For the first time, TRIEC is giving awards to employers who have provided mentors to support more than 1,500 newcomers to Canada in their employment journeys. One of those winners is TD Bank. Faisal Yousuf, AVP, Personal Banking Delivery Excellence and TRIEC Executive Champion, shares why mentoring newcomers is so important for his organization.

1. Why did TD decide to become an employer partner in TRIEC Mentoring Partnership?

Our partnership with TRIEC provides an excellent opportunity for our colleagues to develop their inclusive leadership capabilities while giving back to the growing community of newcomers to Canada. We’re proud to work with organizations like TRIEC to reach, secure and develop some of the best – and brightest – talent.

2. What do TD’s employees gain from being mentors?

  • Enhanced leadership and coaching skills
  • Cross-cultural competence and improved communication skills
  • Broadened perspective about talent acquisition, looking at talent with a different lens
  • Access to a large pool of talented professionals
  • Colleague engagement and opportunities to give back to the community

3. Do you think mentoring is an effective way of helping newcomers find their first job in Canada? If so, why?

Absolutely. Mentors become trusted advisors to newcomers and act as a resource to mentees to help them better understand the nuances of the Canadian workplace. Many newcomers find themselves without a professional network in Canada – mentors often open up their networks to their mentees while providing invaluable guidance on networking and other soft skills.

4. What value do you think your highly skilled immigrant employees bring to TD?

Skilled immigrant employees bring a wealth of innovative ideas and unique perspectives that empower us to meet the needs of our customers in an ever-evolving financial market.

5. You are one of the top two employer partners in our program with the most matches and mentors. How has TD been able to garner such wide spread awareness and support of TRIEC Mentoring Partnership across the organization?

Strong leadership commitment aligned to our values.  We are always looking to expand our talent pools – TRIEC provides exceptional resources to TD.

6. What advice would you give to organizations that have passed the 500 match milestone and are looking for strategies to increase employee participation in the program?

Ensure strong leadership engagement in the program, profile mentoring success stories internally to engage colleagues, challenge active mentors to refer three new mentors to the program.