Burnaby NOW • Wednesday, January 25, 2012 • A17
Burnaby Board of Trade
JANUARY 2012
Voice of Burnaby OFFICIAL NEWSLETTER OF THE MOST PROGRESSIVE BUSINESS ASSOCIATION IN BURNABY
www.bbot.ca
UPCOMING EVENTS City Council Reception January 19, 2012 @ Delta Burnaby Hotel BBOT Member Orientation January 24, 2012 @ BBOT Office Lunar New Year Dinner: Year of the Dragon February 2, 2012 @ Fortune House Seafood Restaurant Business over Breakfast Networking February 3, 2012 @ Riverway Clubhouse Lunch Break Workshop - Workplace Safety February 16, 2012 @ BBOT Office Members’ Reception at Seymour Mountain February 28, 2012 @ Mount Seymour Ski Resort
2
FOR MORE INFO VISIT
BBOT.CA/EVENTS
BBOT CEO Paul Holden on Promoting Your Business while Cutting Costs You know you need to do more to promote your business. You need to enhance your brand exposure, grow your client base, expand your professional network, and reduce your business costs. You know this because it’s what all businesses need to be doing always. The hard part is sorting through the seemingly contradictory aspects of, for example, promoting yourself more while cutting costs. Fortunately, you are (hopefully) a member of the Burnaby Board of Trade, and we’re here to help. There are a lot of different reasons why businesses and individuals join the BBOT, but it still sometimes surprises me how many businesses – especially SMEs – don’t take full See Get the, 5
To mark the beginning of the Lunar New Year, the Burnaby Board of Trade will be celebrating with a 9-course banquet dinner at the Fortune House Seafood Restaurant on February 2nd. To commemorate the Year of the Dragon, business and community leaders will enjoy a gourmet feast of Chinese delicacies and a variety of diverse performances in recognition of the many cultures that celebrate Lunar New Year. Falling on the 11th day of the new year, a traditional day for sharing meals with family and friends, this event is a perfect opportunity to enjoy a fantastic meal with colleagues and clients and to ensure that 2012 is a prosperous and successful year for all! Tickets can be purchased by calling 604-412-0100 or visiting www.bbot.ca
BBOT to Launch Youth Development Program
MICHAEL KELLER michael@bbot.ca
The Burnaby Board of Trade (BBOT) has announced plans to launch a new youth development program as early as this fall to help students transition into the workforce and business community after graduation. With the economy still struggling and businesses being extra cautious with their recruiting practices, Canada is seeing a rise in unemployment – now 7.5%. British Columbia’s jobless rate on the other hand is steady at 7%, but what is really worrisome is the decline of quality, full-time positions in exchange for low-paying, part-time jobs. “We know that some of those most affected by recent jobs trends are senior students and young individuals preparing to enter the workforce for the first time,” said BBOT President
and CEO Paul Holden. “Our hope is that we can help these young professionals gain some experience and develop the tools and skills needed to be successful when competing for jobs against more seasoned candidates.” Details of the yet unnamed program are still being worked out, but it is expected participants will benefit from components such as youth focused networking events, workshops, and mentorship opportunities. A number of high profile Burnaby businesses such as IBM, Investors Group Financial, and Ballistic Arts, have already shown a great deal of interest in the program, and have representatives sitting on the BBOT’s Future Leaders Committee – the group charged with overseeing the development of the program. Also on the committee is Frank Bassett from Electronic Arts Canada who
noted the value of such a program for both students and competitive industries. “Providing the young graduates of our region with career opportunities that inspire and motivate them is absolutely essential to our economic success. At EA, we want to put that talent to maximum use, and youth development programs like this are a great way to foster success and help students live up to their potential,” said Bassett. This month Board of Trade staff will be meeting with student focus groups at BCIT and SFU to help further inform program components. “For students to get the most out of this, we feel they should have a say in its development,” said Holden. More details about the youth development program will be available on BBOT communication channels in the coming weeks.