More than 800 skilled immigrants to be mentored in national program
Credit to Author: Canadian Immigrant| Date: Mon, 11 Mar 2019 23:06:50 +0000
TRIEC and RBC partner up to deliver three-year National Mentoring Partnership
Many newcomers to Canada arrive with extensive work experience and a significant education; yet many are unable to find employment where they can put this experience to good use and truly fulfill their potential. In 2017, the unemployment rate for recent immigrants was 10.4 per cent, compared to 6.2 per cent for people born in Canada, according to Statistics Canada. To help newcomers transition, Royal Bank of Canada (RBC) and the Toronto Regional Immigrant Employment Council (TRIEC) have embarked on a new three-year partnership to help job-ready immigrants achieve gainful employment across Canada through mentorship.
Mentoring partners from Toronto to Vancouver
RBC is the lead sponsor of the National Mentoring Partnership, a mentorship opportunity where skilled immigrants across Canada are matched with mentors from various employers, including RBC. This sponsorship commitment will enable TRIEC to bring on a total of six national mentoring partners and six employer partners from across Canada to match 840 immigrant professionals with mentors in their occupations.
Mentoring partners (regional non-profit organizations who specialize in immigration and employment) working together with employer partners will increase access to mentoring for immigrant professionals. Mentoring partners will deliver the program locally in their region. Immigrant Employment Council of BC (IEC-BC) will be delivering the program in Vancouver as the next confirmed market of this partnership. Additional markets will be confirmed later this year, as well as in 2020 and 2021.
“Immigrants today contribute significantly to Canada’s growing economy, but too many newcomers are still unable to find employment that is commensurate with their skills and education,” said Debroy Chan, director of immigrant inclusion strategies at TRIEC. “Mentoring is a proven way of helping highly skilled newcomers reconnect with their careers in Canada so that they can contribute to their fullest potential.”
The program kicked off in January with its inaugural event in Toronto where immigrant mentees will meet their RBC mentors for the first time. RBC mentors have worked in the same field as their mentees and offer career advice for resumé building, interview preparation and networking, among other areas to enable the success of job-ready newcomers.
“Transitioning into a new life in an unfamiliar country can be daunting and we strive to equip newcomers with the knowledge and tools they need to break down barriers,” said Ivy Chiu, senior director, newcomer strategy, RBC. “Our partnership with TRIEC, and in particular, the National Mentoring Program launching across Canada, helps our clients and communities in a meaningful way and is strongly aligned to RBC’s values.”