Career Options High School Fall 2014

gazine A unique ma ents find to help stud y love and the work the they want. build the life

VOLUME IX, FALL 2014

careeroptionsmagazine.com

HER VIEW FROM THE TOP:

KELSEY RAMSDEN IS

CANADA’S TOP FEMALE

ENTREPRENEUR

DIVERSITY IN CANADIAN WORKPLACES:

HOW FAR WE’VE COME, AND HOW FAR WE STILL NEED TO GO

NOW HIRING WOMEN IN NON-TRADITIONAL OCCUPATIONS

CONTENTS

iverse perspectives D can give companies a competitive edge page 20

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THINK GLOBALLY, HIRE LOCALLY: The Case for Diverse Workplaces

By Jordan Adams

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SHE’S THE BOSS: An Interview with Kelsey Ramsden

By Ana Gajic

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By Sharon Cheung

By Zujajah Islam

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INVISIBLE DISABILITIES: An Interview with Nancy Moulday, Recruiter, TD Bank Group

STEM GROWS GREAT CAREERS: Why Women Should Pursue a Career in the Skilled Trades

BUILDING OUR MOSAIC: Diversity in Canadian Workplaces: Past, Present and Future

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EDUCATION DESTINATION: Why International Students Choose Canada

By Lindsay Brennan

DO YOU HAVE DIGITAL DREAMS? Careers in Multimedia

By Aisha Biberdorf

By Danielle Klassen

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INTERNATIO

SEE THE WORLD (and Yourself in a Whole New Way)

NAL

“ There are women in powerful places—look up!” page 10

By Mitch Vandenborn

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Editor-in-Chief Paul D. Smith Managing Editor | gordongroup Simon Osborne Associate Editor | gordongroup Robert Nettleton Project Management | gordongroup Omer Abdallah Art Direction / Print Management | gordongroup Leslie Miles Design & Layout | gordongroup Kelly Read-Lyon Alina Oliveira Director of Advertising Sales | gordongroup Kirill Kornilov Advertising Sales | gordongroup Colleen Hayes Distribution Coordinator | gordongroup Ian MacKichan Contributors Jordan Adams Sharon Cheung Danielle Klassen

Aisha Biberdorf Ana Gajic Mitch Vandenborn

Lindsay Brennan Zujajah Islam

Career Options High School Edition is published annually by the Canadian Association of Career Educators and Employers (CACEE), 720 Spadina Avenue, Suite 202, Toronto ON M5S 2T9.

For subscription information, contact Paul D. Smith: Tel.: 613-634-2359 Fax: 416-929-5256 Email: pauls@cacee.com Website: careeroptionsmagazine.com For advertising inquiries, contact Kirill Kornilov, Director of Advertising Sales, gordongroup: Tel.: 613-288-5363 Fax: 613-722-6496 Email: kkornilov@gordongroup.com Website: gordongroup.com ISSN: 1712-1183 The Canadian Association of Career Educators and Employers (CACEE) is a national, non-profit partnership of employer recruiters and career services professionals. Our mission is to provide authoritative information, advice, professional development opportunities and other services to employers, career services professionals and students.

NOTE: The opinions expressed within are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect CACEE policy. No part of this magazine may be reproduced in whole or in part without written permission of the publisher.

The National Student Resource of: Canadian Association of Career Educators and Employers 720 Spadina Ave., Suite 202, Toronto ON M5S 2T9 cacee.com

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WE WOULD LIKE TO THANK OUR ADVERTISERS...

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14 Automotive Business School of Canada at Georgian College 23

Brighton College

15, 23 Canadian Bureau for International Education (CBIE) 34 Complections College of Makeup Art & Design 28 Education & Career Fairs (ECF)

EDITOR’S LETTER

DIVERSITY EMPLOYERS KNOW ONE SIZE DOES NOT FIT ALL “Diversity” is a term that we hear quite a lot these days when people talk about hiring practices.

