Cape Breton Island, NS – The votes are in and the Cape Breton Hire Me Pitch Competition is excited to announce the 2021 top three winners.
The winners are:
- First Place – Joe Townsend. Joe will receive $1,000 cash, his own 30-second radio advertisement and a one-on-one session with a Career Expert. Watch his pitch here.
- Second Place – Jamie Li. Jamie will receive $300 cash and a one-on-one session with a Career Expert. Watch his pitch here.
- Third Place – Alika Soni. Alika will receive $200 cash and a session with a Career Expert. Watch her pitch here.
The Competition opened on Thursday, June 3, with submissions closing on Monday, June 14, 2021. The top six pitches were then chosen by a selection committee of local professionals. The top three winners are then selected based on public voting.
“It was great to be able to open this opportunity up again to new graduates, newcomers and those nearing graduation,” says Carla Arsenault, President and CEO of the Cape Breton Partnership. “We know this is a challenging time for many and this campaign allows Cape Breton’s new graduates and newcomers an opportunity to showcase to employers just how much talent is here on the Island.”
Hire Me Cape Breton highlights Cape Breton’s top talent through exposure to Cape Breton employers by inviting students approaching graduation, new graduates, newcomers, and job seekers to submit a 60 – second video pitch. Using the video to tell local employers why they should be their next hire, participants uploaded video submissions to YouTube and submitted the video link through the official submission portal at www.HireMeCapeBreton.ca.
Top pitch winner, Joe Townsend is currently studying social services at NSCC and was thrilled for the opportunity.
“As a student, I am always seeking opportunities to highlight my talents and showcase myself as an employee,” said Townsend. “The prize was amazing, but being able to tell employees why I should be their next hire is so important.”
With almost 1,500 votes for the top six pitches, the contestants were able to introduce themselves to employers all across the island.
“We know that there are new graduates, newcomers and others looking for employment and we hope this competition gives the top six a way to connect with local employers. It also helps them develop their own professional brand, public speaking skills and confidence to land their dream job,” says Cape Breton Connector Program Coordinator Robyn Lee Seale. “Congratulations to Joe, Jamie and Alika and thank you to everyone who took the time to submit their pitch.”
To watch the top six videos, visit www.HireMeCapeBreton.ca. A special thank you to our investor and media partner at 101.9 the Giant for supporting the Hire Me Cape Breton Campaign and generously providing the winner with their 30-second ad spot.
The Cape Breton Partnership also has recently launched the Cape Breton Job Board. Your one-stop shop for local employers looking to promote vacant jobs and for job seekers looking for employment on Cape Breton Island. The job board can be found at www.capebretonjobboard.com.
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Media Contact:
Mark Inglis
Cape Breton Partnership
902-578-2482
Mark@capebretonpartnership.com
About the Cape Breton Partnership:
The Cape Breton Partnership is Unama’ki – Cape Breton’s private sector-led economic development organization that supports companies and entrepreneurs by promoting our island as a great place to live and invest; growing a culture that values and celebrates creativity, innovation, and entrepreneurship; and connecting entrepreneurs and companies to the resources they need to succeed. For more information, visit https://capebretonpartnership.com.
View the six 2021 Hire Me Cape Breton finalists in this video above.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Cape Breton Island, NS – The Cape Breton Partnership, together with Cape Breton South Recruiting for Health (CBSRH) and the recently formed Cape Breton Regional Municipality (CBRM) Community Health Recruitment & Retention Committee have created an electronic mailing list for landlords to subscribe to, and support the attraction, recruitment and retention of healthcare professionals in Unama’ki – Cape Breton. Landlords, real estate agents and others with properties to offer are encouraged to sign-up to be contacted when a Healthcare Navigator is seeking housing for a healthcare professional.
“This is the first collaboration between the two committees, and is an important tool for Healthcare Navigators to have the ability to access when attracting new healthcare workers to beautiful Unama’ki – Cape Breton,” said Trevor Boudreau, Co-Chair of the CBSRH “This tool will allow us to connect with landlords, and will also help ensure that the healthcare professional’s criteria aligns with the accommodations available.”
Landlords, real estate agents and others with accommodations available are invited to sign-up and subscribe to the list. When a Healthcare Navigator is looking for accommodations, they will reach out to the mailing list to help find housing solutions for the professional they are looking to recruit. The private and confidential list will only be accessed by Healthcare Navigators and will assist in their recruitment efforts by identifying temporary and long-term housing solutions for essential healthcare professionals that they are working to bring to the Island.
“A high demand for housing, with a limited availability continues to be a barrier to the attraction and retention of healthcare professionals on the Island. We are hoping this initiative will be a step in the right direction in addressing this barrier and help retain professionals for the long-term,” said Bryan Pratt, a member of the CBRM Community Health Recruitment & Retention Committee.
