Teamworks takes up residence in historic downtown post office

By Dale Woodard - Lethbridge Herald on March 4, 2022.

For the past 30 years, Teamworks Career Centre has been ringing the bell.
Now, they’ll continue to assist unemployed Albertans at their new location on the third floor of the historic redeveloped Post Office building.
With Lethbridge mayor Blaine Hyggen, Lethbridge East MLA Nathan Neudorf, Lethbridge West MLA Shannon Phillips and Lethbridge Chamber of Commerce CEO Cyndi Bester in attendance, Teamworks Training Ltd. president and CEO Ryan Miller officially cut the ribbon to launch the new location at a ceremony Friday morning.
That, and ringing the bell in celebration every time someone finds a new job.
“Having our grand opening today in this historic building of the post office is such an exciting time for us,” said Miller. “We had to be patient in doing this grand opening during these times, but it’s nice to be able to have everybody in this building.”
Teamworks Career Centre’s services funded by the provincial and federal government have always played an instrumental part in getting people working in Lethbridge, said Miller. 
“We are one of the best cities in Canada for sustained employment and low unemployment rate. So the labour force is so important for the growth of our region. So these services, (it’s) for people to be able to go ahead and get connected and learn how to do a job search, upgrade their skills, understand the labour market and at the end of it, achieve employment. Not just a job, but meaningful employment that will start their careers and carry on their careers. So to be able to do that at the post office that has such a long history of connecting people to the labour market, it’s just a very special moment for us, but also for this building.”
In their 30-year history, Teamworks Career Centre has assisted 35,000 Albertans in finding and securing new employment.
“Back in 1992 the interest rates were a record high and unemployment was a record high in Canada and people were struggling to work,” said Miller. “So the development of these services at that time to get those people to learn how to do an effective job search and how to go create their opportunities played such a critical role to help our province get moving forward after a very difficult time.”
Thirty years later, Teamworks Career Centre now helps job finders navigate their way out of the COVID-19 pandemic.
“People have lost jobs or transitioned to new (jobs). So it’s really interesting, the same techniques and the same things that we were doing back then are now very applicable in today’s job market,” said Miller. “The exciting part is we have exciting employment opportunities, but at the same time we have a lot of people who are not participating in the labour force. So that’s where these services are really important, to help those people say ‘How do I do that? How do I get reconnected and then be able to get out there and get a job and get working?”
Miller said one of the exciting things about Teamworks Career Centre’s new location is it’s easily identified with the historic clock tower.
“How we can give new meaning to that clock tower that if you need to go ahead and change your career or find work, just head downtown and come to this building,” he said. “When they come into this building they’re going to see and feel some of the history of 109 years of this building and see how this building played a part in our community.”
Miller also said people will find the opportunity to connect with like-minded people and surround themselves with people who are dedicated to helping them move forward. 
“Whether it’s other people who have been unemployed or the staff who are here. If they walk into our doors, they’re going to be welcomed and they’re going to be on a path to a new job.”
Miller said Teamworks Career Centre purchased the third floor of the post office building for their office space, but part of the whole redevelopment of the building is the second floor, an addition in the 1960s. 
“That whole second floor has now been remodeled into commercial condos. So now businesses or organizations can lease or buy individual units. So it’s a beautiful looking space down there and there are shared common areas and lounge areas. There’s bicycle parking and a gym in the basement and a wellness room. The building is really now open to have more public in there. So the redevelopment of this building overall, which we’re a part of, is really exciting to bring this building to the community and to give it much more access to, I think, one of the best buildings in Lethbridge.”

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