ThirdQuarter News Stories

ThirdQuarter Launches in Portage la Prairie

Businesses in Portage la Prairie are welcoming ThirdQuarter into the Manitoba city.

Portage la Prairie became the 13th ThirdQuarter pilot in June, joining a dozen other communities in B.C., Saskatchewan, Manitoba and the Atlantic provinces.


Trevor Shwaluk, director of operations and safety co-ordinator for Meseyton Construction Ltd. in Portage, hired five older workers this spring to drive trucks and bulldozers for flood-related jobs.

It's worked out so well he plans to use ThirdQuarter for future job postings, especially for the seasonal work that's available.

"They're much more committed," Shwaluk said of his mature workers.

"That's not to say that any of our other guys aren't, but they're reliable, absolutely reliable. And as far as dependable and accountable for their actions, absolutely.

"They're so experienced in the field that I didn't have any safety concerns with them. They were careful with what they did and they were particular about getting the job done properly."

Portage is about 80 kilometres west of Winnipeg and is an agricultural-based community with a city and rural municipality population of 20,460 (2006).

Portage & District Chamber of Commerce president Dan Bolton has seen firsthand the value older workers have brought to Richardson Pioneer Ltd., where he's crop input manager.

In the past six months, the company hired and trained three mature workers to drive locomotives to load rail cars. The work is often on the weekend.

"A lot of the guys just truly like bragging that they can drive a train, I think, but it works good for us," Bolton said.

"They get a chance to get out of the house and make a few extra bucks and try something new. And for us it's great. We don't need to hire a full-time person to do it. They're happy to come in casually to do that so it takes some pressure off our full-time staff.

"It's kind of a win-win for everybody."

The company also has a lot of work in the spring and early summer delivering seed and fertilizer. Two older workers were hired for those openings.

He expects ThirdQuarter will help area businesses fill a variety of jobs.

"There's always talk of a lack of skilled workers," Bolton said.

"A lot of these ThirdQuarter candidates are experienced. They've worked 30-odd years already and they bring that experience with them."


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