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Omar Yaqub

Sustainable Happiness: How Happiness Studies Can Contribute to a More Sustainable Futur... - 0 views

sustainablehappiness.ca/...e-to-a-more-sustainable-future

sustainable happiness

shared by Omar Yaqub on 28 Feb 11 - No Cached
  • Sustainable Happiness: How Happiness Studies Can Contribute to a More Sustainable Future This paper provides the rationale for integrating sustainability principles with happiness studies. Examples of sustainable happiness in practice are provided as well as recommendations for further applications.
Omar Yaqub

The Future of Manufacturing is Local - NYTimes.com - 0 views

opinionator.blogs.nytimes.com/...ture-of-manufacturing-is-local

work competitiveness manufacturing local

shared by Omar Yaqub on 28 Mar 11 - Cached
  • Both SFMade and its New York cousin, Made in N.Y.C., are increasingly able to share success stories of how manufacturing has developed new models for doing business in the 21st century. The monolithic single-industry model has evolved as manufacturers see the benefits of being smaller and paying attention to how patterns of consumption, ownership and use are shifting.
  • “For decades we have developed a culture of disposability — from consumer goods to medical instruments and machine tools. To fuel economic growth, marketers replaced longevity with planned obsolescence — and our mastery of technology has given birth to ever-accelerating unplanned obsolescence. I think there is increasing awareness that this is no longer sustainable on the scale we have developed.”
  • “It’s not some cute cottage industry,” she says, referring to the prevailing tendency to view “local” as something generally limited to cupcakes, jam or “My Mom Went to _____ And All I Got Was This T-Shirt.” The “number one thing we do,” Sofis continues, “is facilitate new connections.”
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  • The decision to be a non-profit was borne out of the belief that trade organizations (like the Chamber of Commerce) often serve more of a business development function rather than address the needs of the local manufacturing community.
  • In contrast to government-initiated programs, SFMade emerged from the community, the culmination of a grassroots movement. The group allows that community to reconnect, share resources, receive education and assistance on everything from zoning to sourcing to taxes. In the last year, 128 companies have joined in the belief that they’re better togethe
  • Sustainability has become a large part of its mission: member companies can post the environmental impacts of their manufacturing processes on the Made in N.Y.C. Web site, with those excelling in greener process and product able to earn a “green apple.” Tying economic growth inextricably to environmental stewardship has so far been a strong strategy.
  • “Let’s help the public understand what we have,” she continues. “The job potential is huge.”
Omar Yaqub

http://www.employment.alberta.ca/documents/RRM/RRM-BI-mature-workers.pdf - 0 views

www.employment.alberta.ca/...RRM-BI-mature-workers.pdf

employment alberta seniors

shared by Omar Yaqub on 27 Apr 11 - No Cached
  • Omar Yaqub on 27 Apr 11
     
    With the workforce aging in Alberta and across Canada, labour force participation by mature workers is attracting increased attention. As people live longer, healthier lives, many wish to stay active in the workforce or to volunteer in their communities. Mature workers have developed valuable skills and abilities and a lifetime of knowledge and work experience.  At issue is not only the need for increased labour supply, but how to minimize the loss of experience, corporate memory, leadership and mentorship that can occur when people retire. Without taking action now to address the impacts of an aging workforce, there will be a significant decline in Alberta's labour supply. In 2006, the Government of Alberta acknowledged the need to increase the labour force participation of mature workers in its comprehensive labour force strategy, Building and Educating Tomorrow's Workforce (BETW). Between October 2007 and February 2008 an online public consultation on Alberta's aging workforce gathered input from Albertans on their priorities, issues and experience with an aging workforce. Following this, government has developed an action plan to support increased labour force participation of mature workers. The action plan is based on the following assumptions: * With the aging population, increasing mature worker labour force participationmay be important for improving productivity and encouraging economic growth.* Mature workers have identifiable work-related needs, such as the need forincreased flexibility, which are not being fully addressed. * Market forces and employer practices will have a positive influence on increasingthe workforce participation of mature workers; however, policy changes may be necessary to remove some barriers and to sustain strong labour market participation. Engaging the Mature Worker: An Action Plan for Alberta identifies four overarching goals to support mature workers in the labour force.
Omar Yaqub

