New immigrants urged to integrate themselves into the Canadian workplace

New immigrants urged to integrate themselves into the Canadian workplace

By Veronica Silva Cusi

Armed with a PhD in engineering, and 20 years of industry experience, Alice Herrera brought her family to Toronto in 2007. As a new immigrant, getting into the Canadian workforce was a challenge.

Good thing she was able to find help from her “kababayans” through a mentoring program of her alma mater, the University of the Philippines Alumni Association (UPAA). With UPAA’s help and the guidance of a former employer, Alice is now working as a senior staff in her industry.

Alice’s case was one of the samples cited in a recently released study that highlights the importance of why newly landed immigrants need to integrate themselves in Canadian culture, including the workplace culture.

The study, titled “Winning Strategies for IEPs’ Success in the Workplace: Employers’ and IEPs’ Perspectives,” and the fifth annual study, was released last January in time for the 8th Annual International Education Professionals (IEP) Conference.

The conference brings together more than 1,000 IEPs and employers, and provide a venue to share success strategies and compare notes. The study was conducted by the Progress and Career Planning Institute (PCPI), the conference organizer.

Among the chief findings of this year’s annual study was the need for IEPs to integrate themselves into the workplace using tried and tested strategies, such as mentoring and coaching. Other strategies to help IEPs integrated themselves into the workforce include investing in ways to improve the language and communicate, and networking with other professionals to better understand workplace culture.

“We’re seeing more internationally trained professionals doing well in their chosen field,” said Silma H. Roddau, PCPI president, in a press statement. “They’re successful because they know how important it is to understand the Canadian culture to effectively communicate”.

Trying to become “more Canadian” was one of the strategies to succeed as a professional in Canada, the study noted.

“IEPs should try to understand the Canadian culture and the Canadian workplace, and in order to do so, they need to be open minded and be willing to accept the culture and integrate,” said Alice in the report.

Alice’s strategies to integrate herself into the Canadian workforce included networking with colleagues at work and improving her English language proficiency. With the help of her current employer, the Ontario Power Authority, she was also able to obtain two certifications in her field.

The study surveyed more 168 IEPs and 20 employers from Toronto. The employers included small, medium and large companies from the public, private and not-for-profit organizations.

“The study proves that employers are investing in mentorships and other programs to support IEPs in the workplace and the results are proving mutually beneficial,” Roddau noted in the study report.
The City of Toronto prides itself of its cultural diversity, with half of the population having been born outside of Canada, according to 2006 data.

“Toronto is one of the most ethnically diverse cities in the world,” said Michael Williams, General Manager, Economic Development, Culture and Tourism, for the City of Toronto. “That’s a huge advantage for Toronto, allowing local businesses to connect with every part of the world.”

PCPI is a not-for-profit organization offering career development services.

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(Veronica Silva Cusi is a freelance journalist with more than 15 years experience in business and technology journalism. Before moving to Singapore and eventually Toronto, she taught communication and journalism subjects for 16 years at the University of the Philippines Diliman where she also obtained her Master’s degree. She is a member of the UPAA Toronto Chapter.)