The B.I.C.’s temporary job-assistance program, known as B.A.T.E., is still in place, but a new report from the provincial government shows that a lot of people still don’t get the help they need.
The provincial government’s report says there are nearly 400,000 people in B.
T .
E. who are still waiting for a job, and it notes that while B.B.C.-based businesses and other employers are reporting more than 100,000 job offers each week, there are only 5,000 jobs available.
It says that while the number of people applying for the program has increased, the average waiting time for a call-back is still about a month.
“There is still a lot that needs to be done to ensure the BACTES program continues to deliver its promised benefits, and we are continuing to work with employers and other partners to ensure that the program continues as a success story,” the provincial agency said in a statement.
What to do if you have a job interview or are looking for workBut for the most part, the report says, employers have taken the job-related issues in the program seriously.
And the government is currently looking at a number of options to address them.
One option is for the BMT to give some of the money to people who have lost their jobs.
But that would mean more work for the province, and would take longer to make it happen, said Paul Eakin, senior vice-president of the B-Corp Foundation, a B.L.G.-aligned think tank.
Eakin said the BCTF is urging the provincial and federal governments to work together on a program to help people who are in employment, but aren’t getting a job offer.
B.M.E. and the BTS are also working on new initiatives to help unemployed workers find work.
A number of other measures are also being considered.
The B-Corpor Foundation is calling for the government to work to extend the length of time people can receive B.
M .
E.’s and B.E.”s, to six months or more, so people have time to find a new job.
There’s also a suggestion that the BMA could provide up to $5,000 per month to help employers who want to hire new staff, which is in line with the $5-million-per-year plan the BCA announced last year.
Other measures are being considered by the BMC, including a ban on mandatory unpaid internships, a plan to offer training and job skills development for people who aren’t in employment and to offer an alternative to the current B.P.A.’s B.Q.P.’s Job Creation Program.
With files from the Canadian Press and Reuters