TD Bank Group
Represented by Carrie Blair, Senior Vice President, Human Resources, Canadian Banking Insurance, TD Canada Trust
“The Mentoring Partnership provides us with a unique way to develop our people and to prepare them for future leadership roles in an increasingly diverse social and economic environment.”
It’s said that real change begins at the top, whether it’s the leaders within a company, or the organization’s leadership in the business community.
“Mentoring skilled immigrants helps to increase the cross-cultural IQ of our team,” says Carrie Blair, Senior Vice President, Human Resources, Canadian Banking Insurance, TD Canada Trust. “As labour market growth will be driven primarily by immigrants by 2011, this is a leg up for us.” Since the program started, more than 500 TD employees have volunteered to be mentors and more than 400 skilled immigrants have been assisted.
The bank also hosts skilled immigrant interns through Career Bridge and has hired nearly half of all participating TD interns. Additional skilled immigrant hires have come through the Financial Services Connections program of ACCES Employment Services, which includes preparation for the Canadian Securities Course exam among other benefits.
Now embedded in TD’s corporate culture thanks to the commitment of its leadership, the bank continues to play a key role in mentoring of skilled immigrants. Working closely with ALLIES, TD helped launch the National Mentoring Initiative in 2009 and is involved in mentoring in Kitchener-Waterloo, Halifax, Calgary, as well as Toronto.
TD also sponsored the Internationally Educated Professionals Conference, which is a recruitment event.
