Getting more Albertans back to work

“Hudsons Canada’s Pubs are very appreciative of the much-needed provincial support we have received through the Alberta Jobs Now program. As our industry recovers, our goal is to employ Albertans and deliver a great guest experience, and the Alberta Jobs Now Program is helping us do that.” - Brent, Calgary

“Our business has been hit with each wave of COVID-19, and programs like Alberta Jobs Now allow me to maintain staff levels and continue to deliver the experience my customers expect.” - Shaun, Beaverlodge

“Especially during the beginning of COVID-19, we lost work and experienced layoffs and little hours to share between our employees for some time. As we started ramping up with work as things were recovering, we struggled to juggle with the amount of work now present. We decided to apply for the Alberta Jobs Now Program and get some more employees hired to assist with the new workload. The Alberta Jobs Now Program has definitely assisted with supporting us to bring on new employees to help us grow and expand, especially with how difficult it has been due to COVID-19.” - Jackie, Lloydminster

“The pandemic hit the fitness industry really hard and continues to challenge us every step of the way. Our studio and team survived the big restrictions and we pivoted to make sure we could remain open and serve our amazing members. When re-opening and adding to our team, we applied for the Alberta Jobs Now program and we are so thankful we did. With uncertainty for the industry, we needed some support to ensure we could fulfill a full-time position and the Alberta Jobs Now program did just that. We have made two incredible hires using the program and are hoping for a third during the next intake. The application process was easy, straight forward and the representatives of the program were there to answer my questions along the way.” - Jack, Red Deer

“At the start of COVID, my business dropped to almost zero as most of my clients had to shut down and temporarily lay off staff. In-person sessions were cancelled and a significant piece of business has not returned. I applied to the Alberta Jobs Now Program to bring a full-time employee on faster. The program has allowed us to look for new contracts and grow 6 or more months ahead of schedule.” - Jennifer, Sexsmith

“The Alberta Jobs Now program helped us to be able to keep employees and the resources to offer more training. The government personnel associated with the program were very easy to deal with and the enrollment process was user friendly.” - Joyce, Rimbey

“We had an influx of people applying to the flight school and took the opportunity to hire additional staff to take a little pressure off. The increase in student demand meant we were going to need more staff. The Alberta Jobs Now program enabled us to access funding for wages to hire another flight instructor who we might not otherwise have hired. We might have tried to run a little leaner, or might have hired one less person. But with the grant, we could look further into the future, and have a clearer plan to get back to a more normal state.” - Sheri, Medicine Hat

“The Alberta Jobs Now Program provided the support needed for me to get hired at a local small business, where I now have reasonable hours, a great work environment and where I have healthier family lifestyle. The Alberta Jobs Now Program supported my ability to gain meaningful employment.

My advice to Albertans who are currently trying to find work is to go to companies that seem to be what you’re looking for and let them know about the Alberta Jobs Now Program when you submit your application. Thank you Alberta Jobs Now for this opportunity – you have not only impacted my career for good, but also the health of my family and myself.” – Ronald, Falher

"We applied to the Alberta Jobs Now program for a few roles in our agency, including one position which we could previously only offer part-time without the grant, though we have enough work and the need for full-time hours. With the Alberta Jobs Now grant, we were able to turn this into a full-time permanent position and successfully fill the position! It’s been a great benefit to our organization, and a wonderful resource to us.” - Cindy, Cold Lake

“The COVID-19 pandemic had a severe impact on our industry, with revenues dropping quite drastically for a great length of time. As we slowly recover, we have had to increase the number of employees within each of our businesses. The Alberta Jobs Now program has afforded both companies the opportunity to add to our staff and offer these new hires competitive salaries, while keeping the companies viable.” - Kathy, Leduc

“Our experience with the Alberta Jobs Now program has been extremely successful. It allowed us to hire an underemployed recent graduate from a vocational college, who in turn, was able to move her teenaged daughter from British Columbia to Alberta. As a result of the Alberta Jobs Now program, we were able to offer her a position, but also able to reallocate some of the human resources budget to growing our real estate team by paying for unlicensed individuals to obtain their real estate license. We are excited and honoured that people have chosen us to help launch their careers and thankful for the support that the Alberta Jobs Now program provided to make it possible.” - Melanie, Lethbridge

“As a small business, we faced a major hit when COVID first took place. It was a shock to the whole region and many waited to find out the impact before going ahead with scheduled jobs. Once the region knew we were still providing great service, we began to build momentum again and needed to hire new employees to complete the work load, but couldn’t afford to.

This why we applied to the Alberta Jobs Now Program. With the financial backing to hire two full-time employees, we were able to not only complete the work that was piling up, but provide a well-paying position to a husband and father of six, who was working away from the area and at a job that was not his career choice. We also hired a young man who wanted to work in the excavation, water and sewer industry in the area where he grew up.

The advice we have for other employers who may be considering the Alberta Jobs Now Program is to go ahead and apply. The online process to apply was very straight forward, and all questions were answered by phone or by email.” - Martin, Falher

“We had layoffs over the past year due to the pandemic and also struggled with employees being off due to illness, spending more on buying PPE, and finding staff to work remotely. The Alberta Jobs Now program has allowed us to offer higher wages to attract skilled workers and hire back some employees. We could also hire some extra help to support areas we were not able to previously.” - Meghan, Fort McMurray

“Due to the pandemic, we noticed a decrease of clients and contractors, which led to less business and revenue, while the economy was slower. I applied to the Alberta Jobs Now program to assist with wage subsidy and to attract and hire another employee. I was able to hire one additional accounting technician and did not have to layoff any positions. This program is a good initiative to assist with attracting workers.” – Nixon, Fort McMurray

“The Phone Experts was affected on almost every level of business by COVID-19. We applied to the Alberta Jobs Now program shortly after the first intake was announced. We were able to utilize funding for new hires in a variety of roles from administration to technicians, which assisted with growth in our workforce. The program was straightforward to apply for and any follow-up communication was simple and quick. I would suggest that any companies that are eligible for the program to apply and utilize this program.” – Sheila, Red Deer

“I now have the position that I’ve been looking for to grow my experience in operating equipment. The Alberta Jobs Now Program provided the opportunity for me to work in a more secure job setting. Thank you Alberta Jobs Now for this opportunity. I’m now working in a career that I take great pride in.” – Randy, Falher