Watch Linda Ryan discuss how BCCA-Integrating Newcomers can help you build your Canadian career before you arrive in Canada!
Building Canadian work experience before you arrive in Canada can give you a competitive advantage. It can also help you to achieve your career goals faster. And employers place a high value on Canadian work experience. But how can you gain experience before you land in Canada?
Linda Ryanis the National Program Manager with BCCA-Integrating Newcomers, a government funded, Canada-wide, pre-arrival career coaching service for high skilled construction professionals immigrating to Canada (*BCCA-IN).
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A career and certified performance coach, she and the BCCA-IN team specialize in helping newcomers plan for, and achieve, employment success, no matter what city or province they are moving to.
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When it comes to building Canadian work experience in construction, Ryan provides specific advice. Prepare for Canada spoke to Ryan and here’s what she had to say about the importance of Canadian work experience and how to gain it before you land in Canada.
Prepare for Canada: Why is Canadian work experience important to employers?
Linda Ryan:In Canada, construction employers appreciate a foundation of technical education plus hands-on experience in the local sector. As well, they like to see that you:
are a member of a relevant professional body (provincial or federal), and
hold or are ‘challenging’ the appropriate Canadian credential for the role.
This is critical, especially if the role is considered a regulated profession in Canada e.g. Engineer, Architect, a trade, etc. It’s all of these elements that are called “Canadian experience”.
Prepare for Canada:Why do employers look for job candidates with Canadian work experience?
Linda Ryan: While employers can’t blatantly specify Canadian experience as criteria when advertising roles, you can understand why they look for it. Canadian work experience allows employers to find the best candidate for the job. For example, someone who:
has the technical skills and specialist training required for the role
knows the processes and protocols of the local sector, and
can quickly add value to their projects because they know what’s required.
Prepare for Canada:What’s the best way for newcomers who want to enter the construction industry to gain experience before they arrive?
Linda Ryan: For newcomers, one way to gain Canadian work experience is to upskill. This allows you to gain highly coveted experience and work towards credential recognition in your profession. But how do you do it when you haven’t even landed in Canada yet? Here are four helpful ways:
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1.Join a professional association:
Start with the basics. Identify a Canadian professional association (member-based organization) in the sector, profession and ideally city/province where you’ll land in Canada. Any online search engine will help you do this! When you find one:
read all the resources on the website
sign up for the newsletters
follow the organization on LinkedIn and share its content.
If you can afford to pay for membership-do it! Over time, your membership will help you to build your connections, knowledge, and reputation. The associations will also give you ideas on further education, certification or professional development programs. Don’t forget to list your membership on your LinkedIn profile and resume, as soon as possible.
Search for free or low-cost online webinars in your field of expertise provided by a Canadian professional association, regulatory body or credential authority. When you complete the courses or events, list them on your LinkedIn profile and resume. Once you have a Canadian professional credential you can replace the courses on your profile. You can start to look for courses here:
Local construction associations (geographically based). You’ll find a list of Canadian Construction Association affiliated regional members here
Don’t forget to use this list to research, prepare for and begin the credential recognition process for your trade or profession before you arrive in Canada. Having the right Canadian credentials will give you a competitive advantage when building your career.
3. Identify national e-learning certified courses:
BuildForce Canadais a national organization that focuses on developing a high-skilled construction workforce. One way they do this is through online elearning courses that they offer.
TCIC also offers Gold Seal certified courses, programs and workshops for industry professionals who want to climb the management ranks. This national accreditation for construction management professionals can also lead to the professional designation P.GSC. You have to meet the criteria (Canadian industry experience and education) to receive the designation. Learn more about Gold Seal.
4. Look for roles relevant to your career:
When you arrive in Canada, the best way to enhance your Canadian work experience is to look for roles relevant to your career. Actively searching for more junior roles can be an effective way of “earning and learning” the industry and profession.
Learn More about BCCA-IN
*The BCCA-Integrating Newcomers program is a free, pre-arrival, Canada-wide service, focused on helping high-skilled newcomers explore and build successful construction careers. Services include one-on-one career guidance, tailored resume, cover letter, LinkedIn advice, and an in-depth skills and education assessment to help newcomers focus on the best career, credentials and connections activities. The Integrating Newcomers team not only has multi-industry experience but are also immigrants who have built successful careers in Canada.
Parenting styles play an important role to help children develop emotional and social skills to succeed in Canada. While basic tenets such as love, support, and encouragement are common around the world, you might find being a parent in Canada different than in your country of origin. For example, in Canada, many parents encourage individuality in their children. Parents raise and support their children up to the age when they are legal adults (usually 18). After age 18, it’s common for children to move away to college and find part-time work.
