Jaspreet left India and arrived in British Columbia in the spring of 2019 with six years of progressive experience in developing competency-based practical skill tests for vocational trade training programs.
Back in India, she managed diverse initiatives ranging from a Skills Development Project launched by the Indian National Skill Development Corporation (NSDC), this role involved the assessment of essential skills development for school-aged children at the elementary and secondary school levels with the goal of providing standardized assessment evaluations.
Prior to joining the Career Paths for Skilled Immigrants program at Back in Motion Rehab (BiM), Jaspreet enrolled in the Provincial Instructor Diploma Program at Vancouver Community College so she could become familiar with the western modes of effective curriculum development and design.
Always proactive, she utilized all of the support services available in the Career Paths program to her advantage. Jaspreet began her first steps towards employment readiness by participating in IEC-BC’s ASCEND employment preparation program and was subsequently accepted into the MentorConnect Program.
Jaspreet was matched with Jenn, a Program Associate and first-time mentor who specialized in project collaboration and facilitation within the private, academic and non-profit sectors. Jenn’s primary portfolio involved working within the digital and technology supercluster where she supports Canadian innovation within this ecosystem.
According to Jenn, due to lack of understanding and time commitment, Jaspreet initially struggled and felt hesitant on attending informational interviews. Typical with many newcomers, Jaspreet was juggling numerous challenges both in her personal and professional lives and was having a difficult time balancing these demands while looking for employment that would utilize her skills and experience.
With tremendous support from Jenn, Jaspreet began to better understand the nuances of information interviews while continuing to revise her resume to targeted job postings. Jenn imparted critical aspects of resume development while working with Jaspreet on her feedback to interview questions. Soon, Jaspreet began to land interviews in short amounts of time.
Perhaps, Jaspreet’s biggest learning experience came from working through the hurdles of the interview process with her mentor. She was encouraged to converse with more confidence, and to reveal more of her unique skills and personal traits and to clearly communicate her passion for the work she does.
“I certainly have gained a lot from this experience and I would like to thank Back in Motion and IEC-BC for introducing me to my wonderful mentor Jenn”. Jaspreet clearly saw the differences her mentor n had made in her professional growth in Canada and her confidence in herself grew as a result.
Three months after the mentorship, Jaspreet was offered a position as an Instructional Design Assistant for a group of private colleges and training institutes. In this role, she will be responsible for instructional design and content creation with subject matter experts and instructors with a focus on online instruction.
Jenn was ecstatic as she was helping a newcomer successfully transition into her dream job in her new home here in BC. According to Jenn “It’s all about timing and she’s got a lot to offer!”.
To become a MentorConnect employer or for more information, contact mentorconnect@iecbc.ca, call 604-629-5364.