Appendix A- 1: A Day in the Life of a Taxi Driver

Transcription

1 1 Appendix A- 1: A Day in the Life of a Taxi Driver Life as a Taxi Driver as- taxi- driver html?cat=31 By Thomas Boehm The question asked was "what's so awesome about becoming a taxi driver" and I had to think for a few minutes. I drove taxi for about five years in Houston between 2000 and 2005 and the most awesome thing to me was the diversity of the people that I picked up from day to day. One thing all of you who read this need to realize is that Houston is not a mass transit town. Basically everyone here owns a at least one or two vehicles and those who use mass transportation or the taxi service here are the out of Towner's or the locals who depend on the taxi system as their live line to get to and from medical or business appointments in a timely manner. Over the five- year period I ran, I came across a colorful group of people depending upon what area of town and what who I picked up. The cab company I ran for had a wide variety of contracts that we ran from the military to Medicaid, and then there were the business accounts like running railroad crews to given destinations after their time would end for the daily run. We would take the exchange crew to wherever the train would stop after a given shift for the change over and pickup the crews that were getting off. We also had accounts with several maritime company's where we would pick up the seamen when they were allowed to come ashore and take them to destinations of entertainment or the local malls and it was always a thrill listening to what they had to say about their countries of origin or where they had been. Then we had our locals; during the daytime I ran mostly Medicaid and Red Cross contracts during the weekdays. These were mainly elderly or mentally handicapped patrons who lived out in sectors of the town which made it least cost effective for the government to pick them up on their regular routes and seeing I worked a general area of town during the week days I ended up picking these people up on a regular basis. The thing that stood out with these was their individual needs. Picking them up on a daily basis you tend to become their friends and a regular lifeline for them and become attached to some. And then there were those I picked up at night, a lot of these were the so- called night people, "The night clubbers, and people. It's amazing how people change after a few drinks. In my case I had a few people that I would pickup that worked the late shift and didn't like to drive. I had several professional dancers (strippers) that I picked up and television tends to give you the impression that these women are the dregs of society but I would pick up a group that were highly professional and devoted to what they did during the day light hours several were single mothers attempting to better themselves and this was their way of making and income that allowed them to go to school and take care of their families.

2 2 But overall driving a cab was somewhat exhilarating. It allowed one to see that diversification that we find in life and really see what makes each of us the individuals that we are. I enjoyed my time behind the wheel and would love to do it again if the system wasn't as corrupt as it is. I made good money driving but it's as if every time you made more the cab company wanted that much more on the vehicle lease or the city wanted that much more for the licensing and registrations required for operating. It got to the point where you didn't make enough for the time spent in the vehicle. Now I live in the country and would like to start my own transportation service to help those out where I live. This would also allow for me to make an income to supplement my Disability check but I don't think that will happen seeing I don't have the funds to obtain a vehicle to do so and leasing from the cab companies out here is out of the question seeing the majors won't come out here for those who truly need it and if they do the fares are outrageous. But I definitely do miss those colorful characters that I picked up from day to day and sometimes I wonder how they are because a lot of them became like family and close friends dependent upon you just like a child, when you part you wonder how they are doing and then you lose touch over time.

3 Appendix A- 2: Tips for Searching Using Google 3 Tips for searching like a pro Don't see what you're looking for in your search results? Here are some basic tips and tricks to help you find just what you want every time. 1. Keep it simple! Start by typing the name of a thing, place, or concept that you're looking for. [ puppy training tips ] [ london dinner cruise ] [ pasta recipe ] 2. Add relevant words if you don't see what you want after doing a simple search. First try: [ puppy ] More precise: [ puppy training ] Even more precise: [ dalmatian puppy training class ] Don't worry if it takes several attempts to find the right words to describe your search. 3. Try words that a website would use to describe what you're looking for. Not ideal: [ my head hurts ] Not ideal: [ why is my head killing me ] Better: [ headache ] Why? Google matches the words in your search to the words appearing in pages on the Internet. "Headache" is the term that informative webpages are likely to use, so using that term will help you reach the type of information you want. 4. Use only the important words rather than a full sentence or question. Not ideal: [ country where bats are an omen of good luck ] Better: [ bats good luck ] Why? Generally, all of the words that you include in your search will be used to find matching content. Too many words will limit your results. 5. Let Google do the work! Certain types of searches will show you special information directly below the search box.

