Good work ethic essential to success, says businessman Jean Allain

presentation Jean Allain lowresCHARLOTTETOWN – Jan. 30, 2015 – To succeed in one’s career or in the business world, one must develop good work habits and attitudes, suggests Jean Allain, owner of the Atlantic Roofers Ltd. chain.

Speaking to Courtney Hemphill’s Grade 10 careers class at François-Buote School in Charlottetown on Jan. 23, Allain expressed the fact, for a second year in a row, that a good work ethic is absolutely essential to getting and keeping a job in today’s world.

Allain began by relaying his career path, noting that he literally began at the bottom of the ladder, working for his uncle’s roofing company in New Brunswick, when he was a young teenager. Even though he received little formal education, he had a great desire to learn. He therefore put his back into the work and eventually became manager of the PEI branch of the company. Today, he is the owner of the company’s six branches, which are spread throughout Atlantic Canada.

As an employer, he often had to hire workers. He specifically looks for people who are real workers and who have a good work ethic and attitude.

Allain also spoke to the students about the type of employee he refuses to hire: those who have a bad attitude. He also added, in response to a student’s question, that he would much rather hiring someone with a good attitude with little experience than someone with tonnes of experience but with a bad attitude.

PRACTICAL TIPS

The guest speaker then shared a few simple and practical tips with his audience to help them improve their changes of eventually getting hired for jobs.

Teacher Karen Leblanc, who had dropped in to hear the talk, also backed up Allain’s comments by relaying experiences of her own.

It appears that Allain’s talk had a positive impact on the youth and their teacher since Hemphill has already asked Allain to return next year.

The speaker gave his talk at the request of RDÉE Prince Edward Island (the provincial francophone economic development council) as part of its youth employability strategy. Allain is a board member at both the RDÉE and the Acadian and Francophone Chamber of Commerce of PEI. He is also president of the Construction Association of PEI and a volunteer with various other organizations.

Throughout the years, he had received numerous awards for his efforts and accomplishments, all of which are spinoffs of his fine-tuned work ethic.

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CUTLINE: Jean Allain, owner of the Atlantic Roofers Ltd. chain, speaks to students from the Grade 10 careers class at François-Buote School in Charlottetown, highlighting the importance of a good work ethic and a positive attitude towards work.

 

For more information:

Stéphane Blanchard
Youth development officer
RDÉE Prince Edward Island Inc.
(902) 370-7333, Ext. 403
stephane@rdeeipe.org