2022 Nova Scotia Career and Employment Student Symposium

Communities of Practice in Practice

Communities of Practice have emerged as a way for people at every level of a team to interact and share common knowledge, challenges, and new ideas with one another to facilitate forward progress. This project aimed to investigate how groups of people come together to collaborate effectively in their workplace as well as with other organizations involved in similar work. Survey data from Nova Scotia Works student interns and a literature review were used in combination with information gathered during a semi-structured engagement session with the CEI team to support the research.

Social Impact Assessments: The What, Why, and How 

Social Impact Assessments (SIA) are a key process in determining how a project is impacting the individuals and communities they intend to serve. By undertaking a SIA, organizations are able to gain a better understanding of the impact their projects or organization are having, thus enabling them to take action to mitigate or enhance these impacts. This presentation will present information about the process of social impact assessments, the importance of these assessments, and guidelines for implementation.

Participatory Leadership Development: A Case Study

Effective leadership within career development organizations is critical to best support staff and community members, especially amidst uncertainty and change. This session will focus on the Nova Scotia Works system’s approach to strengthening leadership capacities across the province. The participatory design process will be highlighted as well as key leadership competencies/development opportunities that emerged from interviews, communities of practice, and research.

Creating an Inclusive and Diverse Workplace

The CEI conducted an environmental scan to get a sense of the current state of diversity and inclusion policy and practice within Nova Scotia’s not-for-profit, governmental, and business sectors. The goal of this presentation is three-fold: first, it will highlight the findings of the environmental scan while providing an overview of the main themes that emerged from the research; second, it will discuss the importance of having specific D&I policies and practices. Finally, it will examine the following theme: “creating a safe workspace” while also examining several exemplary D&I practices.

A First Voice Perspective of LGBTQ+ Youth Inclusion in the Workplace

This session will introduce the audience to the process of creating a first voice podcast series about LGBTQ+ youth experiences in the workplace. May Lawless organized a podcast under the supervision of Addy Strickland and will cover how to plan a project like this as well as why the project is important for engagement in the workplace. May will reflect on the importance of communication in the workplace and what policies are effective for creating safe spaces as well as inclusive workplaces.

Employment Equity: Doing Better for Students and Recent Graduates

Equity deserving groups such as the 2SLGBTQIA+ community, BIPOC people, and folks with dis/abilities, still face significant barriers to gaining meaningful employment in Nova Scotia. This research focuses on the lived experiences of equity deserving Dalhousie students and alumni striving to obtain meaningful employment. This discovery examines what these groups face when accessing and navigating the labor market, in addition to the EDIA supports and resources they expect from their employers. This presentation also focuses on what EDIA committed employers are currently doing to attract, engage, and support these equity deserving groups.

What is the Nature and Extent of Employment-Based Racism Towards Nurses in Canada: A Scoping Review

Employment-based racism towards nurses is a pressing issue in Canada, not only because racialized nurses compose a considerable proportion of the Canadian Nursing workforce, but it is also a social justice imperative that equitable working conditions exist for racialized nurses. This presentation will describe a protocol for a prospective scoping review on racism towards nurses. The author hopes that this presentation will encourage audience members to critically reflect on nursing employment in order to nurture interest in equitable work environments.

Tokenism and Employee Advocacy: Critical Review of Targeted Workforce Attachment Interventions

The focus of this research is to critically examine workforce attachment programs and the tokenization that occurs. Tokenism is the hiring practice or policy of making no more than a token effort or gesture as in offering opportunities to minorities equal to those of majority. This research will clearly name and identify what is working and what does not work within targeted workforce interventions, with a focus on presenting recommendations to support better practice.

Refugee Newcomers Strategies for Seeking Employment in Rural Communities

Drawing from a study of refugees resettling in Nova Scotia, this presentation focuses on the how refugee newcomers transition into the Canadian labor market in rural communities. Newcomers have diverse educational and employment backgrounds. Finding work in Canada is influenced by newcomers’ language proficiency and the transferability of their diploma, certificates, or other required credentials for employment in their field in Canada. Many newcomers discover that it is challenging to acquire Canadian credentials, especially if it involves post-secondary education. The data suggest that newcomers co-navigate finding employment by accessing supports and services within the community and from resettlement volunteers. We discuss the significance of newcomers’ striving to develop local networks and social capital to help them navigate this new Canadian employment terrain.

The Relationship between Unemployed/Underemployed Individuals and their Experiences in the K-12 System among Rural Populations

There are a plethora of mitigating factors that affect one’s ability to secure employment that remain outside of the individual’s control, and which are often magnified in rural communities. The link between adverse school experiences and NEET status (not in education, employment or training) remains an under researched topic. The research Kenyan will be presenting seeks to identify how the participants perceive the impact of their experiences during K-12 education on their propensity for navigating the intricacies of participating in the workforce.