There are good reasons for that: Canada is a diverse nation, and employers have access to well-educated individuals from across the spectrum of genders, cultures and abilities. This characteristic of our country is most obvious among the thousands who graduate each year from our colleges and universities.

22, 34 Insurance Institute – Career Connections

Canadian campuses are among our most diverse communities, populated by students, faculty and staff from many nations and walks of life. The number and visibility of Aboriginal and international students is growing on campuses. More persons with disabilities are attending post-secondary institutions, and members of the LGBTQ community are coming forward. These factors are combining to make each graduating class more diverse than the previous one.

36 Lassonde School of Engineering, York University

This is a strength for our nation, but it also poses a challenge. Our national talent pool rewards

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Engineers Canada

13, 26 Humber College School of Social & Community Services

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Ontario College Information Fair

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Ontario College of Trades

34, 35 Ontario Council on Articulation and Transfer (ONCAT) 18

Schlumberger

2

Seneca College

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Student Life Expo

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University of Guelph-Humber

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University of Regina

[EVEN MORE]

CAREER OPTIONS As always, you can check out the latest issue of Career Options online, or browse the archives for more great feature articles from past issues. But there’s a lot more in store at our website, careeroptionsmagazine.com

BLOGSPOT is a space where

guest bloggers share their thoughts about post-secondary education, entering the workforce, finding the “right” job and getting a career on track. Submit your own blog ideas at careeroptionsmagazine.com/ blogspot

PINTEREST

is the latest social media craze, and Career Options has hopped on the bandwagon. The virtual pinboard is used to share interesting photos and ideas—we use it to help students and recent graduates in all aspects of their careers.

Check out our boards for job interview tips, office outfit ideas, easy lunch recipes, office decoration, books worth reading and much more. Visit pinterest.com/careeroptions

recruiters who are flexible in their approach, capable of adapting to the differing priorities of our diverse communities and individuals. But those employers who adopt a one-size-fits-all approach to recruiting will struggle in our environment, because their message won’t meet the wants and needs of our varied supply of candidates. The “skills shortage” we hear so much about in the media is likely made worse by recruiting campaigns that make the same pitch to all grads.

There are elements of offers that are universally desired—everyone wants to earn a decent salary for doing work that interests them, and that they perceive as valuable. But those are just the table stakes now. Our diverse talent pool wants to see authenticity, and that, as many recruiters will tell you, can be hard to fake. What does an authentic recruiting campaign look like? It must be transparent, revealing what the candidate has to gain, and what the recruiter will gain, too. It must reflect an openness to understanding the specific needs and challenges faced by members of minority communities. And it must demonstrate openness to continued learning.

This requires effort, but more than that, it requires time. Authenticity demands trustworthiness, and trust needs time to grow. Employers need to show that they will take the time for “a thousand cups of tea,” as an Aboriginal Elder once remarked to me.

As we enter into another school year and another recruiting cycle, I invite you to take a look at the recruiting campaigns at work on your campus—and there are lots of campaigns out there— and see which ones you feel are authentic. How can you tell? Ask questions. Talk to the company reps, and/or visit their recruiting sites. I bet you’ll be able to tell the difference between an organization that is truly committed to diversity, and one that is trying to make an off-the-rack campaign look like a tailored outfit. Then you can choose which one interests you more.

Cheers! CO Paul D. Smith Paul D. Smith is the Executive Director of the Canadian Association of Career Educators and Employers and Editor-in-Chief of Career Options High School Edition. Email Paul at pauls@cacee.com.

FOR MORE INFORMATION, PLEASE VISIT: cacee.com, careeroptionsmagazine.com

Keep up with the latest career advice, news and views: follow Career Options on Twitter, like us on Facebook, subscribe to our RSS feed and join our LinkedIn group.