This independence helps young adults to learn how to manage money and build strong personal and professional connections early on. In many community-based cultures, there is a tradition to live with all family members under one roof. This is unlike the culture in Canada where people in their 20s like to assert their independence.
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Along the same lines, children are taught to respect themselves as individuals from a young age. So children learn that physical or mental abuse is not appropriate. While in some countries spanking might be acceptable, it’s not accepted in Canada. Rather, being a parent in Canada is based on mutual respect and treating your child with dignity. So it’s important to foster strong relationships by listening to their children’s thoughts and ideas. Parents influence rather than simply dictate to their children. This approach also translates for children later in life, when they are in school or in the workforce.
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It’s important that parents foster self-esteem, confidence, and social skills in their children to help them succeed in Canada.
While many immigrant parents face more challenges than they expected, they take comfort in knowing they are giving their children a great start in life. As all parents do, immigrant parents have many hopes and dreams for their children. And you want them to be happy, healthy, and successful.
You may find you have to adapt your cultural expectations and parenting style to fall within new norms. Adapting to a different style can help you to deal with issues you may face.
In this context, here are some of the issues you may face:
1. Finding the balance between your traditional culture and the Canadian way of life.
2. Helping your kids adapt to school in terms of their studies and day-to-day activities.
3. Helping your kids make friends and deal with discrimination or bullies.
4. Dealing with kids who want to wear clothes and do things you don’t approve of.
5. Ensuring your kids don’t get involved in violence or drugs.
4 Parenting Styles
After living in Canada, many immigrant parents admit that they have changed their methods, styles, and behaviours since coming to Canada. The style you use to raise your children can have different effects on them. Researchers have identified four main styles and their characteristics.
1. Permissive Style
In a permissive style, parents are often warm, accepting, and avoid confronting their children. Parents make few demands of their kids and allow them to regulate their own behaviour as much as possible.
Typically, permissive parents do not enforce rules on their children. Research suggests that children of permissive parents have difficulty regulating their emotions and controlling their impulses. Children of permissive parents are more likely to show signs of depression and anxiety and tend to struggle in school. And children may also make poor decisions when their parents provide few guidelines which can affect their decision-making skills.
Permissive Parent Characteristics:
are nurturing and loving
act more like a friend than a parent
enforce few rules or standards
provide little structure.
Parents with this style can develop a more authoritative habit by introducing and enforcing rules.
2. Uninvolved Style
Like permissive parents, uninvolved parents make few demands of their children. However, they show little warmth or responsiveness toward their kids. As you might expect, children of uninvolved parents tend to be the least well-adjusted. Researchers identify that children with uninvolved parents tend to display low social skills and academic performance.
Uninvolved Parent Characteristics:
provide little or no supervision and rarely set rules
are emotionally distant from their children
set few expectations
have little involvement with school events such as parent-teacher meetings.
This style can be quite damaging for children. With little support, love, and structure, children with dismissive parents are less emotionally healthy.
3. Authoritarian Style
Authoritarian parents have high demands on their children and they tend to be controlling. Strict parents provide highly structured and well-ordered environments for their children. They emphasize values such as respect for:
authority
work, and
order and tradition.
Authoritarian Parent Characteristics:
have very strict rules
punish rather than discipline their children
provide little feedback or negative feedback
are impatient with misbehaviour.
With this style parents expect their children to obey strict standards and rules. They believe that their children should accept their decisions without question or dissent. This may sound familiar to your own upbringing. Or, there may even be some form of corporal punishment such as spanking to make children comply. But, this is not acceptable in Canada. In fact, you could even find yourself in legal trouble, if you punish your children physically.
It’s not surprising that children of strict parents have been found to be more anxious and withdrawn than other children. They tend to have relatively low levels of self-esteem and high levels of depression. However, these children are less likely to engage in problematic or antisocial behaviour and tend to perform well in school.
If this is your style, you can consider how to adopt a more authoritative style.
4. Authoritative Style
Authoritative parents expect their children to respect authority and follow strict standards and rules of conduct. With this style, parents prefer to reason or negotiate with their children when resolving conflict. Authoritative parents encourage their children to be both assertive and self-controlled. And, it’s no surprise that children of authoritative parents appear to be the best adjusted and tend to have better social skills. They effectively regulate their emotions and impulses and are less likely to engage in problematic or antisocial behaviour. These children have relatively high levels of self-esteem and happy disposition.
Authoritative Parent Characteristics:
set limits and expectations on their children’s behaviour
provide fair and consistent discipline
allow children to express opinions
show warmth and nurture their children
encourage independence
listen to their children.
Whatever your style, it’s important to recognize how it can affect your child’s development and success in Canada. So, be strong, impart your values, but allow your children some flexibility to discover themselves, determine their futures and shape their own beliefs. With your love and support, you’ll raise healthy and resilient children who will succeed in Canada.