Barriers to Sustainable Employment, Pathways to Success & The Future 

This presentation examines barriers to sustainable employment, pathways to success and the future of sustainable employment. It explores sustainable employment by definition and how it’s seen in the labor market and how availability is decreasing. It also examines prominent barriers facing sustainable employment. As a result, this presentation will elaborate on initiatives through the Government of Canada and other organizations that aid Nova Scotians in locating meaningful and long-term employment as well as the projected outlook for sustainable employment in the coming years.

Indigenous Entrepreneurs Navigating the Canadian Cannabis Industry

According to Isadore Day, former Assembly of First Nations Ontario Regional Chief, Indigenous Peoples in Canada did not recognize and consult the concerns of First Nations during the passing of Bill C-45, or the Cannabis Act. The legalization of recreational cannabis in Canada will have a prodigious effect on society and economics, a shift in which the Indigenous Peoples must be included. If the Indigenous Peoples were considered, First Nations would be witnessing similar economic growth as the rest of Canada. Through this study, we seek to determine how Indigenous entrepreneurs are navigating the Canadian cannabis industry. Specifically, we are interested in the barriers to entry. The data tells us that the Indigenous Peoples want to participate in the industry, but there are very few licensed cannabis companies that are Indigenous. What is the cause of this discrepancy?

Assessing the Value of Entrepreneurial and Experiential Learning activities for Human Nutrition Undergraduate students at St. Francis Xavier University

Interest in entrepreneurship and experiential learning activities among university students has increased. Their impact on Human Nutrition students is unknown. To assess the effectiveness of these experiences on knowledge and other skills, and to identify barriers to participation, a 35-question survey will be distributed to Human Nutrition students and recent graduates. Responses will be grouped into themes, and significant difference will be determined by one-way variance analysis and post-hoc comparisons with SPSS. Findings could facilitate changes in the StFX Human Nutrition curriculum.

Digital Portfolios: Showcase your Skills and Stand Out from the Crowd

In an increasingly online world, digital portfolios are becoming more valuable. A digital portfolio is evidence of a learner’s transferable skills, including highly sought critical thinking and continuous learning skills, and proficiency in a digital environment. A digital portfolio will be an essential tool to support transitions of many kinds – for example, as a vehicle for job seekers to showcase their strengths. Learn how you could benefit from having a digital portfolio.

Undergraduate International Black Women’s Transition from University to Employment at St. Francis Xavier University

The objective of this study is to assist and understand the transition from university to employment among international students who identify as Black women at St. Francis Xavier University. Our understanding of this transition will be effective in illuminating the resources that are and aren’t in place to support this group’s successful adjustment into the workforce. Support such as, career resources and mentorship opportunities at the university. In addition, there are deeper factors that are being examined here that make this research incredibly important to the subject of race and gender.

Women’s Economic Empowerment Through a Financial Literacy Curriculum: A Pilot Study

Although the literature has repeatedly identified a common lack of understanding surrounding personal finance topics, there are few programs in place to address this concern. One of the more acute problems that has been uncovered is that women generally know less about financial management than men. This session will focus on the importance of financial literacy in the lives of women. More specifically, the discussion will draw upon an ongoing study aiming to evaluate a program designed to address this gap in resources: Allstate Foundation’s Moving Ahead Through Financial Management.  

Oral Contraception: A Feminist Dilemma

Oral contraception promotes autonomy but continues to impose a dilemma on intersectional feminism by subverting the goals of the movement. This research undertakes a typology on philosophical, feminist, and empirical readings and data that elucidate the subversion; this includes harsh physical, mental, financial, socio-economic, and research implications that oral contraception burdens those who have uteruses. Oral contraception and feminism should not be disregarded, though. This thesis is a major call to action that reproductive justice has yet to be achieved. Knowledge about reproductive health is power. This knowledge can assist employers and HR departments in understanding the seriousness of reproductive health and subsequently develop policies surrounding it. For instance, Spain passed a bill in 2022 granting those who possess a uterus menstrual days (Iqbal, 2022). Canada should consider enacting similar policies, and the information in my thesis will explain why.

Implications of Nova Scotia’s Transition to a Public Childcare Model on Women as Childcare Owners and Providers

This research explores the implications of the new publicly funded childcare policy in Nova Scotia, and effects of the transition for women as providers and owners. It explores the gendered aspects associated with the policy change in Nova Scotia, and its impact on the careers and livelihoods of workers and leaders in the field. Reporting on a series of interviews with owners and care providers, the project aims to assess if and how the transition to the new public system will alleviate or contribute to ongoing concerns about childcare accessibility, equity, and quality in Nova Scotia.