Voices for Change

 

Voices for Change is a new TRIEC project that invites

employers to share their perspectives on valuing and better integrating immigrant talent in the Canadian workplace.

 

Through data, stories, a series of podcasts and other activities,

Voices for Change will kickstart a conversation about some of the more challenging issues that hinder immigrant professionals from finding skills-commensurate employment, advancing in their careers and having a sense of belonging in the workplace.

 

Episode Two – Canadian Experience

Employers’ preference for Canadian Experience continues to be the biggest barrier for immigrants to find a job in their field. According to TRIEC’s Bridging The Gap report, more than 50% of immigrant women identified lack of Canadian experience as a major barrier to finding a job in their field.

Magdalene Cooman, Senior Research Associate, Immigration, Conference Board of Canada, and Jessica Borland, Manager, Equity, Diversity, Inclusion & Accessibility, Randstad Canada, join Preet Kiran Sandhu, Manager, Employer & Stakeholder Relations, TRIEC, to discuss what Canadian experience means, how it manifests during the hiring process, and its impact on immigrant professionals. They also share insights and best practices for employers to address this barrier at an organizational level.

Episode One – Microaggressions

60% of surveyed recent immigrant women professionals in the GTA have experienced some form of microaggression in their workplace. Research conducted by TRIEC (Bridging the Gap, 2022) suggests that immigrant integration, and immigrant women in particular, is not a strong focus of EDI efforts by most employers in the GTA.

In this first chapter of TRIEC’s Voices for Change series, Preet Kiran Sandhu, Manager Employer and Stakeholder Relations at TRIEC spoke with Nada Aoudeh, Public School Administrator and Educator and Michael Kaneva, Director of Inclusion, Diversity and Equity at OPTrust to understand microaggressions and their impact on immigrant professionals.  

Trailer

Voices for Change spotlights persistent barriers faced by immigrants in finding jobs and advancing their careers. Through data, stories, and a series of podcasts, we will kickstart a conversation about some of the more challenging and sensitive issues that hinder immigrant employment and inclusion and having a sense of belonging in the workplace.

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