A national pilot research project designed to test interventions which support visible minority newcomer women to access employment.
Employment Program for Visible Minority Newcomer Women
World Skills is part of the national pilot research project, ‘Career Pathways for Visible Minority Women’ which is being implemented by the Social Research Demonstration Corporation and funded by the Government of Canada – Immigration Refugees Citizenship Canada. Our initiative in Ottawa is called Empowering Visible Minority Newcomer Women to Succeed in the Canadian Labour Market and it is in partnership with Immigrant Women Services Ottawa. The initiative started in July 2019 and will end in March 2023. Through this program. we will engage 1300 – 1500 Visible Minority Women in the testing of two program models using a randomized control trial design. The two models are:
- Navigating the Canadian Labour Market
- Partnership in Workforce Development
Both models are designed to build the capacity and confidence of participants to navigate the job market, increase their social capital through networking opportunities, and position them to access employment. However, model 2 focuses on the use of essential skills and portfolio development whereas Model 3 focuses on matching participants to employment. In addition to workshops, participants in the program groups of Model 2 and Model 3 will have ample opportunities to be matched with employers, access networking and coaching events, retention and self-leadership workshops and be matched to mentors and champions in their field of interest.
Gender-Specific Programming for Visible Minority Newcomer Women
Over 50 % of program participants secured employment within 3 months and 73% within 6 months of joining the program
Provides a holistic approach to labour market integration
Access to retention support
Direct matching to employers and employment opportunities
One year of employment counseling and recruitment support
Access to a network of employers and employment opportunities
Development of career action plans and portfolios
Participants can be matched to a professional mentor
Access to Self-Leadership workshops
99% of clients say that the program exceeded their expectations
Participation in Program Group Activities
The unique attribute of this program is that it addresses the barriers which visible minority newcomer women face in the labour market. Program group participants access 48 – 55 hours of in-class training which empowers them with the knowledge, skills, networks, and resources to build a practical action plan to lead them to secure employment in their field or related fields or even to transition to other careers.
Eligibility Criteria
Visible minority newcomer women
Permanent resident of Canada OR protected person and/or refugee
Unemployed or underemployed
Canadian Language Benchmark 5 or higher or equivalent
Willing to participate in the research project
Program Frequency
- Cohorts for program group runs once a month
- Information sessions run once a week
See What Past Clients Have to Say About Their Experience
“I’m an international medical graduate in orthopedic surgery who migrated to Canada, wondering how to start my life all over again. I was strongly recommended by several people to try the Catholic Centre for Immigrants services and World Skills who gave me information on how to prepare for my licensing exams and connected me to some people who were going through a similar process, which to this day was the most important advice and connections that I have received in my transition. I was encouraged, lifted up and healed psychologically. I also used tl;o think resume writing was so easy until I underwent a course with them on career transitions. We went through resume writing, customer care skills and relations in the Canadian setting, something that boosted my confidence and helped me prepare better for job interviews. They regularly sent us job adverts from which I was able to secure a job with the Public Health Agency of Canada after they helped me with resume writing for that particular job and a mock interview. My family and I are now happier and greatly thank World Skills for their support. Thanks once again, this is from the bottom of my heart. Long live World Skills.”
Michael Thu
“It was great and very helpful to have volunteers from the Career Transitions Team. They were flexible, eager, enthusiastic and most of all, allowed us to assist patients/clients in their preferred language; this contributed to provide a welcoming environment and positive experience in our clinic.”
Bruyère Family Medicine Centre
Discover Some of the Other Workshops, Programs and Services World Skills has to Offer
Learn More About Empowering Visible Minority Newcomer Women to Succeed in the Canadian Labour Market
Contact Us
Phone: (613) 233-0453
Email: ws@ottawa-worldskills.org
237 Argyle Avenue
Ottawa, Ontario K2P 1B8
Canada
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Funders
World Skills gratefully acknowledges the generous support of our funders:
