From looking for a job in Canada, to helping other newcomers get trained for the workforce at DIVERSEcity’s Skills Training Centre
It was only five years ago that Indian-born Ish Kumar arrived in Canada as a skilled worker, bringing with him an MBA, along with 10+ years’ experience in training and development in the financial sector.
Like many newcomers, Ish’s job hunt in Canada presented him with some confusing challenges and he wasn’t sure what to do.
Today, as assistant manager of DIVERSEcity’s Skills Training Centre, he is happy to share tips from his journey with students facing similar career obstacles.
“When I first came to Canada, I didn’t know many people or have the proper connections,” says Ish, admitting he didn’t really know how to look for work in his new country.
Getting career help at DIVERSEcity
Ish visited DIVERSEcity and was put in touch with a case manager, who worked with him to help develop his resumé, cover letter, as well as practise his interview skills. He also learned about different methods of looking for employment such as networking events, job fairs and social media platforms like LinkedIn.
His case manager also recommended he go on some informational interviews with local employers, and put Ish in touch with Shaw Communications.
While there weren’t any job vacancies at the time, Ish had impressed his interviewer; so much so that a position as an in-home solutions representative was created specifically for him. This all took place within 25 days of him being in Canada!
Ish says, “Prepare for an informational interview as you would for an actual job interview because they are regarded highly in Canada.”
Building on your job skills as a newcomer in Canada
Fast forward a few years and Ish’s experience at Shaw combined with his years of experience in training and development in India landed him the perfect position with DIVERSEcity’s Skills Training Centre. This social enterprise arm of DIVERSEcity Community Resources Society offers specialized training courses to help immigrants and Canadian-born students get the right skills, information and confidence to get a job.
“Because of the resources provided to me through DIVERSEcity, I was able to get a good start in Canada and get my dream career,” Ish says.
Through the Skills Training Centre, Ish now helps others enter and re-enter the workforce. These fee-based courses are one to five days in length and are taught by industry experts. Popular courses include customer service and cashier training, basic computer skills, financial customer service training, computer skills for the workplace, call centre training, Sage 50, supervisory training and more.
His advice to any newcomer looking for a job? “Have a willingness to learn and take advantage of the services offered at DIVERSEcity to get the required information on how to enter the Canadian workforce.”
Learn more about DIVERSEcity’s Skills Training Centre here.