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The Case for Diverse Workplaces

THINK GLOBALLY, HIRE LOCALLY

By Jordan Adams

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anada proudly embraces its diversity. We are, after all, a nation founded by immigrants, and one of the most multicultural countries in the world today. We recognize our Aboriginal history, we demand gender equality, and we accommodate the needs of others.

New Canadians, people with disabilities, Aboriginal peoples and women make up a large and growing portion of our workforce, and this growth shows no signs of slowing down in future. According to Statistics Canada, by 2031 one in three Canadians will belong to a visible minority, and one in four will be foreign-born. The Aboriginal population has also been on a steady upward trajectory, as well as the number of women in the workforce. And as the population ages, more and more of our workforce will identify as having a disability.

In Canada, that means a workplace representative of its multiculturalism.

We live in a country where:

Whether or not we’re part of one of these groups, we all benefit from diversity being properly represented in Canada’s workplaces.

• Aboriginal peoples make up four percent of the population.

WHAT IS A DIVERSE WORKPLACE? “A diverse workplace, to me, is a workplace that is representative of its community,” says Lisa A. Kuiper, who works for Brock University’s Career Services.

• Over 20 percent of the population is foreign-born—more than any other G8 country, according to Statistics Canada.

• Diversity numbers are high in major cities, such as Toronto, where almost half of residents are immigrants.

• Half the population and half the workforce is female.

• 3.8 million adults report having a disability—over 13 percent of the population.

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ment. The study states, “Although mainly intuitive, their beliefs are supported by the performance of corporate diversity leaders on the capital markets, as well as data on employee retention and productivity.”

About half of Canada’s disabled population are part of the workforce— a number that has increased despite the barriers that people with disabilities face.

COMPANIES REALIZE DIVERSITY MATTERS Employers are recognizing that a diverse workforce is beneficial to their company culture as well as their products and services. That’s why many major companies have strong diversification programs in place, and have made it a top priority.

THERE ARE LOTS OF REASONS WHY TECHNOLOGY COMPANIES LIKE GOOGLE STRUGGLE TO RECRUIT AND RETAIN WOMEN AND MINORITIES. The benefits of representing all these groups in the workforce are numerous. For one, diversity can help companies think about their product or service in new ways, says Paulina Nozka, career consultant at Ryerson University.

“I think recognizing that we don’t all have the same perspectives, and ideally listening to these different perspectives, is what makes a diverse workplace work,” says Nozka. “When you have to consider different points of view, you will end up with a better product or service that’s going to better fit the needs of the population.”

Major Canadian employers such as RBC appear to support this notion as well. The financial institution has an entire diversity section on its website, which states in part: “RBC believes diversity and inclusion represent incredible business and economic potential. We know innovation and creativity is spurred by different perspectives. With demographic and population shifts, globalization, advances in technology and communications, diverse perspectives in common purpose have huge potential to drive innovation and growth for companies and economies around the world.”

Diversity policies like this embrace the benefits of a workforce that represents the full population of not just Canada, but the whole world.

From the RBC website: “We believe for Canada to succeed in the global marketplace, attracting, employing and fully integrating immigrants in our workforce is imperative.”

RBC says that strong leadership is important for diversification efforts to take hold: “Proactive, visible and engaged leaders drive change. We believe an active group of diversity leaders will accelerate the achievement of our diversity goals through their direct actions, their own development and by inspiring others.”

Google has recently made efforts to strengthen diversity both in its own ranks and within the technology industry as a whole. The global tech giant made waves when it released information about its own workforce’s diversity, which is 70 percent male and 30 percent female, and also 61 percent white.

These imbalances are why Google establish a diversity program: “Google is committed to bringing together people—in our workforce, our industry, and on the web—who have a broad range of attributes, experiences, and points of view. We believe our differences make us stronger, and produce better, more innovative work.”

Part of Google’s strategy to change these numbers is by taking an active role in education.

