Acquiring Skills While Acquiring Language — and Making Connections in the Workforce

The Industrial Sewing Project is a partnership between Immigrant Women Services Ottawa (IWSO), Taggart Family YMCA/YWCA, The City of Ottawa, World Skills, and Make Sew Create, an Ottawa-based industrial sewing training centre. The Industrial Sewing Project is the result of outreach efforts as well as connecting with newcomers, employers, and listening to the needs of both.

Sima, Devi, Najat, Dil and Jannatul  are newcomers to Canada and enthusiastic participants in the Industrial Sewing Project. This initiative connected newcomers who had sewing skills with employers in the textile sector, and combined on-the-job language training.

 

We spoke to Sima about her experience in the Industrial Sewing Project:

Q: What was your favourite part of the program?

A: “I like working on the machines- every machine, invisible, serge, industrial, elastic, leather I like the challenge of learning the machines.”

Q: How did you benefit the most?

A: “Now that I am finished I know I will get a good job in the sewing.”

Q: What are you the proudest of?

A: “I like to see the finished product – and I can say I made that!”

Q: How will you apply your new skills?

A: “I know I will everything I learned in a new job. I know I will move forward with my sewing.”

Q: What do you enjoy about sewing?

A: “I learned new things – today I made a new model zipper.”

 

We spoke to Devi about her experience in the Industrial Sewing Project:

Q: What was your favourite part of the program?

A: “I like to sew the big and small bags. I like stitching the fabric.”

Q: How did you benefit the most?

A: “I learned how to stitch fabric and pull the fabric through the machine. I learned many machines like the industrial machine.”  

Q: What are you the proudest of?

A: “Working on the special mission- infinity scarves. Very happy to make bags, pencil case, and zippers with new design.”

Q: How will you apply your new skills?

A: “I will be able to use my new skills in a job.”

Q: What do you enjoy about sewing?

A: “Making new designs.”

 

We spoke to Najat about her experience in the Industrial Sewing Project:

Q: What was your favourite part of the program?

A: “Learning to hem and all the machines.”

Q: How did you benefit the most?

A: “Learned how to thread the machine and zippers.”

Q: What are you the proudest of?

A: “Making bags, and fixing clothes.”

Q: How will you apply your new skills?

A: “I can use in a new job.”

Q: What do you enjoy about sewing?

A: “I like hand sewing and stitching clothes.”

 

We spoke to Dil about her experience in the Industrial Sewing Project:

Q: What was your favourite part of the program?

A: “I liked putting the zippers in the bags.”

Q: How did you benefit the most?

A: “I learned many machines, industrial, serger, leather, invisible”

Q: What are you the proudest of?

A: “Making the bags seeing them finished.”

Q: How will you apply your new skills?

A: “In a job using an industrial sewing machine.”

Q: What do you enjoy about sewing?

A: “Using new fabric, stitching and making new bags.”

 

We spoke to Jannatul about her experience in the Industrial Sewing Project:

Q: What was your favourite part of the program?

A: “Full support of Mitra, in the projects, support form the whole group and family!”

Q: How did you benefit the most?

A: “I learned about many machines industrial, hemming, invisible, serger, elastic.”

Q: What are you the proudest of?

A: “Making a bag it’s a little bit different with a bow, zipper and lining, there is an upper and lower part and handles.”

Q: How will you apply your new skills?

A: “I plan to work in sewing using all the machines.”

Q: What do you enjoy about sewing?

A: When something is finished knowing that I can do it!”