Planning Your Career and Education
Immigrant Services Calgary recognizes that finding employment is one of the most difficult aspects of immigrating to Canada. Accreditation, education requirements and job search skills can be very different from one country to another.
We provide access to all the services you need in one agency. Our Immigrant Language and Vocational Assessment - Referral Centre (ILVARC) assesses language needs so that we are able to help and support newcomers with their career and educational goals. Additionally, our Newcomer Support Services offer help and workshops for newcomers with their job search, and Immigrant Services Calgary also offers mentorship for professional women.
Workshops are offered to clients in English and other languages upon request. Topics may include: career planning, job search strategies, resume writing, interview skills, financial resources available, information on training programs and accreditation procedures, and more.
Mentorship for Professional Women
The Integrated Women’s Mentorship Program links established professional women with new immigrant and refugee women to assist them in overcoming barriers to employment and help them realize their full potential in Canada as individuals and professionals.
The program serves immigrant and refugee women who have the ability to effectively communicate in English, but are experiencing difficulties looking for a professional job in Canada.
The program will offer two areas of participation:
Weekly workshops to discuss life and employment issues. Topics will address areas such as being a parent in Canada, health and wellness, personal development, healthy relationships, lifestyles, work and life balance, stress management, employment and networking.
Mentorship support will include 24 hours of mentoring over a four-month period on issues such as Canadian workplace culture, job-search skills, professional terminology, targeted labour market and professional accreditation.
Mentors to the program will receive mentorship training that will include topics such as cross-cultural communication and employment barriers experienced by immigrants.
Mentors will have the opportunity to:
- Enhance their understanding of issues facing immigrants
- Learn and meet people from different cultures and backgrounds
- Strengthen and/or develop communication, coaching and leadership skills
Multicultural Achievement Program for Learning Employers (MAPLE)
MAPLE is a nationwide project that brings together employers and recent immigrants to create employment opportunities for immigrants in Calgary.
Objectives are increasing public awareness and addressing the issue of internationally trained professionals’ integration from employers’ perspective by identifying the needs of employers and overcoming the barriers to hiring recent immigrants.
This is a project aimed towards EMPLOYERS and IMMIGRANTS.
Objectives: Overcoming the barriers to hiring recent immigrants.
Benefits:
For participating employers: Learn effective cross-cultural communications skills, tools, and strategies from an employer’s perspective in order to best adapt your workplace to engage a diverse workforce.
For participating newcomers: Receive professional assistance in your quest for knowledge of the Canadian workplace and for relevant employment.
The Workshop will consist of three activities:
- Workshops for employers on improving cross-cultural communication in the workplace.
- 12 week unpaid internship for new Canadians with participating employers.
- “Mentor-to-mentor” exchanges, with representatives of participating employers and new Canadians mentoring each other on issues of cultural understanding.
For more information: Call Lana at 403-705-0158 or come visit us!
