These Canadian immigrants got help finding a job in Ontario

When Philip came to Canada in June 2023 after fleeing a crisis in his home country, he struggled to find work in his field, despite already being trained and qualified.

It was a difficult time for Philip, who found himself unemployed for over a year as he attempted to find a job in the field of network cabling. Despite his training in telecommunications and experience working with fiber optic cables, he struggled to integrate into the Canadian workforce and support his family back at home.

Everything changed for him when he found and joined the Ontario Bridge Training Program (OBTP), a program offered by Ontario non-profit The Career Foundation. The program is designed to help internationally trained immigrants who are already experienced in the fields of network cabling, IT (information technology and cloud security), and HVAC (heating, ventilation and air conditioning) secure a job in their field in just a matter of weeks.

The OBTP is one of the most valuable resources for helping internationally trained immigrants create pathways that help them settle in Canada through sector-specific training related to their experience outside of Canada. They keep working with each of their clients until employment has been secured, with a high 75-80% employment rate as a result.

Over the course of seven weeks, Philip underwent both technical training in network cabling and essential skills for employment in the field. He obtained certifications in Working at Heights and WHMIS, gaining a deeper understanding of fiber optic cable technology and structured cabling methodologies in Canada.

The Foundations in Network Cabling team worked diligently alongside Philip on his job search until he was hired as a full-time Network Technician. Now with a stable income, Philip has become more settled into his new home and has ambitions to advance in his career, with the hopes of opening his own business in the future.

“The Career Foundation surely sets a solid base for newcomers, and anyone in Canada,” Philip said. “They are reliant and push you towards attaining sustainable employment and growth after classes. I was privileged to do Network Cabling and got a job soon after my course.”

He’s just one of many new immigrants who were helped by The Career Foundation to find a job in network cabling, an evergreen field that’s expected to keep expanding with new job opportunities in the coming years.

Participants in the Network Cabling program get job supports that can lead them to a variety of high-demand jobs including Network Cabling Technician, Network Cabling Project Manager, Structured Cabling Specialist, Fiber Optic Technician and many more.

According to program coordinator Kamar Shalaby, the Network Cabling program’s employment rate is currently sitting at an impressive 70-80%, and has even been as high as 90% in recent years.

“I remember one client who told me, ‘I’m very grateful for the chance to be in this program, because I knew what I wanted to do the moment I finished my training,’” Shalaby said.

“We have a direct relationship with our clients, and I think that’s the main reason for us having very successful programs.”

Harinder is another immigrant who was able to find work in her field thanks to The Career Foundation. She came to Canada in 2017 as a refugee and relied on Ontario Works to meet her family’s financial needs, as her Bachelor of Science in Information Technology and work experience as a software developer did little to land her a meaningful full-time job.

She was eventually referred to the OBTP’s Foundations in IT program through a refugee program. She underwent 11 weeks of training in the areas of workplace communication, job search skills, and technical training focusing on cloud security.

She received further help from the team in the form of one-on-one sessions and mock interviews that helped prepare her for real interviews by identifying potential weaknesses she had during the interview process. And when her mental health took a plunge due to war breaking out in her home country, the OBTP team maintained consistent and compassionate check-ins to monitor her well-being and work progress, providing a platform for her to express concerns and seek additional support.

The program’s strategies ultimately helped her achieve her goal, and she started out 2024 with her first ever full-time job in Canada.

“What we do at The Career Foundation, we do with passion, devotion, and wanting to give back to the community,” said Uzma Jafrani, program coordinator for the Foundations in IT program. “This is a place where possibilities and opportunities exist.”

The IT program has also seen a lot of success, with 70-80% of the program’s participants going on to find employment in their field – and they expect to continue seeing a high rate of success in an increasingly digital world where more and more businesses and organizations rely on cloud platforms to store their data.

The program covers everything from cloud system architecture and data security to foundations in project management. Participants become ready to take on a wide range of lucrative and in-demand jobs including web developer, cloud and cybersecurity analyst, database specialist, and infrastructure engineer, among many others.

The Ontario Bridge Training Program also has a HVAC (heating, ventilation and air conditioning) program to help internationally trained immigrants like Preet find work in their field.

Preet immigrated to Canada with the hopes of building better life for his family. He was passionate about working with his hands and a career in HVAC had always been in the back of his mind, as he knew HVAC was a very prosperous industry in Canada.

He and his wife attended an information session with The Career Foundation, which led him to join the Foundations in HVAC program. He worked diligently throughout the 12-week program, and further advanced his skillset by continuing his education and obtaining a higher license within the HVAC industry.

Feeling empowered to start his own business, Preet sought further help from the program’s representatives, who were able to refer him to the City of Toronto and Access Community Capital Fund to assist with business planning and financial assistance.

Today, Preet is a successful business owner who credits his success to the assistance given to him from The Career Foundation. He said he’s extremely grateful for all the support he received from the organization, and strongly recommends The Career Foundation’s services to anyone looking to further advance their career.

The Canadian HVAC sector is expected to grow over the next 10 years to ensure homes and businesses can withstand both the cold winters and hot summers that Canada is known for. That means there will continue to be a strong demand for HVAC workers to do well-paying careers, including gas/pipe fitter, air conditioning technician, refrigeration technician, HVAC installer, and more.

“About 80% of our clients find employment in their field,” said program coordinator Zaitoon Umer. “We can safely say that the program has been instrumental in creating career trajectories for our clients in Canada.”

In addition to the success stories shared here, The Career Foundation has also amassed many positive reviews from satisfied clients who were able to find work after taking the program.

“I am very grateful to the Career Foundation team,” one review said. “They provided me with the opportunity to participate in the Networking Cabling program. Because of it, I was able to get an important certification and develop skills that helped me to find my current job.”

Another review praised the staff for going “above and beyond to be helpful. Whether it’s answering questions, providing guidance, or resolving issues, they always approach everything with a friendly and positive attitude.”

With a success rate of around 80% for all three of their programs, the Ontario Bridge Training Program is an essential resource that has helped many Canadian newcomers kickstart their careers and find meaningful work in Canada. New immigrants are encouraged to check out the program here for more information on how to get started.

Across all of their programs and services, The Career Foundation helps thousands of people every year accomplish their employment goals via job search assistance, career placement, and HR solutions for employers.

For more info on how they can help you or someone you know find work, visit The Career Foundation’s website, LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram and Twitter pages.