The company’s Senior Vice President of People Operations, Laszlo Bock, said in a blog post: “There are lots of reasons why technology companies like Google struggle to recruit and retain women and minorities. For example, women earn roughly 18 percent of all computer science degrees in the United States. Blacks and Hispanics each make up under 10 percent of U.S. college grads and each collect fewer than 10 percent of degrees in CS majors. So we’ve invested a lot of time and energy in education.”

CHALLENGES DIVERSE WORKERS FACE Although most people seem to agree that diverse workplaces are beneficial to all involved, that doesn’t mean diversity comes easily. There are barriers to overcome for both the employer and employee who is new to the work environment.

Kuiper says that hiring people with disabilities is beneficial to employers as well. “It makes good business sense to recruit and hire diverse workers,” she says.

Kuiper and Nozka both say training is key to retaining diverse workers.

The employer must take the extra time to engage these workers and help acclimatize them to the company and its culture, and employees must educate their employers on their background and abilities, and try to dispel myths, Kuiper says.

She cites a federal government study, “Rethinking DisAbility in the Private Sector,” that heard from senior business leaders who echoed her state-

Nozka stresses the need for openness from both employer and employee, as well as coworkers: “Openness goes farther than anything else.”

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Employers also must recognize that employees who come from different cultural backgrounds may have a tough time fitting into the workplace.

“The fact that it seems to be so informal in the workplace here, where bosses talk to their subordinates and there isn’t that distinction of ‘Mister,’ ‘Sir,’ or ‘Ma’am,’ ” Nozka says, can be a tough adjustment for employees that come from societies where the workplace is more formal and hierarchical. “And also that managers trust their workers to do their job well and often encourage them to work independently. There can be less of that ‘someone sitting over your shoulder watching you work.’ ” Another example of a workplace culture shock in Canada would be the way we work in teams.

“Those coming from cultures that are more community- and grouporiented may find that teamwork here could be more challenging because [Canadians] tend to be more individualistic,” says Nozka. “People advocate on their own behalf here more than they’re used to, and a lot of [newcomers] aren’t comfortable with that.”

The way to fix this is by taking the time to train employees on the workplace’s culture and practices, she says. And employees can learn by paying attention to cues and body language, and listening closely to what people say.

coworkers about their disability. Employers can help break these barriers by, again, taking the time to train the new employee, and by training their coworkers on how to work together.

Building a personal connection is important in the workplace, Nozka says. “No matter who you are or what your background is, when you look for the things you have in common with others, it becomes easier to work together and succeed,” she says.

While our cultural backgrounds, gender and abilities may be visible on the outside, we ultimately all have our own perspective.

“I think in the end every workplace is diverse, because diversity isn’t just culture, being from a different country. We all bring our own different perspectives into the workplace,” Nozka says. “They say even two kids raised by the same parents can look at the world completely differently. We all have our lens, based on our experiences and how we view the world.” CO

Jordan Adams is a writer and Carleton journalism grad living in Toronto. Follow Jordan on Twitter @byJordanAdams

People with disabilities also face certain barriers when entering the workplace, such as lack of accommodation and misconceptions from

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FOR CANADA’S NUMBER ONE FEMALE ENTREPRENEUR, GENDER DIVERSITY ISN’T A CHALLENGE—IT’S AN OPPORTUNITY.

K

elsey Ramsden launched Belvedere Place Developments, a construction firm, in 2005 when she was 28 years old. The novelty of a woman running the show in a non-traditional industry drew people to her, she said.

“There’s a little bit of the freak show component, right? Like, wouldn’t you like to meet a 28-year-old girl who’s starting a multi-million-dollar construction company? That sounds interesting,” Ramsden explains with a laugh.

Female entrepreneurs’ challenges aren’t unique, Niemetscheck says.

Limited management experience, a lack of mentorship and a shortage of time stand in the way of success for both female and male entrepreneurs.