Landlords, real estate agents or others who have accommodations available for professionals are encouraged to subscribe to the mailing list. All information will be kept private and confidential and will only be used as a resource for Healthcare Navigators who are seeking housing for healthcare professionals to relocate to Unama’ki – Cape Breton.
Participation in this initiative is important and will help in the efforts to attract and retain healthcare staff for the entire island. Anyone interested in joining the Cape Breton Housing mailing list can visit https://bit.ly/CB-Healthcare-Housing to sign up.
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Media Contacts:
Mark Inglis
Director, Communications
Cape Breton Partnership
902.562.0122
mark@capebretonpartnership.com
Maggie MacDonald
Cape Breton South Recruiting for Health
902.615.3670
mmacdonald@capebretonrecruiting.com
About Cape Breton South Recruiting for Health
CBSRH is a partnership of the Town of Port Hawkesbury and the Municipality of Richmond County, along with representatives from the Strait Richmond Hospital, Dr. Kingston Memorial Community Health Center, St. Anne Community and Nursing Care Center, Strait Area Chamber of Commerce, the Cape Breton Partnership, and other partners. The group was established in January 2020 to take a regional approach focused on building on the strengths of local communities and providing a more collaborative environment to attract physicians and other healthcare professionals.
About CBRM Community Health Recruitment & Retention
The CBRM Community Healthcare Committee is a partnership between the Cape Breton Partnership, the CBRM, Cape Breton Regional Chamber of Commerce, the Nova Scotia Health Authority and others to support efforts in attracting and retaining healthcare professionals to the CBRM. The committee connects prospective healthcare professionals to all required resources to ensure their success and satisfaction in the CBRM by promoting it as a great place to live, work and invest. The CBRM Healthcare Recruitment & Retention Navigator is employed by the Cape Breton Partnership, and carries out the work of the committee.
About the Cape Breton Partnership
The Cape Breton Partnership is Unama’ki – Cape Breton’s private sector-led economic development organization that supports companies and entrepreneurs by promoting our island as a great place to live and invest; growing a culture that values and celebrates creativity, innovation, and entrepreneurship; and connecting entrepreneurs and companies to the resources they need to succeed.
Cape Breton, N.S. – The Cape Breton Local Immigration Partnership (CBLIP) is seeking community input regarding gaps and opportunities related to newcomer settlement in Unama’ki – Cape Breton.
The CBLIP, a collaborative, community initiative, designed to foster welcoming and inclusive communities for newcomers, engages both newcomers and the broader Cape Breton community every second year. In 2018, a series of participatory, community events and surveys shaped the development of the current CBLIP Strategic Plan.
“Hearing the perspectives of both newcomers and established Cape Bretoners is essential in our efforts to best understand community priorities and to shape our work,” says Kailea Pedley, CBLIP Program Manager. “By checking in with the community through a biannual consultation, we are better able to understand what is changing over time and to collect fresh perspectives and ideas.”
In 2018, community members across the Island provided feedback that indicated they wanted a structured approach to welcoming newcomers at the local level and some basic supports to assist in these efforts. These suggestions, received directly from the community, led to the formation in 2020 of the Cape Breton Welcome Network which is now flourishing across the Island.
Community input will be gathered in through two surveys, one specifically for newcomers and one for the general public, both of which will be open until February 19, 2021. The surveys are available online, and can be conducted by paper, phone, or with translation support by request.
Participants who complete the survey will be entered in a draw for a prize of a 12-month membership to the Cape Breton Food Hub and a $100 credit to purchase the local food available at the Food Hub. Survey participants will also be invited to join online focus group discussions to share their experiences and perspectives in greater depth. The data collected through the upcoming surveys and focus groups will be analyzed and compiled into a final report that will be available online and will be circulated to local, provincial and federal stakeholders to better inform their work in welcoming newcomers to Cape Breton.
“Ultimately, the perspectives and ideas shared through this consultation with the Cape Breton community will lead to ongoing improvements to the services available to newcomers to the Island as we continue to learn about what’s working and what we can improve upon,” says Carla Arsenault, Cape Breton Partnership President and CEO.
The CBLIP is funded by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada and is administered by the Cape Breton Partnership. To complete the surveys, please visit www.newtocapebreton.com/survey. For additional information, please email CBLIP Program Manager Kailea Pedley at local.immigration@capebretonpartnership.com or call 902-258-7331.
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Media Contact:
Mark Inglis
Cape Breton Partnership
902-562-0122
mark@capebretonpartnership.com
About the Cape Breton Partnership:
The Cape Breton Partnership is Unama’ki – Cape Breton’s private sector-led economic development organization that supports companies and entrepreneurs by promoting our island as a great place to live and invest; growing a culture that values and celebrates creativity, innovation, and entrepreneurship; and connecting entrepreneurs and companies to the resources they need to succeed. For more information, visit https://capebretonpartnership.com.
