work but at the
same time want the ability to make decisions in favour of a work-life balance.
6. Employees are looking for/ intellectual and emotional connections with co‐workers/
opportunities to learn
Employees are looking for opportunities to learn in addition to intellectual and
emotional connections with co-workers.
7. Employees are looking for/ safe working environments/ more flexible work arrangements
Employees are looking for not only safe working environments but also more flexible
work arrangements.
8. The workplace of the 21st century/ training opportunities/ learning skills from co‐workers
The workplace of the 21st century offers opportunities for training as well as
learning skills from co-workers.
9. The workplace of the 21st century/ sophisticated technology/ a focus on customer service
The workplace of the 21st century is focused on customer service and uses
sophisticated technology.
10. The workplace of the 21st century/ an emphasis on competitiveness and productivity/ an
emphasis on team environments
The workplace of the 21st century has an emphasis not only on teams but also on
competitiveness and productivity.
Writing Activity Sample
Write 10‐15 sentences to describe work and volunteer situations in which you have shown these qualities.
The more specifically you can describe your skills and strengths and the situations in which you have demonstrated them, the more impressed employers will be!
1. In my role as Assistant Manger of Happydays Card store, I demonstrated accurate
record-keeping of employees timesheets and payroll.
2. I created a new vacation sign-up template.
3. I coordinated the coverage for any staff who called in sick.
4. I organized the Staff Christmas party.
5. I inspected all deliveries that came to the store, to check for accuracy.
6. I collaborated with the Store Manager to resolve staff problems.
7. I interviewed new staff applicants.
8. I monitored staff break times and overtime.
9. I developed a new system for cleaning the store.
10. I installed new window displays each week.
SPEAKER TITLE: JOBS JOBS JOBS TIME Mark Coming up there’s something brewing in the Alberta economy. That reminds me 0:00
to go grab a cup of coffee. The economic picture for the country continues to be pretty dark. But a different story here in Alberta. CBC’s Adrienne Lamb has been drinking it all in and she joins me now. Good morning Adrienne.
Adrienne Good morning. 0:31 Mark Alright so what are you hearing out there? How’s this economy of ours doing? 0:32 Adrienne Well things are percolating. That’s what I’m hearing. Big deals in Ft. McMurray,
here in Edmonton. Deals that were on hold during the recession are now bubbling away. I’m hearing from employers who are hiring in numbers not seen since the last boom and that people are moving back to our city to take those jobs. Take for example Britney Leacton and her husband. Now he’s an engineer and they recently moved from Saskatoon so he could snap up a better job and Britney did alright by the move too, landing what she calls a “sweet gig” as a pastry chef with a national grocery chain.
0:36
Britney I started out about 4 dollars higher here than I would have made anywhere there. Benefits and RRSP contributions and stock share program I think we have and things like that.
1:06
Adrienne And how hard was it to find a job? 1:16 Britney Uh. I got one...I think I applied for one job and they called me back within 24
hours. 1:18
Adrienne So how are you feeling about that? 1:24 Britney Very good. We have friend that we went to college with in Saskatoon who have
been unemployed for months and can’t get a job. 1:25
Mark Different story in Alberta for sure compared to the rest of the country. How unique is Britney’s story?
1:32
Adrienne Well it’s happening more and more according to the number crunchers at Statistics Canada. In the past two months alone Alberta has added upwards of 35, 000 new jobs. And get this. Last month Alberta accounted for almost 14, 000 of the jobs created in the entire country and there were only 15, 000 in total, so almost all of those jobs were here. We were the only province, the only one, with notable employment gains. And you compare that to say Saskatchewan which lost more than 3000 jobs last month. Now our employment rate sitting at 5.7%. You compare that to Ontario at 8% and you’re starting to get a picture of where we’re at.
1:37
Mark I am. You mentioned 14, 000 jobs being created in Alberta last month. What kind of jobs are we talking about Adrienne?
2:13
Adrienne Everything from oil and gas to construction to healthcare. And you could see it on the ground. Carol mentioned the job fair in Red Deer this morning. Lot of excitement around that. 70 employers like oil and gas supplier Flint Energy Services. They’re looking for a thousand workers. Jobs in Calgary, jobs in Sherwood park, jobs in Ft. McMurray. And their hiring on the spot today. And if you hit the job board for Alberta health services, you’re seeing the same kind of numbers.
2:19
Mark Kay, what kind of numbers are they looking to fill? 2:45 Adrienne More than a thousand throughout the province right now. There were actually
635 jobs posted last week alone. Now Sandra Jardine is the director of recruitment strategies. She says right now they’re looking for nurses, they’re looking for lab techs, IT experts. A stark contrast to the hiring freeze.
2:46
Sandra Well the last couple of years we were essentially um out of the market I’ll say...in a stage when we were really focussing on our fiscal accountability and only filling positions that we really required to be filled. We have our Baby Boomers that are starting to leave and so a lot of this is just the natural churn of healthcare with people coming and going.
3:04
Adrienne That’s Alberta Health Services’ Sandra Jardine. Now keep in mind Mark, they’re a big outfit right, 90, 000 employees in total but there are more hires to come with the new hospital coming online in Calgary and more beds being serviced around the province. Jardine anticipates they’ll have to look outside Alberta to fill some of those new positions. And Shelley Tobin is starting to see a shortage of qualified candidates as well.
3:29
Mark Shelley Tobin, who’s that now? 3:50
Adrienne Well she runs a temp agency About Staffing and she’s also the president of the local chapter of the association of Canadian Search Employment and Staffing Services. Basically she finds people jobs. And it turns out Tobin’s business has tripled in the last three months. She says going forward, some Edmonton workers could be in the driver’s seat.
3:52
Shelley We will be in the same situation as we were in 2008 where it was what we called an employee market where they could demand certain salaries and four weeks vacation and such. We’re headed back there and we will actually even be shorter on the number of employee’s available in Alberta than we were in 2008.
4:11
Adrienne That’s temp agency owner Shelley Tobin and she says that’s because there’s more work. Somebody else who’s seeing that work pile up is Bob Walker. He’s the Vice President of the construction giant Ledcor.
4:33
Bob Where we see it is is in our estimating department. Our estimating department is going flat out right now. And uh that just is an indication of people wanna know what today’s prices are and and they’re just I think yeah maybe we should be getting going so it’s quite exciting and I think everybody is out looking for good people again. And they wanna get the good people because we know it it’s gonna come back over the next few years.
4:44
Adrienne That’s Ledcor’s Bob Walker and he’s expecting staffing costs and in turn construction costs to go up and his advice: if you’re gonna build, get in early.
5:09
Mark Jobs, jobs, jobs. Adrienne, thank you. 6:00
Adrienne You’re welcome. 6:03