Caribbean Camera: Newcomer beats odds in job hunt

Jasminee Sahoye

A Jamaican woman who came to Canada in January this year and who didn’t want to settle for “the survival job” like most immigrants has beaten the odds and landed herself a job in her field as a Communications Officer with the Ontario Public Service within six months.

Claudia Williams’ determination, the right connections and perhaps luck led her to find her niche through a web site called Career Bridge. She credits her mentor, a Canadian, Michael Stern, and her continuous job search, as well as the Toronto Region Immigrant Employment Council’s (TRIEC) Mentoring Partnership program.

“My hunt for an opportunity in my field in Canada began even before I immigrated. I executed my job search strategy through internet research and a bit of networking. Hardly anything, however, could have prepared me for the uphill, arduous hike in which I became engaged. My efforts took me to a number of organizations established for the purpose of assisting newcomers. I remained positive and upbeat and worked hard in the hunt because I was not just ‘looking for a job’; I was seeking a career-enhancing opportunity. It was through my employment counsellor at ACCES that I learnt about the Career Bridge program. It just made sense. I knew that this was the program that would help me make the transition from being ‘between-jobs’ to my new position in Communications.”

She said the international internship program has given her an opportunity for the continuation of her chosen career in Canada and it not only provides the opportunity to work, it helps to maintain self confidence.

“Many are the horror stories of new immigrants who have had to settle for being under-employed. They have inadvertently found themselves in vocations of a far less caliber than for which they were professionally trained and qualified.”

Williams is with the Technology and Business Solutions Branch in the Community Services I and IT Cluster, Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing.

She is part of the writing team for the cluster’s annual report.

Reference: The Caribbean Camera