June 5, 2023 (Langford, BC) – It was a successful month of May for the Construction Foundation of BC’s (CFBC) Welcome Exchange program, as multiple Newcomers to Vancouver Island acquired their first Canadian jobs with support provided by Welcome Exchange.
For the group, securing meaningful employment in Canada was a difficult task to accomplish without support, due to a number of factors. These included the applicants not having a current resume, unfamiliar knowledge of the Canadian labour market, a lack of references or professional connections to utilize during their job search, or not having proficient levels of English.
As a result, these Newcomers connected with the Welcome Exchange team to assist in their job search efforts, that began with an individualized assessment of each of their needs, as well as strengths and weaknesses to help identify as many employment opportunities as possible. This portion of the search allowed Newcomers to narrow down unwanted job listings from their search.
Once the Welcome Exchange team and Newcomers identified the positions they were interested in pursuing, they began the development of updating or creating resume, with each catered to match specific positions. After submitting their applications, Newcomers connected with the employers hiring for each vacancy. Welcome Exchange provided those who need it with additional supports, such as interpretation services for interviews.
“Each component of the job search process is important in its own way and putting one above the others simply does not make sense,” said CFBC Career Catalyst, Daria Lysenko, who facilitates Welcome Exchange’s job search efforts. “Comprehensive support only works when each client is provided with an individualized approach, with an understanding of their strengths, weaknesses, needs, and opportunities for employment in Canada.”
Each Newcomer’s success story is encouraging for the program and validates the work being put in by Lysenko and the Welcome Exchange team.
“I truly rejoice with our clients when they find exactly the place where they would like to start their career path in Canada,” added Lysenko. “These ‘small wins’ inspire me to help other Newcomers day-in and day-out.”
To learn more about the services and assistantance that Welcome Exchange can provide, please visit constructionfoundation.ca/we.
For more information on the work being done by the Construction Foundation of BC and to donate, please visit www.constructionfoundation.ca.
