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
MAPLE 2.0 Mentorship In Action
(Multicultural Achievement Program for Learning Employers)
MAPLE 2.0 is a nationwide project that brings together employers and Internationally Educated Professionals (IEPs) to create employment opportunities for immigrants in Calgary.
As a participating employer you will access a rich pool of new talents, receive complementary cultural competency training and one-on-one support to help integrate and retain IEPs through internships.
This is a project aimed towards EMPLOYERS and 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.
Objectives:
- Address employers’ recruitment challenges by connecting them to a pool of skilled professionals;
- Reduce the unemployment and underemployment rate of IEPs in Canada;
- Promote intercultural understanding and Canadian workplace values among IEPs;
- Strengthen Canada’s competitiveness in the global marketplace.
Activities:
- Workplace cultural competency training for employers;
- 12-week paid/unpaid internship for IEPs;
- A weekly mentor-to-mentor exchange in the workplace between IEP interns and their immediate supervisors during the internship period.
For more information contact: Cherwyne Del Rosario CherwyneD@immigrantservicescalgary.ca or 403.265.1120 ext. 251