4 4 Weather: [ weather edinburgh ] Calculations: [ 45 x.88 ] Exceptions Sometimes Google search will act differently than what's described above if doing so could improve your search. Here are a few of these cases: Common words like "the," "a," and "for," are usually ignored, but might not be if they're integral to your search phrase. For example, the word "the" differentiates a search for [ the who ] (likely referring to the band) and [ who ] (likely referring to the World Health Organization). A webpage could appear in your results even if it doesn't contain all of the words from your search. For example, the query [ overhead view of the bellagio pool ] will give you nice overhead pictures from webpages that do not include the word "overhead." Synonyms might replace some words in your original query, but you can enclose a word or phrase in quotes to prevent this from happening. Generally, most punctuation and special characters are ignored, however there is a growing list of punctuation and symbols that are recognized in searches. Want more tips? Explore Google's search tips and tricks to help you find information and answers faster. Try including search operators to filter your results by certain conditions. Use the Advanced Search page to see options for narrowing down your search results. The search results page Google's goal is to provide you with results that are clear and easy to read. A basic search result will include a title that links to the webpage, a short description or an actual excerpt from the webpage, and the page's URL.

5 Appendix A- 2 Your Career Future: Understanding Employment Patterns in Ontario 5 Choosing the right career is important. But what is the right career for you? To answer that question you need to think about: Which careers match your interests and abilities What kinds of education and training you may need Which occupations are most likely to be in demand now and in the future In today s fast-moving world, the demand for various skills can change over time. In fact, new occupations often appear while older occupations disappear. Understanding these patterns is an important part of making an informed choice about your career future. In this section of the website you can learn: Why job patterns change over time Which industries employ the most people What kinds of jobs are available in different industries What new occupations and industries are emerging What education and skills are needed for today s jobs Where job trends are headed in the future Did you know that in 2008, 6.6 million people were working in Ontario. 52% were male workers 48% were female 81% worked full- time 19% worked part- time 85% were employees 15% were self- employed

6 6 Source: Statistics Canada, Labour Force Survey. Why do jobs change over time? In 2008, an average of almost seven million Ontarians were working in hundreds of different occupations - singers, web designers, engineers, teachers, technicians, plumbers, machinists or construction helpers, just to name a few. Whether working full- or parttime, for a company or self-employed, the labour market offers a wide variety of career choices. Over time, however, the number and types of jobs available to workers can change for a number of reasons. Here are some of the most common: Economic growth: A growing economy means more people are working and have more money to spend. Having more customers, in turn, encourages businesses to expand. In the same way, more international trade with customers in other countries also causes business to grow. As a result, new jobs are created in many different occupations. Technology: Changes in technology can affect both the types of jobs available and the skills that are needed. Computers, for example, have increased the need for software engineers and systems analysts in the workplace, but have also reduced the demand for secretaries and clerks. New technologies can create brand new occupations as well. For example, the growth of the Internet gave birth to the web page designer. Demographics: Changes in the makeup of the population such as age, gender and cultural background can affect the demand for various kinds of skills. A younger population needs more schools and therefore more teachers. An older population requires more health services and therefore more doctors and nurses. In some occupations, there may be many older workers who will retire soon, and create new job opportunities. Consumer behaviour: People's needs change over time depending on how much money they have, their changing tastes and the amount of leisure time they have. For example, ecotourism is a relatively recent development. Growth in tourist attractions and accommodations has created many jobs in a large number of occupations such as hotel clerks, managers, tour guides, and recreation consultants. Important to know This section uses information from 2008, which does not fully reflect the recent global

7 7 economic downturn. The downturn has affected some industries and occupations more severely than others. The share of jobs in each industry has likely changed because of this. Which industries employ the most people? Ontario's economy has changed dramatically over the past 100 years. We have gone from an economy based on primary industries like agriculture, forestry and mining, to a manufacturing economy after World War II, and finally to today s knowledge-intensive service industries and high technology manufacturing economy. Over the decades, the kinds of jobs available have also changed away from occupations in primary industries and toward a wide variety of professional, technical and service occupations. As this chart shows, there were about three times as many jobs in 2008 in service industries as there were in industries that produce products and materials. Among those goods producing industries, manufacturing was the largest, although employment in

