by Amanda Zirk
Amanda Zirk is a Public Relations student with a Marketing background. A few months ago, a local business professional suggested that she reach out to ERIEC to complete a university assignment. This turned out to be a great recommendation for both Amanda and ERIEC! She helped ERIEC with the media release for the Global Talent Conference and was able to connect with recent immigrants and discover their tenacity when overcoming obstacles associated with settling into a new country. Working with Amanda was an enlightening opportunity.
We welcome her today as a guest blogger to the ERIEC blog The Wave.
“I’m happy!” exclaims Silvia Harwood as she smiles, leans back, and begins to tell her immigration story. “They say the first 20 years in a new country are difficult.” Although Silvia is already beginning to feel comfortable, she can still remember the challenges she faced, while immigrating to Canada three years ago.“[Back home I had] two jobs and was very independent. I was such a busy person,” remarks Silvia. But then, unexpectedly, she fell in love with a Canadian man. She decided to move her life from Slovakia to Edmonton. “Suddenly, I became totally dependent on my husband. No money. No work. A lot of spare time. Can you imagine such a shock? Being so busy, and then, suddenly, just being a housewife? It was quite frustrating.”
Silvia is not alone. “I moved to Edmonton to complete my master's program at the University of Alberta,” says Evgeniya Tretiakova, from Russia. “I had to find a place to live in the first five days of being here. It was very stressful.”
Approximately 250,000 people immigrate to Canada each year. Whether one decides to emigrate for love, or for education, immigrants need support. The Edmonton Region Immigrant Employment Council (ERIEC) is a business-led, not-for-profit organization dedicated to ensuring immigrants are welcomed and participate in the economy to their full potential.
Integration was difficult for Evgeniya and Silvia. Both women faced hard times when it came to job-hunting and understanding Canadian culture.
“Getting familiar – that was the biggest challenge,” says Silvia, referring to cultural shock. “Coming here with no friends, no family members around, and my husband is the only one who was close to me. It was very hard.”
“It was challenging to find a job in my field,” observes Evgeniya. “I came here already speaking English.” She cannot imagine how difficult it is for someone who does not speak the language to obtain adequate employment.
ERIEC’s Career Mentorship Program Director, Tetyana Khramova, played a crucial role in helping these women defeat their challenges. “[Tetyana] learned that I was a professional and she offered me help right away,” says Silvia. She connected both Silvia and Evgeniya with ERIEC mentors as quickly as possible.
Through mentorship initiatives, ERIEC supports immigrants to build networks, understand Canadian workplace culture, and utilize effective job search strategies.
Both women spent a lot of time working with their mentors. “He helped me all summer by preparing three or four mock interviews. We worked really hard,” declares Silvia. “At the actual interview, I did so well, they gave me the job right away!”
“Why do you volunteer?” asks Silvia. “You volunteer to get the Canadian experience, to understand cultural differences, and to network. Through volunteering, you can get a job.” “It’s good to volunteer in Canada,” states Evgeniya. “I started volunteering at an organization. After a few months, there was an internal job posting, so I applied for the position and got the job!”
“ERIEC taught me it is important to get out of the house and meet people,” says Evgeniya. New immigrants can meet people by attending ERIEC workshops, meetings, and their Annual Conference. In the past, Silvia and Evgeniya attended the Annual Conference as clients. This year, they attended as presenters who were able to speak about the organization they work for, and their employer. “We had at least 20-30 people ask about our program or get more information,” says Silvia. “It was really amazing.”
Although Evgeniya immigrated to Canada only four years ago, she already feels comfortable because of her time spent gaining work experience. “You get to know the workplace, culture, and peoples’ mentalities. Working in a non-profit, I communicate and get to know a lot of people.” Thanks to connections and volunteering, “the best thing that happened was not just getting a job, but getting the job I wanted,” smiles Silvia.
“Canadians are very friendly people; they apologize even when they don’t have to!” laughs Silvia. “They are very open to different cultures, which I love.” ERIEC helps employers in Edmonton connect with the global talent they need.
Evgeniya is so grateful for the services and support she received. “I just want to say thank you to ERIEC for their help to immigrants.”
Hiring immigrants is no longer an option – it’s an economic imperative. If you have recently immigrated to Canada, have your permanent resident's status, and is unemployed, or underemployed, contact ERIEC today to find out all that ERIEC has to offer!