In Ramsden’s experience, the fact that women face challenges in the business world means the landscape is changing. Women have broken a glass ceiling and can now face entrepreneurship and its gender stereotypes head-on. Ramsden has had men ask for “the boss,” assuming it’ll be another man, only to find out she’s the boss.

Her company has expanded from a focus on small roadway projects to building large infrastructure, such as bridges. Ramsden’s success as an entrepreneur has blossomed along with the firm. The mother of three now runs multiple businesses, and Chatelaine magazine has named her “Canada’s Number One Female Entrepreneur” two years in a row.

“Things like that, to me, are a part of changing industries. So you can either consider that a negative, or you can consider it a positive because the whole reason why there’s an interaction there is because positive change is being made,” Ramsden explains.

Ramsden is part of a growing number of women running businesses in Canada, and the key to her success lies in her ability to think outside the box. Whether it’s starting a construction company or simply being a female boss, Ramsden doesn’t let other people’s opinions get in her way.

One on hand, being singled out as a female entrepreneur can be frustrating because gender doesn’t determine prosperity in the business world.

On the other hand, Ramsden says, female entrepreneurs enjoy benefits their male counterparts don’t.

“I think oftentimes things don’t get started by virtue of the fact that you think there’s going to be pushback,” she says. “I’ve never really been one to consider pushback.”

“Is it a pro or a con to be a woman in business right now? If that’s the question, it’s a PRO—with all three letters capitalized,” she says. Being a woman in business earned her Chatelaine’s recognition two years in a row.

“Is there an award that takes the front page of magazines for boys? No!”

UNDERSTANDING FEMALE LEADERS According to Foreign Affairs, Trade and Development Canada, the number of female entrepreneurs running non-start-up businesses rose by five percent from the early 90s to 2012.

Women’s networking groups, like FWE, are another benefit for female business owners. Very rarely do you see male-only networking groups, Ramsden says.

Still, women run only four percent of medium-sized businesses in Canada, and 13 percent of small businesses. With about 160 employees, Ramsden’s Belvedere Place Developments is considered a mediumsized business.

The task lies in making sure everyone’s aware of their potential. “You [women] have just as much capacity and ability. There are women in powerful places—look up!” Ramsden says.

“So there’s a gap. But what there also is, is a huge opportunity to educate women, to inspire them and to really empower them,” says Lisa Niemetscheck, general manager at the Forum for Women Entrepreneurs (FWE). The British Columbia-based non-profit group aims to help female business owners find success through networking and education.

The now 37-year-old Ramsden also runs SparkPlay, a children’s toy subscription service, and offers business coaching through her website, kelseyramsden.ca.

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GETTING TO THE TOP

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SHE’S THE BOSS

ITH W W E I V R AN INTE MSDEN

RA KELSEYBy Ana Gajic

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“IS IT A PRO OR A CON TO BE A WOMAN IN BUSINESS RIGHT NOW? IF THAT’S THE QUESTION, IT’S A PRO—WITH ALL THREE LETTERS CAPITALIZED.”

Learn more about Kelsey at kelseyramsden.ca

Combined with the British Columbia-based Belvedere Place Developments, which she manages remotely from London, Ontario, Ramsden has a lot to juggle—and that’s not including her personal life as a wife and mother.

Ramsden’s battle with cancer was relatively brief—she beat the disease within a year of being diagnosed—but the experience left a lasting impact on how she manages her life. “I don’t have time to nancy-pants around like I used to. I don’t bother myself with things I can’t change,” she says.

But to Ramsden, success hasn’t come from money, power or owning multiple businesses.

Now, Ramsden makes sure to unplug from electronics when she’s with her children, she reserves time each night to talk to her husband, and she exercises regularly. She’s also rethought her early approach to business.

“I wouldn’t say I’m most proud of any one thing. I think I’m most proud of my evolution,” she explains. “I’m most proud of my continuous ability to change and adapt and be ingenious.”

In her early years as an entrepreneur, Ramsden says she strived for influence and money. As time went on, she realized those elements weren’t enough.