8 8 manufacturing has declined significantly since Manufacturing industries Manufacturing industries have the largest share of jobs in the goods-producing sector in Ontario. But changes in the manufacturing sector have been reducing the number of manufacturing jobs from 17.4 percent of all Ontario jobs in 2004 to 13.5 percent in This chart shows that: The transportation equipment industry is Ontario s largest manufacturing group, with about 20 percent of all manufacturing jobs. As this industry changes, and more advanced manufacturing processes are used, the greatest demand will be for highly skilled workers. The food, beverage, and tobacco products industry is the second largest industry group with 13 percent of manufacturing workers. Other manufacturing, including furniture and related products, petroleum and coal products, and non- metallic mineral products is the third largest industry employing 12 percent of manufacturing workers. The computer and electronics industry is the sixth largest with a share of eight percent of

9 9 manufacturing employment. Did you know Often, manufacturing industries tend to be located in one area of the province. That s important information when you are thinking about a career. For example, Sarnia and the surrounding area are home to much of the chemical and petroleum industry. The computer and electronics industry is largely based around Ottawa, the Greater Toronto Area, and Waterloo Region, while the auto industry is largely located around Toronto and in Southwestern Ontario. Steel and other primary metal production is heavily concentrated in Hamilton, Sault Ste. Marie and Sudbury. Food, beverage, textile and clothing manufacturers are located in many different communities in Southern Ontario.

10 10 Service- producing industries The service sector has been growing quickly and employs more than three quarters of all Ontario workers. There are many different kinds of services industries. This chart shows each service industry s share of the 5.2 million service jobs in It shows that the four largest industries in this sector are: Wholesale and retail trade Health care and all kinds of social assistance Professional, scientific and technical services Educational services. Together, these four provide 53 percent, or a little over half, of all jobs in the serviceproducing sector. Because service industries serve the needs of people, job opportunities in these industries can be particularly sensitive to changes in the population, and consumer behaviour. Changes in technology also have a large effect on job opportunities. For example, the use of computer and communications technologies by businesses has resulted in many job opportunities in the professional, scientific and technical service fields.

11 11

12 12 Did you know Some service industries tend to be located in particular parts of the province. For example, many of the jobs in finance, insurance, real estate and leasing are found in Toronto. The same is true for professional, scientific and technical services, although many jobs in these areas can also be found in the Ottawa region. Employment in public administration is concentrated in Ottawa and the Greater Toronto Area. Jobs in industries such as retail trade, however, are more evenly distributed around the province. In this case, the number of jobs is affected by the size of the population, with more jobs in larger towns and cities. What kinds of jobs are available in different industries? Each industry needs people with particular kinds of job skills. This table shows the kinds of people needed by manufacturing, service, construction and primary industries. It shows that: The service- producing industries need people in a broad range of occupations about 10 percent of jobs are in management occupations, 20 percent in business, finance and administrative occupations, and 30 percent in sales and service occupations. The largest share of employment in the manufacturing industry is in occupations that are unique to processing, manufacturing and utilities. In the construction industry, trades, transport and equipment operators represent 72 percent of that industry's employment. In primary industry, 71 percent of employment is unique to that industry, although these industries also employ people in management, business, finance and administrative, natural and applied science and sales and service occupations. Occupational Employment by Industry* Ontario, 2006 Occupational Groupings Manufacturing Industry (%) Service Industry (%) Construction Industry (%) Primary Industry (%) All Occupations Management Business, Finance and

13 13 Administration Natural and Applied Sciences Health Social Science, Education, Government Services and Religion Art, Culture, Recreation and Sport Sales and Service Trade, Transport and Equipment Operators Primary Industries Processing, Manufacturing and Utilities Note: May not add to 100% due to rounding. indicates employment share is less than 1 per cent of the industry total * Grouped according to North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) and excludes Utilities. ** Primary Industry includes Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing, Mining, Oil and Gas. Source: Statistics Canada, 2006 Census What new occupations and industries are emerging? In Canada, there is a classification system called the National Occupational Classification system (NOC) that describes all of the different types of jobs and occupations, and the skills they require. But some jobs are so new that they have not yet been classified. They require new skills, and have new job titles. Eventually, these new types of jobs are included in the NOC recent examples would include webmaster, multimedia specialist, computer security specialist, global positioning systems technician, direct broadcast satellite technician, avionics technician, and electronic commerce specialist. Of course, the skills required for specific jobs also change over time, and have to be updated in the NOC. These are old job titles, but with new skills. Examples include computer programmer or digital imaging technician in the printing industry.