Port Hawkesbury, NS – The Cape Breton Partnership and the Town of Port Hawkesbury have partnered to launch a survey to collect data on the local housing and rental market in an effort to address the housing development needs as the community continues to grow.
Positioned as the gateway to Cape Breton, just minutes from the Canso Causeway, Port Hawkesbury is a major service centre for the Strait area and a desirable location where opportunities await. It’s because of the growth and changing population, that the area’s housing needs are also changing.
“As the Island’s private sector-led economic development organization, the Cape Breton Partnership recognizes that housing challenges are barriers to both workforce attraction and population growth,” says Carla Arsenault, President & CEO of the Cape Breton Partnership. “This survey is simply a first step in honing in on exactly what housing needs are desired or expected in the area, which will lead to informed-decision making for long-term planning.”
The survey is open to all current residents and those who may be interested in calling Port Hawkesbury home in the future. The survey asks a number of questions about housing style preferences, senior housing specifications, demographic information and more. The results will provide valuable insight into current housing needs, and will help inform decision making for future public and private housing developments.
Residents are encouraged to fill out the survey and share the survey with any friends or family who are interested in moving to the area in the future.
“This is a great opportunity for current and prospective residents to have their voices heard regarding housing development needs in our town,” said Brenda Chisholm-Beaton, Mayor of Port Hawkesbury. “Port Hawkesbury offers a great quality of life and by determining the housing needs of our current and future residents, we can ensure that it continues to be a vibrant community for all.”
The survey is now available online and takes approximately nine minutes to complete. The online survey is available here at www.surveymonkey.com/r/PH-HousingSurvey. Paper copies are also available to residents at the Town of Port Hawkesbury Civic Centre at 606 Reeves St. Port Hawkesbury, NS.
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Media Contact:
Mark Inglis
Cape Breton Partnership
902-562-0122
mark@capebretonpartnership.com
About the Cape Breton Partnership:
The Cape Breton Partnership is Unama’ki – Cape Breton’s private sector-led economic development organization that supports companies and entrepreneurs by promoting our island as a great place to live and invest; growing a culture that values and celebrates creativity, innovation, and entrepreneurship; and connecting entrepreneurs and companies to the resources they need to succeed. For more information, visit https://capebretonpartnership.com.
Cape Breton, NS – The Cape Breton Welcome Network, a new program launched through the Cape Breton Partnership, is ready to welcome newcomers to our island.
The Welcome Network, a constellation of volunteer-led Welcome Groups, exists to create welcoming opportunities for those who are new to the island. The initiative, which started in September, 2020, has since formed six independent welcome groups, with more than fifty volunteers, across the island.
“We’re really excited about the outpouring of volunteers – whom we call Welcomers,” says Norma Jean MacPhee, Coordinator of the Cape Breton Welcome Network. “With Welcome Groups now formed across the Island, in six distinct communities, we’re ready to connect with newcomers. The success of happiness and belonging comes from the true welcoming of those already living in the area,” says MacPhee.
Actions of the Welcome Group volunteers could include anything from an email, to a meal invite, or even a walk in the park.
“Simple supports in the form of a phone call, welcoming basket or a virtual chat can provide a foundation that is anything but simple,” says Carla Arsenault, President and CEO of the Cape Breton Partnership. “These actions quickly show newcomers that their neighbours care and that they are indeed supported as they make this transition to their new Cape Breton home.”
Volunteer-led, the groups are positioned to support newcomers on many fronts and provide much needed support.
“There are few things more important to the success of living in a new location than a friendly, kind, sincere person eager to share the vibrancy of their neighbourhood,” says volunteer Megan Ringer.
This program, funded by the Nova Scotia Office of Immigration, is valuable to newcomers and welcomers alike.
“The Cape Breton Welcome Network exemplifies the qualities integral to our province: those of kindness, support and friendship,” said Lena Metlege Diab, Minister of Nova Scotia Office of Immigration. “Immigration is making a positive difference across the province, strengthening, and revitalizing rural communities and benefiting our provincial economy. Welcome Groups across Cape Breton are so important because they help newcomers feel welcome in their new communities.”
Those looking to be welcomed, start a new welcome group, or keen to get involved in existing welcome groups, should contact welcomenetwork@capebretonpartnership.com or visit https://welcometocapebreton.ca/welcomenetwork for more information.
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Media Contact:
Mark Inglis
Cape Breton Partnership
902-562-0122
mark@capebretonpartnership.com
About the Cape Breton Partnership:
The Cape Breton Partnership is Unama’ki – Cape Breton’s private sector-led economic development organization that supports companies and entrepreneurs by promoting our island as a great place to live and invest; growing a culture that values and celebrates creativity, innovation, and entrepreneurship; and connecting entrepreneurs and companies to the resources they need to succeed. For more information, visit https://capebretonpartnership.com.