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Moreover, employers say that while there is a growing
pool of skilled immigrants settling in this area, they
face a number of barriers to securing employment.
Employers are concerned that language skills, hard
to assess foreign education and credentials, a lack
of Canadian experience and “cultural differences” are
significant barriers to hiring skilled immigrants.
These findings come from two surveys and a series of
focus groups conducted by The Brampton Board of Trade
as part of its Skills Without Borders initiative. Skills
Without Borders is a program designed to raise awareness
about labour needs in North Peel and the ability of
skilled immigrants to meet those needs. The Brampton
Board of Trade has partnered with a number of organizations
and agencies and Service Canada to help connect employers
in North Peel with skilled immigrants. More information
can be found at www.skillswithoutborders.com.
Labour needs
A survey of labour needs in North Peel - consulting
500 businesses across a range of sizes and sectors concludes
that while many employers are expecting their business
to grow over the next three years (38%) or at least
stay the same (56%), the majority (79%) are already
having difficulty filling positions.
Employers identified sales and marketing (31%), skilled
trades (construction, mechanical, technical) (22%),
Information Technology (16%) engineering (14%) and administrative
support (14%) as the skills they need to move their
businesses forward into the future.
However, 40% said they are having trouble filling jobs
today in areas of skilled trades (construction, mechanical,
technical) and 19% said engineers (structural, electrical
and civil). Sales and marketing was mentioned by 15%
and managers and administration by 15%.
Asked why they can’t fill the jobs, 39% of employers
said there is a shortage of applicants with the right
qualifications or license, and while 37% said applicants
lacked the necessary experience, 27% attributed job
conditions or specific requirements (demand/hours/rate
of pay) as being unattractive and 24% said there was
a shortage of suitable labour available in the marketplace.
Major barriers
Three small focus groups pursued these needs and explored
what employers consider major barriers for qualified
immigrants looking for work in their fields of training
and expertise.
Participants focused on a growing need for soft skills
like effective communication (written and oral), creativity,
analytical thinking, diplomacy, flexibility, change-readiness,
and problem solving, leadership, team building, and
listening skills.
Employers agreed that skilled immigrants face additional
challenges because soft skills are typically weak.
Employers also said language skills, difficulty assessing
foreign education and credentials and a lack of Canadian
experience and cultural “fit” are significant obstacles
for immigrants seeking employment.
Most companies, 87%, insist on a “high level of proficiency”
in language, and not just ESL training, but proficiency
in both written and oral skills and a comprehension
level that meets the needs for meaningful communication
in their professional field.
Most employers, 73%, said foreign credentials are too
difficult to assess and would not consider hiring skilled
immigrants without a clear understanding of how their
credentials equate with Canadian standards.
And the same is true of work experience. On foreign
experience, 73% of participants said work experience
and references, provided by skilled immigrants, were
“too difficult to verify.”
However, 60% agreed that foreign experience is equivalent
to Canadian experience and 87% said they would hire
a skilled immigrant without Canadian experience.
Improve integration
Most employers acknowledged that skilled immigrants
are a growing part of the employee landscape in North
Peel, but expressed a need to “improve integration”
of immigrants into Canadian culture. Employers said
that there is a lack of understanding by many immigrants
about expectations and business practices in the Canadian
workplace. Employers believe there is reverse onus on
the immigrant population to better understand “Canadian
culture.”
Conversely, employers expressed fear in hiring immigrants
because they were unaware of religious rights, cultural
practices and how others in the workplace might react
to someone perceived to be getting special treatment.
Many of the employers acknowledged they had little
understanding of employment law as it applies to “religious
rights” or cultural practices and agreed they could
benefit from a better understanding of different cultures.
Employers also said they would welcome programs to
assist with social integration, and programs that specifically
deal with training immigrants in Canadian culture. One
employer said “we as employers are being encouraged
to diversify our workplace, but they (skilled immigrants)
get here and know nothing about our culture and are
not prepared to integrate.”
