Toronto, ON (February 26, 2019) – Recent immigrants and established professionals, along with employers and employment service providers in the Greater Toronto Area are convening this evening at the Toronto Region Board of Trade to celebrate individuals and organizations who have given back to their professional communities.

Hosted by the Toronto Region Immigrant Employment Council (TRIEC), the annual TRIEC Mentoring Partnership Awards recognizes those who went the extra mile in mentoring in the past year.

TRIEC Mentoring Partnership matches recent immigrants to Canada with a mentor who shares their professional background. Immigrants who are mentored through the program gain insights into the local labour market and build vital professional networks in their field. In turn, mentors learn coaching and leadership skills, and build their intercultural competencies and knowledge of international business practices. Last year, TRIEC matched over 1,800+ newcomers with mentors, and 77 percent mentees went on to find work in their field or a related field within six months of completing the program. Since its launch in 2004, TRIEC Mentoring Partnership has matched more than 17,500 newcomers with a mentor in their profession.

Awards will be presented to mentors who have mentored newcomer mentees multiple times, as well as newcomers who, after being mentored, have chosen to give back by becoming mentors themselves.

Among the people receiving awards in 2018 is senior structural engineer Saunjay Duggal who has mentored more than 10 people. “I was in a similar position with the newcomers that I mentored,” he said. For Duggal, mentoring “is a win-win model for everyone involved. I learned how to understand the Canadian job market better. I learned from the candidates and from their experiences…Mentoring helped me with my career.”

TRIEC will also present awards to employer partners who have provided the highest overall numbers of mentors from among their staff. Award recipients this year include the City of Toronto and TD Bank, both of whom provided mentors for more than 1,500 immigrant professionals. Accenture and Rogers are also award winners for providing 100 mentors.

“The chance to be a mentor gives our employees opportunities for professional development through gaining or improving their leadership and coaching skills,” said Alicja Idzior, HR consultant, Next Generation and Diversity, for the City of Toronto, who acknowledged that mentoring opportunities offer a chance to connect with newcomer talent. “Hiring people from other countries diversifies the workforce, which allows the City of Toronto to meet its recruitment needs at a time of skill shortages.”

“I am a mentor and equally a mentee during each and every engagement,” said Michelle Chann, a long-time mentor who is head of client management, strategic execution and change delivery at TD Bank. “The exchange of professional and personal energies evolves prolifically throughout each relationship and challenge all parties to be humbled, embrace, adjust, learn, and grow. This is one of the best commitments one can have for professional and personal enrichment.”

“TD is proud to work with organizations like TRIEC to reach and develop some of the best – and brightest – talent. 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,” said Faisal Yousuf, AVP, Personal Banking Delivery Excellence and TRIEC Executive Champion.

The evening’s agenda include success stories from employers who made diversity critical to their business, a celebration of community partners, and a panel discussion featuring participants from employers on newcomer employment and labour market trends, all tying into the evening’s theme: The Future of Mentoring. The awards will be emceed by CityNews journalist Francis D’Souza. The full event will serve as a platform for immigrant professionals to network with employers, employment service providers, and community leaders.

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MEDIA CONTACT

For additional information, please contact:

Daniel Kim, Specialist, Communications and Media Relations
dkim@triec.ca
416-931-5803

About TRIEC
Toronto Region Immigrant Employment Council (TRIEC) champions the talent and experience that immigrants bring to the Greater Toronto Area. We support organizations to become more inclusive, and help newcomers expand their professional networks and understand the local labour market. We collaborate with leaders and organizations to build a GTA where immigrant professionals can contribute to their fullest potential.