“I had a great experience mentoring. My mentee is very hardworking and sincere. I am glad I could help him. He has found a full-time job.”
Ataur R. 2019
Who is ERIEC?
Established in 2008, Edmonton Region Immigrant Employment Council (ERIEC) is dedicated to ensuring immigrants are welcomed and participate in the Edmonton economy to their full potential.
ERIEC's programs support building a diverse community. We work with a network of stakeholders that include businesses, immigrant service providers, the skilled professionals new to our community, Edmonton employers, and the three orders of government.
What do we do?
ERIEC’s mentorship and networking programs support career and economic integration for new immigrants to Canada. ERIEC is the bridge between employers’ labour needs and globally trained new residents so that these new residents can find work in their professions.
Our mentorship and networking programs offer a range of services and methods that help immigrants to build their local network and understand the Canadian workplace culture. We connect Edmonton employers with the global talent and help them develop intercultural and leadership skills in their current team.
“The ERIEC mentorship program brought me joy, satisfaction in helping others, and the opportunity to build community through mentoring another individual. The program helped me expand my leadership skills and gave me cultural awareness and was totally worth it! The team at ERIEC is absolutely amazing.”
Colin K. 2019
Why are we here?
Despite their skills, education, and willingness to work, many immigrants continue to have higher than average levels of unemployment and underemployment. Immigrants coming to the Edmonton region often have a higher level of education than the average Canadian. Of those who arrived in 2006, 48% have university degrees, 12% college diplomas, and 5% trade certificates. More than half – 66% – planned to get further education or training once they arrived in Canada. Recent immigrants have a wide variety of occupations. At the top of the list are engineers, accountants, banking, and finance professionals.
ERIEC matches professional immigrants to local mentors who understand the Canadian job search and to businesses who understand the value of the global talent. This will build a diverse workforce in Edmonton that is better prepared to do business in a global economy.
We all benefit from mentorship programs that encourage better use of this education, skill, and experience.
ERIEC is grateful for the support and funding from:
- Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada
- Alberta Government
- City of Edmonton
- Edmonton Community Foundation
- NorQuest College
ERIEC is grateful for the support of our primary funder, the Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada.
ERIEC would like to acknowledge the excellent work of all our partners and stakeholders, including immigrant service providers, internationally trained professionals, and Edmonton employers, in supporting both the immigrant community and the local business community.
