With a little more than 6 months left until the start of the Olympic games, there are still over 1500 part-time jobs left to fill. In this tough economy, the Vancouver Organizing Committee for the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games (VANOC) has begun a creative program to fill most of those remaining positions through an employee loan program. VANOC is offering businesses and governments the opportunity to send employees to work temporarily at the Olympics. This will help them manage their budget effectively, while still maintaining a sufficient workforce for the games. The jobs available run from 8-weeks to 6-months. Positions are available in 32 of VANOC's 53 departments, ranging from Energy Deputy Manager to Sport Writer.
This is an excellent opportunity for local and even distant employees to gain unique experience working at one of the largest sporting events in the world. Not only will it be a once-in-a-lifetime experience that they will always remember, working at the games will also provide them with skills and confidence that they can bring back to their employers. Seconded staff were also used in the 1988 Olympic Winter Games at Calgary, and those loaned workers still remember the expierence as life changing. This program will stimulate not only individual careers, but also the companies they work for. More experienced employees will enrich their companies with new perspectives, and with 1500 jobs available, many businesses have the opportunity to be positively impacted by sending staff.
Overall, it is a win-win for both the Olympics and those companies that send employees. This is just another way the Olympics can stimulate not only local economies and businesses, but also international corporations and governments.
Friday, August 21, 2009
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Thats really cool, I've never heard of anything like this program before. I wonder if there is any reluctancy on the part of businesses giving up some of their employees for a prolonged period of time in an economy that is just starting to gain some consumer confidence again. Like you said, the experience of working on the olympics and seeing it slowly come into fruition would be great. Canada has their stuff together.
ReplyDeleteWhoever thought of this should get a raise. This is a great idea as people wouldn't to quit their job to pursue one at the games that is only temporary. If Vancouver is still having problems with hiring people then they should consider providing internships as well. It's a little more risky in terms of putting responsibility into inexperienced hands, but it would generate a lot of applicants and interest. Who wouldnt want to work at the games, honestly.
ReplyDeleteIf these companies send their employees send their employees into this program, it seems like they would have the same problems as the olympic committee. They will then need to find temporary staff to fill their positions. In the long time this is a great idea, and offers many opportunities to both employees and their companies.
ReplyDeleteIs there any money exchanged in this program or are the seconded workers' wages still paid by their parent companies? It would be a steal if the Olympics acquired 1500 essentially free workers. Conversely, it would also be beneficial to the companies to somehow market their products through these exported employees. Either way, this sounds like a great opportunity for all parties involved.
ReplyDeleteI feel this is a great idea because most companies are enduring a downturn and need to let off workers. This program allows the companies that need to lower the number of employees at this time a better route that doesn't leave their employees jobless. Instead their employees can work at the Olympic Games and make some money while their old businesses recovers and the market recovers needing their employees back. THis program allows both the OLympics and the Bussinesses to be successful without raising unemplyment.
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