Calgary Economic Development campaign aims to attract people and business - 0 views

www.calgaryherald.com/...story.html

Work calgary attraction web

shared by Omar Yaqub on 20 Jul 11 - No Cached
  • the purpose is to attract people and prospective employees “and to address our longer-term workforce needs.”
  • The second reason is to further develop and diversify our business base in a more sustainable way to complement our strength in areas like energy,
  • third reason, particularly coming back from our research, is to highlight how this city has evolved from an arts, a culture and a cosmopolitan global business centre perspective
  • ...5 more annotations...
  • campaign will focus on recruiting qualified workers and targeting sectors key to Calgary’s sustainable growth, such as finance, technology, and logistics. Outreach to these sectors and people will occur in four Canadian markets: Toronto, Halifax, Ottawa and Montreal
  • campaign was created by Calgary Economic Development with support from Mayor Naheed Nenshi and more than 30 investors from the private sector
  • outreach to those markets will be through the use of various tactics such as advertising and social media to create awareness about Calgary as a centre of business and career destination. There will also be a “heavy focus” on media relations and public relations
  • total budget for the 10-month national campaign is $1.2 million.
  • More than 50 per cent of the funding has been raised through partnerships with the private sector
Omar Yaqub

GOVERNMENT OF SASKATCHEWAN SUPPORTS LABOUR RECRUITMENT MISSION TO IRELAND - Government ... - 0 views

gov.sk.ca/news

trades work government recruitment

shared by Omar Yaqub on 26 Apr 12 - No Cached
  • GOVERNMENT OF SASKATCHEWAN SUPPORTS LABOUR RECRUITMENT MISSION TO IRELAND Premier Brad Wall and Advanced Education, Employment and Immigration Minister Rob Norris will participate in a labour recruitment mission to Ireland in March 2012. The delegation will be comprised of Saskatchewan employers and supported by the Government of Saskatchewan. Immigration staff will support employers who are actively making job offers in Ireland at career fairs in Dublin (March 3-4) and Cork (March 7) where more than 9,000 qualified candidates in fields including trades and construction, engineering and health sciences are expected to attend. "The New Saskatchewan offers jobs, a high quality of life, and a welcoming environment to newcomers," Wall said. "We look forward to telling our story in Ireland. Immigration is helping sustain our economic momentum and enriching our cultural diversity." "There is a tremendous pool of qualified people in Ireland who are actively seeking opportunities abroad," Norris said. "The Irish Economic and Social Research Institute estimates 75,000 Irish are expected to emigrate in 2012 as unemployment in the country continues to rise. This mission will connect Saskatchewan employers with qualified candidates who are seeking to emigrate." Twenty-two employers have committed to participating in the mission with more than 275 vacancies on offer. Candidates who receive an offer of employment will work with immigration officers to apply to the Saskatchewan Immigrant Nominee Program (SINP). "With a record of economic growth, and one of the lowest unemployment rates in Canada, Saskatchewan is a place of opportunity," Norris said. "And we welcome these newcomers to discover the Saskatchewan advantage." -30- For more information, contact: Richelle Bourgoin Advanced Education, Employment and Immigration Regina Phone: 306-787-8153 Email: richelle.bourgoin@gov.sk.ca
Omar Yaqub

Edmonton Social Planning Council - The Way We Green: White Paper - 0 views

www.edmontonsocialplanning.ca/...271

edmonton sustainability

shared by Omar Yaqub on 12 Jan 11 - No Cached
  • The report highlights 7 challenges facing city planners: energy and climate change, river water supply, food security, biodiversity, air quality, one planet living, and waste management.
  • Edmonton is currently losing protected spaces to generating new ones at a rate of 5:2, and it recommends that we implement city-wide biodiversity planning which uses techniques such as biodiversity offset (where new protected spaces are generated for previous spaces claimed)
  • Noting that the White Paper report has a 30-year timeline, its largest weakness is that it provides no financial analysis citing that all of these projects would be economically beneficial if studied in sufficiently long timeframes. While the irreplaceable value of our natural surroundings is widely appreciated, a 5-year or 10-year estimate of how this plan will affect the city’s bottom line would be a necessity before the valuable suggestions the White Paper has made are incorporated into city planning policies
Omar Yaqub

