Burnaby NOW • Wednesday, April 11, 2012 • A17
Burnaby Board of Trade
APRIL 2012
OFFICIAL NEWSLETTER OF THE MOST PROGRESSIVE BUSINESS ASSOCIATION IN BURNABY
www.bbot.ca
Voice of Burnaby UPCOMING EVENTS State of the City Luncheon April 11 @ Hilton Vancouver Metrotown Marketing Morning #2 - Email + Social Media = Engagement Marketing Seminar April 19 @ BEST WESTERN PLUS Coquitlam Inn Members’ Reception at the Italian Cultural Centre April 25 @ Italian Cultural Centre Burnaby Business Day - Tradeshow & Expo May 24 @ Delta Burnaby Hotel
FOR MORE INFO VISIT
BBOT.CA/EVENTS
Platinum Annual Board Partner
PHOTOGRAPH BY MEGAN KAPTEIN
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BBOT President & CEO Paul Holden will help students like Ian Kaptein of Langara College to build their professional networks and gain an employment edge
Gold Annual Board Partner
BBOT provides students with Access to the business community MICHAEL KELLER michael@bbot.ca
Silver Annual Board Partners
Students in Burnaby and around Metro Vancouver need help making connections with potential employers, according to focus groups from SFU and BCIT. With British Columbia’s economy still recovering, and unemployment rising across the country, young professionals in particular are facing tough challenges as they attempt to enter the labour force for the first time. “There is a lot of competition for full-time jobs right now, which means employers have the luxury of selecting very well qualified candidates,” said
Burnaby Board of Trade CEO Paul Holden. “Often that means unsolicited resumes are never even seen, which represents a significant barrier for recent graduates without a lot of professional contacts.” That is why the BBOT has created Access, a career development program designed to help final year students transition into the workplace and build meaningful relationships with leaders in the business community. The program will include three main components based on feedback from the focus groups. The first is a seminar/ workshop series where students will hear from local consultants and business
leaders on a range of topics such as “Building your Brand,” “Project Management,” and “Negotiating Better Results.” The second component, networking, will give participants access to studentfocused as well as regular BBOT events, where they will be encouraged to meet professionals in the community. The third component of Access is the most unique aspect of the program. Students will be paired with prominent business leaders called “Connectors” for casual one-on-one meetings to share information and develop a better understanding of the challenges faced by students and employers alike. Upon See BBOT Launches, 2
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