“Giving back where we work and live is an important part of who we are at Rogers”

We are delighted to have Rogers join the National Mentoring Partnership as an employer partner. Rogers is a proud Canadian company dedicated to making more possible for Canadians each and every day. Their founder, Ted Rogers, purchased his first radio station, CHFI, in 1960. They have grown to become a leading technology and media company that strives to provide the very best in wireless, residential, sports, and media to Canadians and Canadian businesses. Rogers have a highly skilled and diversified workforce of approximately 25,300 employees. Their head office is based in Toronto, Ontario and they have numerous offices across Canada.

David Howell, Senior Manager, Governance and Andrea Rose, Senior Manager, Customer Experience Strategy at Rogers share why they saw the value of joining the National Mentoring Partnership.

Why did Rogers decide to become an employer partner with the National Mentoring Partnership?

Since 2017, Rogers has partnered with Toronto Regional Immigrant Employment Council (TRIEC) to mentor new Canadians and support newcomers in building their personal and professional profile with one of Canada’s top employers. We have a big opportunity to be part of enabling the professional development of these culturally diverse talents in their new home, in addition to empowering our Rogers employees to enhance their leadership and coaching skills as mentors. It was a proud achievement for us in 2018 to be recognized as one of two employer partners providing mentors to more than 100 newcomers. Our goal with this partnership is to continue to widen our reach and support, helping even more new Canadians to access the information and networks they need to succeed.

Can you talk about how participation in the National Mentoring Partnership contributes to Rogers’ overall business and organizational goals at a national level? 

Giving back where we work and live is an important part of who we are at Rogers. Being a strong, socially responsible leader in our communities across Canada is a value that is important for us and a key part of that is our commitment to doing our part to continually elevate Diversity, Equity and Inclusion.

Newcomers to Canada bring with them a wealth of knowledge, new ideas, and ways of thinking through problems that help continually enhance and drive our business forward. With this National Mentoring Partnership, we have a great opportunity to learn more about our customers and their communities across Canada, while strengthening our culture and building diverse talent.

What kind of impact have you seen the program have on volunteer mentors within your organization?

This program has had an incredible impact on all its participants, both for the mentees and the mentors. For example, one of our Rogers team members who is a mentor recognizes how much this opportunity has deepened her own perspective. As she describes, “My mentee Rahul recently landed a new job at Rogers. My experience as a mentor has been personally rewarding and gratifying experience to have made a positive contribution to his career journey. It has helped in multiple areas, specifically in developing my mentoring skills and, importantly, it enhances my sense of empathy and understanding. It is challenging and takes courage to establish yourself in a new country and this program helps showcase the strength of our newcomers.”

Can you talk about this impact when it’s part of a national program as opposed to if it were only regional? 

Mentorship helps to open a lot of doors. The national program supports us in making a meaningful difference not just at a local level but in all the communities across Canada that we serve. It also enables us to ramp up the voice and influence of our local teams to become active and engaged in our communities as it offers more employees to be a part of this opportunity to mentor.