A Physicist Turns the City Into an Equation - NYTimes.com - 0 views

www.nytimes.com/...19Urban_West-t.html

competitiveness

shared by Omar Yaqub on 23 Dec 10 - No Cached
  • In recent decades, though, many of the fastest-growing cities in America, like Phoenix and Riverside, Calif., have given us a very different urban model. These places have traded away public spaces for affordable single-family homes, attracting working-class families who want their own white picket fences. West and Bettencourt point out, however, that cheap suburban comforts are associated with poor performance on a variety of urban metrics. Phoenix, for instance, has been characterized by below-average levels of income and innovation (as measured by the production of patents) for the last 40 years. “When you look at some of these fast-growing cities, they look like tumors on the landscape,” West says, with typical bombast. “They have these extreme levels of growth, but it’s not sustainable growth.” According to the physicists, the trade-off is inevitable. The same sidewalks that lead to “knowledge trading” also lead to cockroaches
Omar Yaqub

trendwatching.com's February 2011 Trend Briefing covering CITYSUMERS - 0 views

www.trendwatching.com/...citysumers

shared by Omar Yaqub on 03 Feb 11 - No Cached
  • Chinese city planners proposed merging the nine cities around the Pearl River Delta into a single metropolitan area, containing some 42 million people: more than Argentina, and covering an area 26 times bigger than Greater London. (Source: Reuters, January 2011.)
  • while 'traditional' global powerhouses such as New York, London and Paris are already sharing the stage with Beijing, Mumbai and Istanbul, increasingly cities such as Belem, Chongqing and Guadalajara are ready to make their mark.
  • Tokyo and New York have an estimated GDP similar to those of Canada or Spain
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  • Just 100 cities account for 30% of the world's economy, and almost all its innovation. 
  • In thriving mega-cities, whose economic and cultural power already often surpass that of entire nations, CITYSUMERS' identities will often be closely tied to a city's culture
  • Cities are increasingly seen as a solution to the quest for environmental sustainability, with high density living promoting a more efficient distribution of resources
Omar Yaqub

Outsider report card on Alberta's workforce strategy « Global Leadership Asso... - 0 views

www.global-leadership.ca/...on-albertas-workforce-strategy

work edmonton

shared by Omar Yaqub on 11 Feb 11 - No Cached
  • vision statemen
  • 1. Unleashing innovation.2. Leading in learning.3. Competing in the global marketplace.4. Making Alberta the best place to live, work and visit.
  • top strategies:• A Learning Alberta – basing Alberta’s growth on the knowledge industry• Securing Tomorrow’s Prosperity: Sustaining the Alberta Advantage – transition to a knowledge-based and value-added economy• A Place to Grow – linking rural economic development with educational attainment levels• Strengthening Relationships – Working strategically to strengthen partnerships between First Nations, Metis and Aboriginal peoples.• Supporting Immigrants, Immigration to Alberta and Integrating Skilled Immigrants into the Alberta Economy – attraction, development and retention of immigrants into Alberta• Growing our Future – integrating life-sciences strategies into innovation and some value-added sectors
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  • emphasizing a high performance workforce and a high performance work environment.
  • Investment in innovation and skills upgrading are key tofinding employment in Alberta in the coming years.• Labour supply pressures will resurface for some occupationsin the medium and long term due to Alberta’s agingpopulation.• Medium to long term labour force planning should continueto ensure Alberta has the skilled labour force it requires inthe future.
  • people who are targeted for the BETW initiative are youth, women, people with disabilities, immigrants, Aboriginal populations and minorities
  • common complaint was the expense of upgrading, re-training or accessing professional association tests for immigrants who were struggling to have their credentials recognized.
  • job loss due to the recession has been hardest on men in male dominated professions, Aboriginal youth and in agriculture, finance, insurance, real estate, leasing, manufacturing, construction and retail industries. Job increases were observed in health care, social work, information, culture and recreation,
  • the reality of the situation is more troubling and complex than recent BETW evaluations would have us believe
  • From the Advanced Education labour market report, unemployment recession effects are felt strongly by those very groups targeted for benefit from the strategy
Omar Yaqub

