Nova Scotia Health province-wide career fair a resounding success

Nova Scotia Health has hired more than 120 people from leads generated through its inaugural province-wide career fair in April, with new employees in each provincial health zone.

Fifteen of those hires are for jobs deemed by the health authority as being hard to fill roles in regions across Nova Scotia. These positions include a crisis intervener, an emergency department nurse, a mental health social worker, medical device reprocessing technicians, and a manager in nutrition and food services. 

“We felt confident the time was right to showcase the diversity of careers Nova Scotia Health has to offer” said Lauren Murphy, director of recruitment and volunteer services for Nova Scotia Health. “Based on the turn out, we were right. We are beyond thrilled that so many people showed up curious and interested in opportunities with the health authority.”

Murphy is especially pleased with how helpful the fair was in placing candidates in hard to fill positions in rural Nova Scotia. “We’ve hired a clinical therapist in Inverness that had been posted for 431 days. And we placed a new nursing grad in the Aberdeen Hospital emergency department.”

More than 3,100 people attended the one-day event in 11 communities across the province. The career fair has so far generated 1,730 leads that could result in exciting new careers for many Nova Scotians.

“Our province is teeming with opportunities for those who want to build a rewarding career in healthcare. We must explore every avenue to recruit in-demand healthcare professionals and that includes creating greater awareness about the opportunities available to Nova Scotians,” said Health and Wellness Minister Michelle Thompson. “Congratulations to Nova Scotia Health on a successful province-wide career fair and welcome to our newest healthcare professionals.”

Nisha Varghese is one of the many success stories from the recruitment expo.

In 2021, Varghese and her family relocated from India to Canada, seeking new opportunities and a brighter future for her triplet sons. They ended up in Cape Breton but she was unable to work as a pharmacist, something she had done in India for more than a decade.

She attended the career fair in Sydney to support a friend seeking information for foreign trained physicians. During the fair, Varghese spoke with a Nova Scotia Health recruitment consultant. Varghese explained she had been working at a local pharmacy as a front store supervisor, occasionally picking up shifts as a pharmacy practice assistant. But she expressed concern about not being eligible for similar roles within Nova Scotia Health due to her foreign training.

“I wasn’t actively looking for a job,” Varghese said. “But I mentioned my dream of working in a hospital setting again.” The recruiter explained the process and potential pathways. Varghese’s hope grew. “When I learned there was a possibility to work in a hospital environment, it was incredibly emotional,” Varghese recalled. “It felt like a dream coming true.”

Varghese submitted her resume, was interviewed, and accepted the offer of a permanent part-time pharmacy practice assistant with the Cape Breton Regional Hospital. She began work on July 22.

The career fair wasn’t just for permanent roles. Hundreds of high school and post-secondary students from across the province attended the expo, with a focus on landing part-time jobs. As a result, 413 students were hired for this summer, double the number hired last year.

Acadia University business student Catherine Talbot attended the career fair in Bridgewater and is working for People Services. “It feels like a big accomplishment to be working for the summer in a position that will look great on my resume when I graduate and enter the job market next year,” she said.

The fair was also an opportunity to recruit for the many volunteer positions within the health authority. Sixty-two volunteer leads were generated from the expo, with 39 applicants already placed within the system.

Plans are already in the works to hold a second career fair next year.

Pictured: Recruitment Assistants for Recruitment and Immigration Services Ayesha, James, Noori, Raian, Lisa (left to right)