Implied in many of the responses was that hiring skilled
immigrants was more complicated and time consuming than
hiring Canadian born/trained employees. And some employers
supported a hire Canadian first practice.
Employers are also looking for help with verification
of education and work credentials, followed by mentoring,
apprenticeships and assistance with the cost of getting
Canadian certification for immigrant employees.
Brampton Board of Trade CEO, Sheldon Leiba says that
the results of the two Board of Trade studies are very
relevant. “Our motivation for initiating the “Skills
Without Borders” program was a result of seeing the
various levels of government contributing a tremendous
amount of resources to supporting newcomers for employment,
with almost no attention to the the second part of the
equation, and that is needs of employers,” says Leiba.
“There is a very strong interest amongst government
and settlement agencies in the work that we are doing,
which has significant implications for a community like
Brampton that is attracting a growing number of immigrants.”
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Brampton Board of Trade CEO Sheldon Leiba with intern
Alissa Patel. Alissa was assigned to the BBOT as
an intern for 15 weeks. |
Student intern at the BBOT
Alissa Patel has just completed a co-op term as an intern
at The Brampton Board of Trade. Read in her own words
why co-op programs are a good thing.
15 week co-op placement
Student intern at the BBOT
By Alissa Patel
The co-op program in high school allows students to
be placed at a potential career of their choice to experience
a real life job.
Over a semester of fifteen weeks at their placement,
the student must complete a minimum of four hundred
and forty hours along with various assignments and projects
to achieve four credits. Two of the four credits would
be considered as compulsory and two as open credits.
Co-op placements can vary from security to culinary
arts.
In late September the Fletcher’s Meadow Secondary School
Co-operative education program gave me the opportunity
to experience marketing first hand at The Brampton Board
of Trade.
Over the past fifteen weeks, I have been a General Office
Administrative Assistant and have been completing numerous
tasks given to me by my co-workers. Some of my tasks
included designing flyers and signs for an assortment
of events, helping to proof directories and online memberships,
and also assisting with events. I have also been trained
to register attendees for our events and help out at
the front desk as a receptionist.
I’ve developed better communication skills and improved
significantly with my computer skills. I feel more comfortable
approaching people, answering phone calls and dealing
with a various challenges. During my assignments for
flyer designs and signs, I had the opportunity to develop
better skills in programs such as Adobe Acrobat, PowerPoint,
Microsoft Word and Microsoft Excel.
These fifteen weeks have given my confidence a boost.
Being me last year in high school, I have started to
plan out my life and this experience has helped to prepare
me to enter the world of business in post secondary
education.
The Brampton Board of Trade is a great place to gain
experience in business, accounting, marketing and many
other interesting fields of career choices. My fellow
workers have been very helpful during this time and
I wish them all the best!
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SBEC SummerCompany
The Brampton Small Business Enterprise Centre (SBEC)
is pleased to offer the SummerCompany (2007) program
in Brampton and Caledon again this year.
This is the seventh year for SummerCompany, a student
entrepreneurship program that provides hands-on business
training, mentoring and awards of up to $3,000 to help
enterprising young people start and run their own summer
businesses. The Ministry of Small Business and Entrepreneurship,
through its continuing Youth Entrepreneurship Strategy,
offers the SummerCompany Program.
"This is a great opportunity for students ages
15 to 29 to develop entrepreneurial skills and build
the experience that comes with running a small business,"
said Jennifer Vivian, Small Business Assistant for SBEC.
"Last summer, SBEC and its team of volunteer mentors
worked with eight winners of the SummerCompany program,"
said Vivian. "These high school and college students
experienced the challenges and thrills of small business
ownership. The Brampton SBEC looks forward to offering
awards to creative and hard-working young people again
this year."
Students are encouraged to operate simple businesses,
which focus on a service offering or a single product.
The application process includes writing a business
plan - a challenge even for an experienced businessperson.
For eligibility, guidelines and an application, visit
www.sbe.gov.on.ca/summercompany or call the SBEC at
905-874-2650. The deadline for applications and business
plans is Monday, April 2.
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