Welcome - Ottawa Tech Centre - 0 views

www.ottawatechstudents.com

education canada

shared by Omar Yaqub on 26 Jan 11 - Cached
  • This program was created to address the declining enrollment in post-secondary technology courses.  If Ottawa is to maintain its position as a technology leader, it is critical that we ensure that we have a sustainable talent pipeline. 
  • the programs with the greatest impact on the students were the ones that allowed them to explore leading edge technology under the mentorship of industry experts. 
Omar Yaqub

IBM100 - Corporate Service Corps - 0 views

www.ibm.com/...corporateservicecorps

sustainable CSR work

shared by Omar Yaqub on 28 Feb 11 - No Cached
  • Corporate Service Corps, through which the company disperses small teams of high-performing employees, for weeks at a time, to help communities around the world address economic and societal challenges. The mission of these teams combines corporate responsibility with leadership training and business development—representing a new integration of the company’s business and societal goals.
  • That work roster suggests why the Corporate Service Corps represents not only cutting-edge career training but also a major advance in the practice of corporate social responsibility. The latter has come a long way over the past 100 years. A century ago, businesses answered only to their shareholders, and philanthropy was a personal (and primarily financial) matter for wealthy industrialists and their companies. However, over the course of the twentieth century, the most enlightened corporations came to see developing responsible relationships with society as an important element of how they defined themselves. Today, engaging with society has increasingly become an essential part of doing business, woven into every decision about how the organization operates.
  • For IBM, the company gains experienced leaders, inspired employees, insights into new markets.
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  • “These kinds of skills are increasingly important. As the world gets flatter the ability to manage across all of these cultural differences is going to be much more important,”
  • CSC concept is now spreading to other companies. Industrial giants Dow Corning, Novartis and FedEx are launching similar programs, and the US Agency for International Development in 2010 began collaborating with IBM to help smaller companies get involved.
Omar Yaqub

CDS Monthly Update - February 2011 | CDC Development Solutions - 0 views

www.cdcdevelopmentsolutions.org/february2011news

CSR sustainability

shared by Omar Yaqub on 28 Feb 11 - No Cached
  • IBM Corporate Service Corps Teams Head to India and Ghana CDS is kicking off the third year of its partnership with IBM’s Corporate Service Corps (CSC) with teams heading to Ghana and India at the end of February.
  • Omar Yaqub on 28 Feb 11
     
    Corpoate Service Corps Teams Head to India and Ghana CDS is kicking off the third year of its partnership with IBM's Corporate Service Corps (CSC) with teams heading to Ghana and India at the end of February.
Omar Yaqub

http://premier.alberta.ca/PlansInitiatives/economic/RPCES_ShapingABFuture_Report_web2.pdf - 0 views

premier.alberta.ca/...hapingABFuture_Report_web2.pdf

alberta trends work immigrants government

shared by Omar Yaqub on 09 May 11 - No Cached
    • Omar Yaqub
      Omar Yaqub on 09 May 11
       
      work with the federal government to change the immigration system - to help address critical shortages of workers at all skill levelsIt is in the interests of all Canadians that the Alberta economy remains strong. To realize the full potential of the oil sands and broaden the economic base, the province will need people from outside the country as well as migrants from other parts of Canada. The provincial government and industry must collaborate in demonstrating to the federal government the critical need to at least double the caps on the provincial immigrant nominee program. Advocate for immediate changes that allow temporary foreign workers with solid records to apply for permanent resident status while they are still in the country. Continue to work with the federal government to institute longer-term changes to better align the national immigration program with strategies for economic growth, making it more responsive to changing economic conditions and industry's workforce needs.Determine what is getting in the way of swift assessment of foreign trades and professional credentials related to these scarce skills, and remove barriers to full recognition of qualifications that meet Alberta standards. Pre-certify credentials from selected offshore institutions, and create a mechanism that allows all immigrants to determine their credential status before moving here. Expand initiatives such as the Immigrant Access Fund to help immigrants achieve credential recognition.
  • Omar Yaqub on 09 May 11
     
