On Tuesday, February 16th, 2016, IEC-BC honoured 12 Employer Partners for their dedication and commitment to creating inclusive and diverse workplaces for an untapped pool of immigrant talent here in BC. Employer Partner representatives, who have been heavily involved with and have championed IEC-BC’s MentorConnect and/or Connector Programs, were called upon to accept the 2016 IEC-BC Leadership Recognition Award on behalf of their respective organizations at an event at the Terminal Club in Vancouver.
Through their involvement with IEC-BC programs, Employer Partners provide their employees with opportunities to enhance their leadership skills and gain global perspectives. They help new Canadians gain local insight into their professions, which greatly improves their employment prospects.
IEC-BC appreciates the ongoing dedication and commitment of its Employer Partners to supporting workplace diversity and inclusivity, and ensuring all Canadians have the tools and experience necessary to prosper in BC’s labour market. Their perseverance in helping newcomers expand their professional networks and increase their employment opportunities makes them significant pillars of BC’s business community.
The current roster represents a group of revered organizations who have taken the necessary steps to meet the challenge of creating inclusive and diverse workplaces by integrating immigrants into their respective organizations.
2016 Leadership Recognition Awards Recipients
 Applied Science Technologists & Technicians of BC, Geoff Sale
In November 2012, the first group of ASTTBC members volunteered through MentorConnect. Since then, ASTTBC has had 16 mentors successfully participate and has even had five returning mentors. |
 BC Hydro, Raj Sharma and Paul Cheng
BC Hydro’s first pilot mentoring cycle began in February 2015, and this inaugural demonstration has proven successful. Over the course of the year BC Hydro has seen four mentors and one group mentor step up to share their knowledge with professional newcomers. |
 Business Development Bank of Canada, Clyde Roberts
BDC’s first mentoring cycle began in March 2015, and they have had mentors signed up to participate in the Lower Mainland as well as in Prince George. |
 City of Surrey, Joey Brar
The City of Surrey has been involved with the Connector program since February of 2015. The City supported 14 city staff from various departments including engineering, finance, community and recreation, and bylaws. |
 City of Vancouver, Anne Nickerson and Rajpal Kohli
The City of Vancouver has been a supporter of IEC-BC since its inception at the 2008 Metro Vancouver Leaders’ Summit. Since then, they have participated in both the MentorConnect and Connector Programs with over 60 mentors and 25 connectors. As a consistently active partner, the City participated in a joint pilot with IEC-BC, SUCCESS, the Immigrant Service Society of BC, and MOSAIC to help new immigrants find work that is relevant to their education, skills, and experience. The pilot team won the City of Vancouver 2012 Service Award for creating community connections. |
 David Suzuki Foundation, Catherine Gordon
As one of our newest confirmed Employer Partners to become involved with the MentorConnect Program, the David Suzuki Foundation demonstrates their commitment to an inclusive workplace environment by beginning their first cycle with the interest of 13 mentors. Off to a strong start, we are thrilled to see the interest that is already being expressed. |
 Little Mountain Neighbourhood House, Stephen Andrada
As a pillar of the community, Little Mountain provides educational, cultural, recreational and social services. A newly minted Employer Partner as of November 2015, Little Mountain provides mentoring services to new Canadian professionals. With five mentorships already underway, LMNHS has demonstrated a commitment to assisting newcomers meet their employment settlement needs. |
 Scotiabank, Daryl Dunn
While having just begun their inaugural MentorConnect this past January, Scotiabank is a known leader in immigration employment. Last year, the Toronto region Scotiabank received special recognition for its efforts in matching 1,000 skilled immigrants with leaders in their chosen industries. |
 TD Bank, Jeffrey Wong and Steven Mo
In an effort to expand their established immigrant employment initiatives in Toronto, TD Bank became involved with the MentorConnect Program in October 2014. Since then, they have had 18 mentors successfully go through the program. TD mentors have noted that the program experience has allowed them to develop better leadership and coaching skills – and we look forward to building on that this year. |
 TELUS, Hannah Kim and Tapiwa Chibota
As a leader in the integration of skilled immigrant talent and fostering workplace diversity, TELUS has made awareness of mentoring a key priority. An Employer Partner since November 2013, TELUS has successfully undergone three mentoring cycles with an unprecedented 90 mentors participating in the program. |
Tom Harris, Jag Rajwan
After recognizing a growing shift in their talent pool, Tom Harris wanted to become involved in the program as a way to improve their ability to effectively integrate staff. They are currently completing their first pilot mentoring cycle, and we look forward to building on the momentum that’s already there. |
