Le guide du nouvel arrivant au Canada m’a permis de découvrir World Skills. J’y ai cru, je l’ai expérimenté, nous avons réussi le pari.
Dès le début, j’ai fait confiance à mon conseiller en emploi de World Skills, qui m’avait confirmé mes potentialités et ma riche expérience professionnelle à offrir au Canada. Il m’a dirigé, tout droit, vers la réussite en m’offrant des programmes d’apprentissage et de perfectionnement. Il m’a aidé à remodeler mon CV et ma lettre de présentation, et à préparer les entrevues. J’ai bénéficié du programme de jumelage pour l’emploi et de l’encadrement d’autres conseillers en emploi.
Quelques mois plus tard, j’ai trouvé un emploi à la fonction publique fédérale dans le cadre du Programme Fédéral de Stage pour les Nouveaux Arrivants« PFSNA ». Oh que c’est merveilleux !
Travailler au Canada avec des diplômes étrangers, à compétences égales, est une réalité.
Merci World Skills. Toute ma reconnaissance au personnel d’encadrement et administratif.
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Excited as I was to join my family in Canada, I quickly learned that one has to be flexible and persistent to get ahead as a newcomer. It’s been now a full year since I arrived in Canada and I am forever grateful to all the agencies that prepared and provided me with solid skills to facilitate my entry into the Canadian workforce.
I came to Canada with five years of experience as a government employee; so it was no surprise that I had high hopes of being directly employed by the federal government. I soon had a reality check as I discovered that there are strict requirements to work for the federal government – key among which is a security clearance that could take up to five years to obtain! I was deeply disappointed.
Just in time, a graduate of the Federal Internship for Newcomers Program (FINP) informed my sister that the program provides exposure to newcomers interested in working in the public service. It was then that I researched and registered online with World Skills Employment Centre. The following day, I visited their office to find out more about the program. After they learned what I was looking for, I was referred to further skills assessment, job search workshops; and then to the Ottawa Job Match Network (OJMN) program.
The job search workshops were a huge eye-opener. We learned how to prepare a professional resume and cover letter, and were provided with the tools to succeed in a job interview with confidence. The hands-on, practical approach was integral in allowing me to effectively search and analyze job-postings, as well as to market my skills as a competent professional. There was no forgetting Bibiana’s example of the elevator speech that was always on my lips, “I am Tanisha Williams. I come with over 5 years of experience in …” In those workshops you could see that we were all very talented and qualified, we just needed that extra coaching to prepare us for the Canadian work environment.
We learned a wealth of information. The group activities allowed us to better understand each other, build synergies, and provide constructive criticisms to improve ourselves. The attendees within my cohort continue to share a special bond. We keep in touch to celebrate achievements and share information as part of embracing Canada as our new home.
Two months after my arrival in Canada, I got a starter job related to my field. Six months later, I landed employment in my field. I enjoy my new job and now my career is on its way! I must say a big ‘Thank you’ to Mercy from Immigrant Women Services Organization (IWSO) who was always willing to provide references upon request. Whenever someone makes a comment on my relatively fast success in entering the Canadian job market, I assure them that persistence with a positive attitude are key.
Today, I am a proud promoter of World Skills Employment Centre and their partner agencies. These include the YMCA/YWCA Newcomer Information Centre, TD-World Skills Mentorship Program, and the Ottawa Chinese Community Service Centre where, through In-Tac, I pursued a three month Enhanced Language Training course for internationally trained accountants. I am now an alumni member.
My career progress in Canada is a testament of the importance of the work of these organizations for newcomers looking to reach their employment goals. Thanks to all of you!
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I started this challenging journey in 2013, when my family and I arrived in Canada. Although my English was practically zero, I was full of energy and positivism, fully committed to be ready for the Canadian workplace. I attended English classes and workshops. Meanwhile, I was also enjoying the weather, the brilliant colours of autumn, and the majestic whiteness of the Canadian winter. I went to skate and to slide on the snow, I enjoyed it so much!! I was living a honeymoon.
After one year; however, the honeymoon turned into stress. Unsuccessfully applying for jobs, I was slowly losing my self-confidence. I just thought: “I am not capable to do anything”, “I am not prepared to face the Canadian workplace”, “What am I going to do?” “My English is too bad, no employer is going to hire me”…
One lucky day, I applied for an internship position at World Skills as a receptionist in the Employment Resource Centre. That was the beginning of the change for good. Not only did it give me the opportunity to gain my first Canadian work experience, but I also got to meet amazing people. At World Skills, they genuinely want to help immigrants succeed and reach their employment goals in Canada.
I took advantage as much as I could of all the resources they offer, I successfully completed the Office Administration, and Professional Writing courses increasing my Canadian Language Benchmarks (CLB) from 5 to 9. For me, World Skills was like “the spark that ignited my engine”.
One more example of World Skills’ commitment to help newcomers is the fact that they work in partnership with other local agencies serving immigrants (LASI) in Ottawa to support internationally trained professionals in their job search. That’s how, after completing my internship position at World Skills as a receptionist, I found out about another internship opportunity through In-TAC, one of the LASI agencies World Skills partners with. I then applied for and got accepted to work as an intern Accounts Receivable Specialist at a company that also supports newcomers in their integration into the Canadian labour market and that’s when it happened, I was able to secure employment at that company because they “didn’t want to lose me” so I was offered a permanent position with them!
I’d like to thank In-TAC and World Skills because they played a huge part in my success; after participating in all the workshops and courses they offer I gained a lot of confidence and became aware of my strengths as a professional. Thank you to the staff who gave me part of their valuable time.
Thanks World Skills, I will forever be grateful!
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Avec l’aide de Compétences Mondiales, j’ai apprécié d’avoir appris la technique SAR (Situation, Actions, Résultats). Si vous voulez un secret, cette méthode est la clé de toute chose. Je l’ai intégrée dans la reformulation de mon nouveau CV, dans la lettre de motivation et même durant l’entrevue. Je me suis ainsi démarquée des autres candidats en personnalisant mes réponses et en donnant des détails pertinents.
J’ai eu un accompagnent et un soutien personnalisés des conseillers. J’ai pu compter sur eux pour préparer mes différents documents et me pratiquer pour l’entrevue. J’ai également reçu une grande part de motivation. Je suis aujourd’hui reconnaissante pour le travail et le soutien de toutes ces personnes qui travaillent au quotidien pour nous tenir dans nos démarches. Une nouvelle page s’ouvre pour moi et cela grâce à ces personnes que j’ai rencontrées au bon moment.
Sylviane K. Somda
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Elena Chernikova immigrated from Yakutia in the Russian Siberia eight years ago. Elena holds a PhD in comparative linguistics and cultural studies from Moscow State Linguistics University. Her postgraduate fellowship at Kent State University, the U.S.A., focused on the internationalization of higher education. In Canada she graduated with an M.A. in Globalization and International Development from the University of Ottawa. She presently works at NHQ – Integration-FCRO, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada.
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