    Give a new alberta water authority the mandate to innovate in water stewardship, and realize the full benefit of our precious water assets Alberta needs all its citizens to develop the mindset and skills to thrive in today's world and drive economic growth - to be resilient, lifelong learners, healthy and productive, eager to achieve and perform, globally connected and informed seeking talent around the globe Like other countries with aging populations, Alberta in 2040 will be competing to attract the brightest and the best talent to the province's workforce to fill critical gaps. As early as 2030, demographers predict that domestic workforce growth in Alberta and Canada will have stalled, although higher birth rates in our Aboriginal population could indicate potential for some domestic population growth. Encouraging seniors who wish to stay in the workforce longer to do so could mitigate (but not solve) the problem. Employers could abolish their mandatory retirement age and other policies that discriminate on the basis of age.Employers in this province are already concerned about shortages of people to fill jobs at all skill levels, well aware that energy booms create huge demands for workers in service sectors as well as in construction and labour-intensive oil sands production. The very specialized skills and knowledge essential to success in broadening the economic base are in short supply in the province now because there have not historically been good opportunities in these areas. One key requirement is more people experienced in founding and growing technologybased businesses. While productivity improvements and the application of innovative business models may slow growth in the labour supply gap or change the mix of skills required over the  next three decades, we still expect to see an increasing  need to attract immigrants to the province to fill key gaps  at all skill levels.The number of immigrants to Alberta fr
Omar Yaqub

Worker squeeze to hit oilpatch - 0 views

www2.canada.com/...story.html

work alberta competitiveness trends

shared by Omar Yaqub on 30 Mar 11 - Cached
  • council sees demand for workers skilled in new technologies associated with unconventional oil and gas exploration and production, as well as increased demand for employees such as water and environmental management technicians, steam engineers and fracking operators,
  • Attracting workers with the right skills is "essential to sustain growth in the industry," said Jennifer Koury, vice-president corporate services with driller EnerPlus.
  • "Everyone remembers that in 2007 severe labour shortages put serious limits on our industry and it cost us in the industry dearly," she said. "The (report) has shown us that the industry will soon be entering another severe labour shortage and we need to be prepared."
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  • A shrinking labour market will drive up costs and make the industry less competitive, said Gary Leach, executive director of the Small Explorers and Producers Association of Canada.
  • "If you don't have trained workers in key choke points, and we're already seeing that, it's going to affect the development of all sorts of big projects," Leach said.
Omar Yaqub

