N.B. Government Employees There To Help People And Companies Grow And Prosper
Whether helping immigrants adapt to new personal and professional lives in New Brunswick or assisting a growing business through a funding application process, the province’s public employees are happy to be of service.
“This is where I should be,” said Ayman Jaouni, a workforce consultant with Working NB, a branch of the Department of Post-Secondary Education, Training and Labour.
“What gets me up in the morning and what I love about my job is we actually make a difference for businesses and in individuals’ lives,” said Jaouni.
“They reach out to us whenever they need any help and we utilize our resources and funding and supports available to help them get to where they need to be,” he added.
Jaouni’s work sees him deal directly with employers and businesses – something that motivates him because he’s always liked to help those in need.
“That’s just the way I was raised, always putting people ahead of myself,” says Jaouni. “So, for me to be in a position that allows me access to those resources, that really makes a big difference for businesses and it’s what gets me going.”
“If clients have any business needs, they need to reach out to us, and we see what we can do to try and help them,” he said, noting he specializes in helping employers with recruitment, training and human resources support.
While he doesn’t go out looking for recognition and validation for a job well done, Jaouni says feedback from thankful employers and business owners is steady for the help he provides.
“Employers tell me, ‘Ayman, if not for your business, I would have been closed a long time ago,’ or ‘Because of you, we’d not be able to do this and go in this direction,’” he said.
“It makes me feel good knowing that I’ve made that difference in their lives where I know it’s not easy, a lot of the time, to talk to government employees or public servants. A lot of the time they have the expectation, ‘Oh, well, here we go, I’m going to be waiting forever,’ or ‘I’m probably going to get the bare minimum information and hopefully I can get what I need, and they’ll probably say no.’”
Jaouni stressed that a major motivating force for him is dispelling that perception of public servants.
“Employers appreciate that I take my time explaining every tool we use, helping them explore different scenarios and examples. I see a lot of positive impacts on employers and individuals. If someone calls and emails me, I reply within a few minutes,” said Jaouni, who has a diploma in general business and a degree in business administration and management.
“My background and education and experience are all business-related. I like to go above and beyond and take my time explaining everything we offer, and that’s something employers appreciate.”
Background is key for those considering a public service job in New Brunswick and worried that they’re not bilingual. Contrary to popular assumption there are a variety of options in both languages – and that the work isn’t strictly for people who speak both French and English.
Jaouni recognized how passionate he was for his work early on, telling a past director that he wasn’t looking for any other work, and was willing – and still is – to stay right up until the end of his contact.
“I have a lot of insights and knowledge and advice that I can share. Without the proper tools and funding, it’s hard to get a company where they need to be,” he said. “When you cover some of the costs they go through, they can invest the money they would have spent paying for those things on their own in other areas of the business to help grow that side of things.”
There are currently 55,000 public servants employed in New Brunswick, across 18 provincial departments – and for 27 corporations, agencies, boards and commissions.
Serge Zably, team lead for student integration with Opportunities NB, finds a similar passion in his work by finding, integrating and helping to retain international students.
“What inspired me to do this job is merely how I can help international students, with my own experience,” said Zably, who daws on prior experience as an international student supervisor and projects agent at Université de Moncton.
The Ivory Coast native said what drives him in his work is being able to change a person’s life by answering their questions and telling them how they can improve themselves, offering opportunities to volunteer, network and be engaged in the community – and above all – reasons why New Brunswick is a good place to live.
Zably derives a sense of meaning from his work, engaged in an ongoing process of diplomacy on behalf of New Brunswick, starting from the first day of university to the day newcomer students receive their diplomas, drawing on the knowledge he gained as a former international student and newcomer to New Brunswick himself.
“Every day, when I go to my job, I think about how I can at least give good service to someone and maybe make them decide to stay in New Brunswick,” Zably said.
Zably’s passion is driven by the process of helping international students navigate integration and language barriers, housing issues and finding work.
“We are working with many stakeholders – French institutions, English institutions, settlement agencies and internationals student associations. When I have meetings with those stakeholders, we mostly discuss the challenges that international students face finding a job, financing issues and how to get integrated into the community.”