In 2012, only two months after the birth of her third child, Ramsden found out she had cervical cancer.

“You recognize how very insignificant you are quite quickly in the broad scheme of things, and how significant you are on a very small scale—to your children, your spouse, your parents, your brother,” she explains.

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“Ultimately, what was my original, juvenile definition of success—influence and money—all that does is afford me the freedom to do the things that I do.”

A CONTINUUM OF LEARNING Awards and business success aside, Ramsden says she still has a lot to learn. She sees life as a continuum of learning, and tries to discover something new every day.

“I think we can all get a little bit too self-centred. We don’t look up and look at what’s going on around us—to ask, what can I learn about some things that I haven’t learned about before? Or how can I offer what I know to some other people?” she says. “Through that you learn things. By giving, you get.”

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Ramsden uses her business mentoring and her experiences giving TEDx talks around the world as an opportunity to learn and connect with people who have fresh outlooks.

She’s launching an online course in September for those starting out as entrepreneurs, and is releasing two books with tips and tricks for success. She offers a free email newsletter subscription through her website in hopes of fostering a community and sharing what she’s learned so far.

Making mistakes has also helped Ramsden along her ongoing path of discovery. “I think if you’ve made no mistakes, odds are you’re probably not trying that hard,” she says. “For me, it’s such a crazy continuum of mistakes.”

Ramsden holds a Bachelor of Arts from the University of Victoria and a Master of Business from Western University, but academia was never her strong suit. The mistakes she made at school provided her the best learning experience, she said.

“I had to develop more than a great GPA,” she says. “I recognized the value in things other than other people’s determination of my own value quite early on.”

This realization paved the way to moving past the hurdle of what she calls “legacy thinking”: the idea that women don’t run businesses, or the notion that women must choose between a career and children. It allowed her to build businesses based on her own values: adventure, creativity and family.

ADVICE FOR FEMALE ENTREPRENEURS Ramsden has two tips for women who run businesses: network with women and men, and build trusting relationships.

“The fundamental piece of all transactions is trust. It takes time to build that,” she says.

In Niemetscheck’s experience as manager of FWE, she’s also seen the importance of networking. Finding a mentor and learning the basics of business is also crucial to entrepreneurial success, she says.

“It is a huge benefit to women entrepreneurs to be able to talk about their challenges with others,” Niemetscheck explains. “And often they’ll walk away from a conversation thinking, ‘I can conquer this and it’s not as tough as I thought it was.’ ” For Ramsden, a key component to business lies in self-trust.

“You’re never ready,” she says with a laugh. “We always allow that sense of readiness to hold us back and I think we should make it okay to kind of be not ready, because I believe that’s when the best results happen.” CO

Ana Gajic is a freshly minted journalism graduate from Carleton University and she lives in Toronto, where she works in healthcare public relations at the Peter Munk Cardiac Centre. She loves telling people’s stories.

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[INVISIBLE] DISABILITIES

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An Interview with Nancy Moulday, Recruiter, TD Bank Group

By Sharon Cheung

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ancy Moulday, recruitment manager for TD Bank Group in Business Banking and two-time president of the Canadian Association of Career Educators and Employers (in 2004 and 2014), can attest to the power of sharing one’s story.

Nancy has spent the last 10 years advocating for mental health awareness using her “Nancy’s in the House” campus visits as a vehicle to reach out to students who self-identify with an invisible disability—in other words, one that is not physically apparent, such as a mental health issue.

As an Aboriginal woman, she also uses her visits to meet with and inspire Aboriginal students. share her story, and demonstrate that anyone can overcome adversity through hard work, honesty and open conversation.

CO had the chance to chat with Nancy on why mental health issues are important to her, and why she wants others to feel comfortable sharing their stories.