ICCI: Eligible Activities and Expenses - 0 views

www.international.gc.ca/...support-appui.aspx

government funding

shared by Omar Yaqub on 28 Jun 11 - No Cached
  • ICCI supports initiatives that promote and sustain foreign direct investment in Canadian communities.
  • program assists communities in developing the tools needed to attract and retain investment.
  • Typically, a community begins by undertaking basic research to determine its strengths, identify key sectors, and determine the level of investment already located in its territory
  • ...21 more annotations...
  • Investment training for economic development staff
  • Conducting business retention and expansion research
  • Identifying investment strengths and local assets
  • Developing a community profile to show potential investor
  • Developing and implementing a targeted strategy for encouraging foreign investment
  • Developing and implementing a targeted strategy for retaining and expanding existing foreign investments
  • Developing or substantially upgrading websites for foreign direct investment purposes
  • Implementing strategies to retain or expand the investment of foreign affiliates already located in Canada
  • Eligible Expenses
  • Research and studies: identification of target corporations, comparative competitive analyses, development of business cases, business retention and expansion studies, etc.
  • Economic data: collection of community and economic data for investment profiles, etc.
  • Strategic FDI planning: facilitators, consultant costs, community consultations, development of strategic plans.
  • Website development: development and/or major redesign, addition of significant architecture and functionality.
  • Translation: translation of documents or website content into either one of Canada’s official languages or foreign languages;
  • Promotional materials (print or electronic): design and layout only (printing costs and the pressing of CDs and DVDs are not eligible).
  • Advertising: design and layout.
  • Investment Training including EDAC annual conference: courses as part of the community’s investment attraction and retention strategy for employees of the Community.
  • Consultants/contractors.
  • Ineligible ExpensesResearch activities not associated with investment attraction, retention and expansion. Collection or purchase of statistical data not associated with investment attraction, retention or expansion activities. Development of training courses/modules. Consultants hired to facilitate a training session. Costs associated with hiring consultants to develop ICCI applications. Regular website maintenance and updating web content, site hosting, software licensing, Corporate logo design, costs of printing, pressing CDs, or DVDs, and recording videocassettes. All give-aways: gifts, events/shows/concerts tickets, logo items, cups, mugs, pens, etc. Design and layout of non-investment ads (promoting tourism, for example), cost of ad placement in any media.
  • Travel costs incurred by applicants, partners or consultants not related to training; travel costs incurred by potential investors. Taxes: GST, PST, HST, VAT or taxes applied by foreign governments. Hospitality: Cost of meals or alcohol; lodging; clothing and uniforms; and all give-aways. Trade show/conference participation:  registration fees at international trade shows or conferences  (in Canada and abroad), booth design / purchase / assembly and shipping, design of promotional material specifically for a trade show, overhead costs such as pre-show mailing, stationery and long distance phone calls, research to target companies at a trade show, consultant costs for organizing outgoing missions (including training participants); consultant costs to develop target business cases for follow up with potential investors after show; cost of developing an advertisement (design and layout) for show specific publications. Activities or projects  related to attracting infrastructure for tourism and motion picture industries, e.g: to develop ski resorts, theme parks and film production facilities.
  • Capital costs: infrastructure development, capital expenditures to acquire or enhance assets, software licenses, electronics (computers, fax, machines, digital cameras, etc.), demonstration aids. Capital costs include the direct costs of acquisition, construction, expansion, modification, conversion, transportation, installation and insurance (during construction) of fixed assets, as well as the cost of licensing and franchising fees. Overhead costs: Postage, including postage for direct mail campaigns; phone; office space rental; photocopying. Salaries and benefits of personnel. Miscellaneous: activities to attract investment from inside Canada; costs incurred before the application’s approval date; activities for which one or more partners expect to receive compensation in the form of a commission, finder’s fee, or other form of remuneration; promotion activities related to properties or business investment in which one or more partners receive a personal or corporation financial gain.
Omar Yaqub

Short Term - 0 views

www.petrohrsc.ca/...short-term-trends.aspx

Work

shared by Omar Yaqub on 20 Jul 11 - No Cached
  • Services sector downsized 13,000 to15,000 positions during the downturn - more than any other secto
  • Approximately 70% of the Services sector's workforce is located in the field where workers need to be prepared to work in all weather conditions and may be away from home for long periods of time.
  • Oil and gas key operating areas tend to be in hard-to-recruit locations such as remote areas and regions with low population densities.
  • ...3 more annotations...
  • Much of the Services sector work is seasonal and activity levels fluctuate with oil and gas prices.
  • The Services sector is a preferred labour supply source for the Exploration and Production and Oil sands sectors that often hire full-time employees from its contracted workforce.
  • The Services sector may be facing a labour shortage, but the industry as a whole will soon have to adapt to a much tighter labour market. During the downturn, cost management was the primary concern for the industry. In the latter half of 2010, attraction, retention and workforce development returned as key priorities for many oil and gas companies. Industry recovery has also increased the challenges around managing compensation and benefits expectations as well as employee turnover/retention. These workforce issues continue to escalate in today's market. For many companies, managing labour issues will be key to sustaining growth.
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