Tuesday I was appointed the new Business Strategy and Online Community Manager at the Niagara Sustainability Initiative and had the opportunity to sit in on my first meeting with the team. To say I’m looking forward to contributing to their efforts is an understatement. I’ve clearly joined a group of passionate, intelligent and well educated individuals with a clear goal in mind: bringing economic strength back to the Niagara Region through greening of local businesses and municipalities.
“Niagara Sustainability Initiative (NSI) is a not-for-profit organization with a mandate that connects government, industry, community and academia to advance the environmental and economic performance in the Niagara Region. The organization consists of senior level professionals from the energy, environment, government and academic sectors, as well as recent post-graduate alumni, graduate students, undergraduate students and other community volunteers.”
My role will put me to the task of providing business and social media mentorship to the members of NSI. I’ll also be responsible for the management of NSI’s online presence and for leading the development of engagement strategies that can be used by NSI to engage the Niagara business community.
Special thanks to Kyle Monteith of the NSI and the Walker Environmental Group for suggesting I reach out to Evan DiValentino, the NSI’s Executive Director. Thanks to Evan and the rest of the team too for allowing me in to your circle. I can’t wait to really get started!
Anti-Labour Day in Niagara Falls
The Dude is not currently employed, man.
For hospitality workers in Niagara Falls Labour Day means something else. A day of hard work mixed with a bit of fear. It means doubling back in from a night shift to work a hard 14 hour day. As a thank you for their hard work? A severe cut in hours, all but having your name removed from the work schedule, or for many a full-out layoff.
Room attendants, cleaners, maintenance people, front desk check-in staff, reception, ushers, valet drivers, shuttle drivers, security, game dealers, parking workers, bell staff, dining staff, bartenders, kitchen staff and many more are affected.
The high tourist season is over after today. The 10 years that I was employed in Niagara hospitality sector I was lucky enough to be one of the special selected few not to suffer the same fate, but I’ve seen the struggle up close. Its real, its ugly and it should be completely avoidable.
Government and businesses have been investing in ways to bring more business to Niagara through conventions, conferences and year round attractions like indoor water parks and theatre, but it hasn’t proven to be enough yet. Its been written before that we need a sustainable economy in Niagara that includes industry and services as well.
The problem: You can bring as many non-hospitality jobs to Niagara as possible, but that won’t change the number of layoffs in the hospitality sector every Fall. Those workers will be out of work or at the very least under employed every fall unless something can be done to make our off season in the tourist industry as strong as our high season. I don’t have the answer to that, but I sure hope there are some intelligent, talented and dedicated people working on breaking that code.
Until then, here’s a list of job search search websites that could help you find permanent meaningful full-time employment, or at least something to fill the gap until you do.
Job Gym Employment Services
Human Resources Development Canada Job Bank
Monster
Career Builder
HCareers