Jobfest generates surprises for career seekers

The Civic Centre was transformed Thursday into a site where maybe a few careers were born.

Jobfest, the provincial government's touring road show aimed at helping young people land a fulfilling and rewarding career, rolled into Prince George and set up shop in the plaza.

The Victoria-based rock band Acres of Lions was on the stage but the centrepieces were the half-dozen stands holding iPads inviting visitors to take an aptitude test.

Danielle Nelson, 20, Melissa Singveil, 20, and Zach Krahn, 14, found themselves answering questions like "do you like to help friends solve their problems?" and "are you able to calculate change when working with money" on a scale ranging from hard to super easy.

The results were surprising for the three.

Suggestions for Nelson, included bookkeeper, agricultural inspector and bank teller and Singveil was repeatedly pitched the idea of becoming an optometrist although on one occasion she also got boat operator, which drew a laugh.

They were all a far cry from what they have in mind. No matter how hard she tried, social worker never came up for Singveil but that won't stop her from pursuing that dream.

"It didn't really go in the direction I wanted," she said.

Nelson is a bit more open to other possibilities, although something involving either arts or mechanics remains top of mind.

"It kind of opened my eyes up to other careers if I put my mind to it," Nelson said.

For Krahn, butcher was the top choice provided, but he still plans on pursuing a career in the military.

Tour manager Daisy Blue Groff said the idea is to get young people thinking about the options.

"These tools are here to help people assess their skills and also look at possibilities that maybe they haven't though of," she said.

The aptitude is also available online at www.jobfest2012.ca. Click on resources and scroll down to buildacareer.ca.

It depends on what kind of person you are, If you are really creative and imaginative, you might want to go into more of an entrepreneurial, small business and create your own demand in the workplace, it's definitely possible.

If you're the type of person that likes to stay within parameters, you want to get into more of a logic-based business. These tools are here to help people assess their skills and also look at possibilities that maybe they haven't though of