Employment & the Workplace

Burnaby Workplace Ambassadors Profiles

The Burnaby Workplace Ambassadors Profiles have been developed to promote the best and promising practices learned from the delivery of the Burnaby Workplace Ambassadors’ Project. They include participant testimonials on the barriers and challenges they faced as newcomers, job seekers and employers, best and promising employer practices, and success stories and testimonials related to immigrant workforce integration and employer engagement. The profiles are organized into six key occupational sectors in Burnaby and are supported by information on current local labour market information and workplace inclusion initiatives.

During the Burnaby Workplace Ambassadors Program thirty five internationally trained professionals (ITPs) new to Burnaby received focussed training and supporting resources on communication and networking, and then were introduced to a professional within their field and a 45 minute meeting was set up. The Employer Ambassadors would then refer the participants on to further colleagues and contacts. In turn, the thirty five ITP Ambassadors engaged more than 240 employers in discussions about immigrant workforce integration; many of these employers reviewed and discussed their own recruiting and hiring practices and shared the experience with their colleagues. Here, in their own words, a few representatives of both types of ambassadors (immigrants and local employers) recount their experiences with the program.

The Burnaby Workplace Ambassadors Profiles were developed through the WICWP Legacy Extension Initiative.

Burnaby Workplace Ambassadors

Burnaby Workplace Ambassadors Project is a WICWP Sustainability and Legacy Initiative.

The intent of the project is to increase awareness of the barriers and challenges faced by both new immigrant job seekers and by employers working to recruit, hire and retain internationally trained workers.

The Burnaby Workplace Ambassador Project will create opportunities for direct connections between internationally trained workers and Burnaby employers, will increase understanding and break down barriers to employment.

The project will be delivered in three cycles (October 2011, December 2011 and February 2012). At the end of the Burnaby Workplace Ambassadors’ Project, 30 “ITW Ambassadors” will have connected with a total of more than 210 “Employer Ambassadors”.

Breaking Down the Barriers

Breaking Down the Barriers was a campaign to educate employers, businesses and the wider Burnaby community about the value of integrating new immigrants in the workplace.

BIPT has led a series of workplace tours and employer forums to connect immigrants to local businesses. We have launched a cross-media campaign with emails, flyers, newsletters, and online reports to help bust common myths about newcomers while promoting inclusive communities.

This website is a storehouse of valuable information about labour markets, employment services and more.

Employment & the Workplace

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