MOOSE JAW — The Moose Jaw & District Chamber of Commerce marked the one-year anniversary of its Senior Moose Jobs program with a networking event to help job seekers over 55 connect with local businesses at the Moose Jaw Events Centre recently.
“The event today is a networking event to bring together the 55-plus demographic that is actively looking for opportunities to get back into the workplace in any capacity, and to have some of the businesses highlight their opportunities,” said Barry Watson, the Chamber’s co-ordinator for Senior Moose Jobs whose role is to match the right individual with the right employer.
“We meet with them, interview them, and then I look for the opportunities that will match up to what they want to do, how often they want to do it, and I connect them for an interview with the business,” Watson explained.
The program intends to simplify an otherwise stressful job search and has 123 current registrants.
“A lot of times there’s a hesitation for someone in the 55-and-up category sitting at home thinking, ‘I don’t want to sit around all the time, but how do I get my name out there?’” Watson said.
“They can look at job boards (all) day… but in a community like Moose Jaw, there’s a lot of word-of-mouth opportunities and I try to click in on them by visiting some businesses and finding out what they are looking for in the upcoming year.”
The one-year project comes up for renewal at the end of February and is likely to continue.
“It was a pilot project granted to the Chamber of Commerce through the Ministry of Immigration and Career Training, and we come to the end of our first year on Feb. 28, with great expectations to get the extension and continue on for another year,” Watson said.
The Moose Jaw ANAVETS No. 252, represented by Don Purington, found success while seeking a senior bartender. The ANAVETS recently decided to expand its hours of operation from two to six days a week, and after some efforts to increase staffing, the single day Senior Moose Jobs event proved invaluable.
“We got one full-time (hire) for sure,” Purington confirmed. “And then, (we have) two or three other (applicants) that are very interested. (It has been) very good for us to come here, and… it has been very productive….”
Tourism Moose Jaw was also in attendance and sought a senior trolley operator.
“We’ve had a few folks take our pamphlets, and we’ve had a few bring in resumes,” said Lynette Biech, Tourism Moose Jaw’s trolley supervisor. “So yeah, it has been worth coming for sure.”
Not long after she spoke, an applicant stopped by to submit a promising resume for the position.
The impact on senior residents is also significant. “The job match… suits my needs well,” Keith A. wrote for a testimonial placard. “This can be difficult when you are a senior, however, the workload, schedule, and hours of work suit my circumstances well. I also appreciate the opportunity to be socially connected through work and the feeling of making a contribution.
“Thanks again for all your help and I would certainly consider this program successful and worthwhile.”
Senior Moose Jobs is available to employers and older adults throughout the year.
To access the registration form, visit and click on "Initiatives" and "" from the top menu.
If you need help with your resume, Watson recommends stopping by the SaskJobs office at 110 Ominica Street West. The office can be reached at 1-833-613-0485.