14 14 Human Resources and Skills Development Canada (HRSDC) has identified a number of new and emerging industry sectors in the economy including: Aerospace Biotechnology in agriculture, forestry, fishing and pharmaceuticals Distance- learning Environment Green energy technologies Health informatics Multimedia, particularly for mobile communications. These new and emerging sectors employ people in many traditional occupations, although the duties for many jobs and the qualifications required may change over time. They also employ people in emerging occupations, although the number of available jobs may be quite low. One good example is the distance-learning sector. It employs teachers, curriculum developers, and librarians, but also requires that they have some additional computer and communications-related skills. Multimedia specialists are an example of an emerging occupation for this industry. What education and skills are needed for today's jobs? Today, a high school education and post-secondary education and training are more important than ever. In fact, as the world changes so quickly, many occupations require that we continue learning throughout our lives. The education level and skills required for most occupations has increased over time. While there are still many low skill, entry-level occupations, for example, the basic skills required to enter these occupations has increased.

15 15 This chart shows, for example, how educational requirements have increased over the last decade. It shows that: The proportion of workers in Ontario with post- secondary qualifications increased sharply between 1998 and By 2008, two- thirds of adult workers had completed post- secondary education, up from 56 per cent in The proportion of workers with high school fell slightly (to one in five), and the share with less than high school experienced a steep decline (from 15 per cent to 8 per cent). A growing trend, especially evident in new and evolving "high-tech" jobs, is the demand for workers with a combination of technical training, formal education and soft skills. For example, a recent report for Engineers Canada and the Canadian Council of Technicians and Technologists identified that, while many graduates and recent immigrants have the necessary technical skills to perform their work, there is a growing need for non-technical skills, such as communications, project management and team work, that are often acquired through experience. You should know In addition to job-specific knowledge and skills, employers today look for a broader set

16 16 of skills often called employability skills - in all workers. The Conference Board of Canada developed the critical employability skills profile for the Canadian workforce. The profile outlines foundation skills for employability: Academic: provides the foundation for good communication skills, a capacity to analyse, evaluate and solve problems and to learn new assignments and new ways of doing the job when technology changes. Personal management skills: positive attitude, ability to take responsibility and be accountable, ability to deal with changes in the workplace and be innovative, and respect for others. Teamwork skills: the skills needed to work with others on a job and to achieve the best results. Where are job trends headed in the future? It is difficult to accurately predict which occupations will be in demand in the future, and how many jobs will be created in these occupations. Economic conditions, technological developments, demographics and consumer behaviour will continue to affect the labour market, the occupational composition, and the kinds of job opportunities that will be available. We do know that most new job creation is expected to be in occupations requiring considerable education and training. Management skills, which are usually gained through experience following a period of formal education and training, will account for about 9 percent of all new jobs. In this category, the jobs expected to have the best prospects to 2013 are: Managers in healthcare Computer and Information systems managers Occupations requiring a university degree are expected to account for 26 percent of new jobs and those with extensive post-secondary but less than university degree requirements will account for 35 percent of new jobs. The best job prospects within occupations that require university degrees are: Specialist physicians Physiotherapists Occupational therapists Software engineers General practitioners and family physicians Information systems analysts and consultants Pharmacists

17 17 Civil engineers Social workers Registered nurses. For occupations with extensive post-secondary but less than university degree requirements, some of the best job prospects are for: Paralegal and related occupations User support technicians Dental hygienists and dental therapists Early childhood educators and assistants Electricians (except industrial and power system) Chefs Plumbers Refrigeration and air conditioning mechanics. Occupations requiring high school and/or occupation-specific training are expected to account for 22 percent of new jobs. In this category, the jobs expected to have the best prospects to 2013 are: Customer service, information and related clerks Food and beverage servers Truck drivers Heavy equipment operators The smallest contribution to new jobs - 8 percent - will come from occupations that require only short on-the-job training without a secondary school diploma.

18 18

19 19 Appendix A 2 The Conference Board of Canada s Employability Skills (see PDF handout) Appendix A 2 Images of Occupations