National Mentoring Partnership assists with
immigrant under-employment
TORONTO, Jan. 25, 2019 /CNW/ - Many newcomers to
Canada arrive with extensive work
experience and a significant education; yet many are unable to find
employment where they can put this experience to good use and truly
fulfill their potential. In 2017, the unemployment rate for recent
immigrants was 10.4%, compared to 6.2% for people born in
Canada*. To help newcomers
transition, Royal Bank of Canada
(RBC) and the Toronto Regional Immigrant Employment Council (TRIEC)
announce a new partnership to help job-ready immigrants achieve
gainful employment across Canada.
With the new three-year partnership, RBC is the lead sponsor of
the National Mentoring Partnership, a mentorship opportunity where
skilled immigrants across Canada
are matched with mentors from various employers, including RBC.
This sponsorship commitment will enable TRIEC to onboard a total of
six national mentoring partners and six employer partners from
across Canada to match 840
immigrant professionals with mentors in their occupations.
Mentoring partners (regional non-profit organizations who
specialize in immigration and employment) working together with
employer partners will increase access to mentoring for immigrant
professionals. Mentoring partners will deliver the program locally
in their region. Immigrant Employment Council of BC (IEC-BC) will
be delivering the program in Vancouver as the next confirmed market of this
partnership. Additional markets will be confirmed later this year,
as well as in 2020 and 2021.
"Immigrants today contribute significantly to Canada's growing economy, but too many
newcomers are still unable to find employment that is commensurate
with their skills and education," said Debroy Chan, Director of Immigrant Inclusion
Strategies at TRIEC. "Mentoring is a proven way of helping highly
skilled newcomers reconnect with their careers in Canada so that they can contribute to their
fullest potential."
The program kicks off on January
25th with its inaugural event in Toronto where immigrant mentees will meet
their RBC mentors for the first time. RBC mentors have worked in
the same field as their mentees and offer career advice for resume
building, interview preparation and networking, among other areas
to enable the success of job-ready newcomers. The program also aims
to encourage RBC and employees of other employer partners to
develop leadership skills and give back to the community, while
gaining insight into the value that the immigrant talent pool
brings to the labour market.
"Transitioning into a new life in an unfamiliar country can be
daunting and we strive to equip newcomers with the knowledge and
tools they need to break down barriers," said Ivy Chiu, Senior Director, Newcomer Strategy,
RBC. "Our partnership with TRIEC, and in particular, the National
Mentoring Program launching across Canada, helps our clients and communities in a
meaningful way and is strongly aligned to RBC's values."
About RBC
Royal Bank of Canada is a global
financial institution with a purpose-driven, principles-led
approach to delivering leading performance. Our success comes from
the 84,000+ employees who bring our vision, values and strategy to
life so we can help our clients thrive and communities prosper. As
Canada's biggest bank, and one of
the largest in the world based on market capitalization, we have a
diversified business model with a focus on innovation and providing
exceptional experiences to our 16 million clients in Canada, the U.S. and 34 other countries. Learn
more at rbc.com.
We are proud to support a broad range of community initiatives
through donations, community investments and employee volunteer
activities. See how at www.rbc.com/community-sustainability.
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. Learn more at www.triec.ca.
*Statistics Canada
SOURCE RBC