They are City of Vancouver (COV) Engineers, Architects, Urban Planners, Business Analysts, HR, IT and Finance Specialists; and each of these 119 people has made a difference in the lives of newcomers to Canada. Since 2011, they have been part of MentorConnect, and they have helped skilled immigrants succeed in BC’s labour market.
On June 9, 2017, the City of Vancouver and IEC-BC celebrated the launch of their 6th joint Annual Mentorship Program, with participation of 36 new COV mentors, and the new cohort of mentees – from Ethiopia, Gambia, India, Iran, Israel, Mexico, Nigeria, and the United Arab Emirates.
“I think the mentorship program will go a long way in helping us network, learn more about Canadian job culture, get first-hand information about our industry and finally secure a job that is worth doing,” said one of the program participants.
76% of immigrants who had been mentored by COV staff have found meaningful employment 3-6 months after the program completion.