For more information, tools, and free webinars about living in Canada visit our Settling in Canada resource page. We’ll help you to settle in Canada successfully!
Building your professional network is essential when you’re seeking a new job. And, if you’re moving to Canada you can start building your network even before you arrive. A strong network can help you to access the Canadian job market by building and developing relationships. Effective networking is a critical job search activity that you can begin while still in your home country. Discover six helpful tips to develop your networking skills!
Until you arrive in Canada, your online network will be key. But, when you arrive in Canada, make an effort to network face-to-face to build relationships. It may seem difficult at first, but most people are very eager to help, even those who may not be closely connected to you.
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Networking can open many doors to jobs that are not yet advertised, but first, you have to have the right connections. So, how can you build your professional network in Canada when you live abroad?
1. Create a Network Action Plan
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Building an effective network takes time and effort. Take time to create a plan of action to build your professional online network. Set some goals and know what you want to accomplish. When you’re clear about what you want to achieve you can have the right conversation.
Possible goals might be to:
Find out how to get work in a specific sector
Find out how to prepare to get work in the sector (ie; training or certification)
Learn how your past experience and skills would be relevant to Canadian employers
Discover job prospects for an industry and which organizations may be expanding
Find out who else you can speak to, to gain more information.
2. Start With Who You Know
“You are not ever a genius all by yourself. Your ideas are a function of the people you are connected with…”
Carol Dweck, Author, Mindset
The people that you already know can likely introduce you to others in their network. Start connecting with your contacts in a meaningful way. Reach out to the people you already know to build your professional network. Chances are that they know someone who has moved to Canada before you and can connect you to them. Whether or not they are in the same profession as you, they may be able to offer professional insights and introduce you to others.
Research shows that close to 80% of available jobs are not advertised. This represents what is known as the hidden job market. You can access the hidden job market through your professional and personal contacts and network.
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Start by listing your current contacts:
Personal contacts: include family, friends and acquaintances, clubs and organizations, and community groups
Work contacts: include co-workers (current and past), supervisors/managers, peers, subordinates, and other associates such as clients, and vendors
Education contacts: include alumni (high school, college, university), teachers and professors, coaches, instructors, and classmates
Professional group contacts: include industry or trade groups, online forums, and websites
To learn more about job search methods in Canada and steps to success, join our webinar:
3. Use the Power of Social Media to Build Your Professional Network
A thoughtful approach to using social media can help you make connections quickly, and build relationships over time.
Actions:
Join relevant Social Media groups and participate in online chats
Share articles on LinkedIn, Twitter, and Facebook to increase your visibility
Use relevant industry hashtags to share content and engage with others
Follow relevant individuals, groups, and industries in Canada relevant to your profession
“The currency of real networking is not greed but generosity”
Keith Ferazzi
One way to build relationships with your network is to create value. Be someone who provides, information, and support to others. Your network partners will remember your effort and be willing to return the favour.
Consider:
How can you add value to others?
How can you help others solve their problems?
Can you introduce people within your network?
How can you take initiative to help others?
5. Create Your Social Media Elevator Pitch
An elevator pitch is all about you: who you are, what you do, and what you want to do. It’s a great way to introduce yourself to hiring managers and other connections. Your social media presence is your elevator pitch and it represents your professional brand. So, carefully craft what you want to communicate.
Actions:
Define what expertise you want to profile
Think about why someone would want to follow you on social media and build your brand
Select articles, images, and other resources that convey your brand as relevant and informative
Building an effective network is all about the quality of the relationship. So, it’s important to keep in touch with your network. In that sense, think quality of contacts over quantity. Keeping an active network takes time, planning, and effort to maintain the relationship.
With friendly rapport, when your contacts hear of job opportunities, they’ll think of you and be excited to help you.
While networking may seem like a lot of effort, it’s essential to build your professional network before you leave for Canada. With the right connections, you’ll be on your way to landing the right job in Canada and meeting exciting new people.
For more information, tools, resources, and free webinars visit our finding a job in Canada resource page. Get the help you need to achieve your career goals in Canada!
Exercise and mental health are important to manage after after arriving in Canada. Overall, Canadians greatly value physical well-being. So each city provides health and fitness clubs and sport-based community centres. We’ll look at some options for you to maintain both your physical and mental health.
Some of the private, brand-name clubs may have high membership fees. However, they may also provide a pool, private training, saunas, tanning booths and a more private environment. So it this is important to you, you may want to consider if it fits your budget.
As a landed immigrant, you are entitled to bring with you, free of duty and taxes, any personal and household items that you owned before your arrival in Canada.
These may include any of the following. But think about whether it is cheaper to ship or to buy new items once in Canada.
