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Informer

Institution of First Choice * Dedicated to Excellence « Leader in Education

Communication Skills

are Number One in Job

Market of the Future

s part of Canada Career Week,

Capilano College, along with
the North Shore Employment Centre
and the Capilano College Alumni
Advisory Council, co-sponsored a
presentation on Tuesday, November
1 in the Sportsplex.

Keith Gray, vice-president--
educational services, Business
Council of British Columbia, told the
200 audience members that future
employees will have to be flexible,
have a lifelong training attitude, and
acquire technical and vocational
training, not only academic or
university education.

“Half of the skills of technology
workers will become obsolete within
three to seven years after completion
of their formal training,” Keith said.
“Lifelong learning is now a given.”

The top 10 qualities Keith quoted
as essential for obtaining
employment are, in order of
importance: communication skills,
analytical ability, high performance
standards, honesty and reliability,
flexibility and adaptability, team
player, proper attitude, productive
(quality and quantity), intelligence,
and acceptance of responsibility.

He went on to say that in 1993,
more than 75 per cent of those B.C.
college graduates who found
employment worked in information
processing occupations. Other fields
where jobs can be found are: the

Keith Gray

service industry (banking, finance,
hospitality); the social services field
(research, engineering, education and
administration); and
telecommunications, electronics,
computer services, biotechnology,
pharmaceuticals, and environmental
industries.

Also speaking that evening were
Rick Waters, labour market
information analyst for the North
Shore Canada Employment Centre
and Robin Wilson, Capilano College
Board chair. The event was
moderated by Marleen Morris,
director of Public Relations for
Capilano College. A copy of the
video,“Making the Short List in the
21st Century,” is available at the
College Library. O

Vol. XVI
No. 10