WHERE DOES YOUR STORY BEGIN? Back in 2004, I was serving as president for the Canadian Association of Career Educators and Employers (CACEE), my sister had just passed away, my job had changed and I was going through marital difficulties. I was engulfed in all these very difficult personal issues, and I needed help.

I met with my psychiatrist, and with TD Bank’s Canadian Council of Rehabilitation Work (CCRW). My psychiatrist diagnosed me with clinical depression, and the CCRW assessed my workplace needs and recommended a change in office space—having natural light, flexibility to work at home—and a shift in roles.

WHAT MOTIVATED YOU TO FIRST SPEAK ABOUT YOUR DISABILITY TO YOUR COLLEAGUES? It was important for me to share with my colleagues what was happening so that they were aware that I needed accommodations. I wanted them to understand little things like when I was gone for a couple of hours, it wasn’t because I wasn’t being a team player, but because I was traveling to see my therapist. Or when I became defensive it wasn’t because of them, it was an episode of depression.

Together with the CCRW, I held a Lunch and Learn where I came out to my colleagues to discuss invisible disabilities—what it means, what the symptoms of depression are, and how we can all work together.

The first step was awareness of what was preventing me from functioning.

The second was opening the dialogue with my colleagues and speaking up about mental illnesses.

HOW CAN SUPPORTERS OR ALLIES OF MENTAL HEALTH HELP? Listen to our stories, ask questions and do research to gain a better understanding of invisible disabilities. Mental health issues can make you feel very isolated. Having a support network is important.

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TD STANDS OUT AS A PROGRESSIVE INSTITUTION. WHAT OTHER PROGRAMS DO THEY HAVE TO SUPPORT THEIR EMPLOYEES? It started at the top when TD established the diversity leadership council 10 years ago to improve the employee experience. This made diversity and inclusion a business imperative. Executive committees were struck to head up the different areas of focus, including Aboriginal People, Visible Minorities, Persons with Disabilities, LGBT and Women in Leadership.

Other programs include the Mental Health Awareness half-day sensitivity program, which takes place four to five times a year, as well as employment equity surveys. There’s also a comprehensive annual corporate responsibility report, which readers can check out on TD.com, as well as our TD Volunteer Network, which supports employees in activities and projects in the communities where they live and work.

AS A RECRUITMENT MANAGER, DO YOU HAVE ANY ADVICE FOR OUR STUDENTS WITH A DISABILITY (VISIBLE OR INVISIBLE)?

I recruit undergraduate and MBA students at 35 different universities coast to coast, and my advice is always to practice with your friends or family, be prepared and know the job description. There may be times where you feel intimidated, but remember that you’ll be hired on your merits, so continue working hard. If you’re looking for more information, you can go to your school’s career centre and look into the alumni working at the company. Take advantage of your support systems and do your research.

WHEN EXPERIENCING LOW DAYS, HOW DO YOU MOTIVATE YOURSELF? I motivate myself by sharing my story with others and helping them through their personal challenges. I remind myself that there is always an ending to a bad day and then use my coping mechanisms. Even though we can’t see it immediately, these periods will pass if we just keep moving forward. TD also has wellness groups dedicated to individuals with various levels of depression or mental health issues. CO Nancy has been at TD for 27 years, and her role as a senior leader within the banking Email us at blog@careeroptionsmagazine.com industry wouldn’t have been and we’ll post it on our blog! possible had she done it alone.

While TD offers a variety of diversity programs, there are also many other resources available in the community, at school and through your doctor.

Want to share your story?

Follow Nancy on Twitter @NancyMoulday_TD To explore career opportunities at TD, visit td.com/careers

Sharon Cheung is a young professional in her third year of an Honours BA in Public Relations at the University of Ottawa. Sharon is very involved in the PR community and is a student leader for both the CPRS and IABC.

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BUILDING OUR MO

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Diversity in Canadian Workplaces: Past, Present and Future

By Danielle Klassen

OSAIC

world to adopt a national multicultural policy, when Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau officially recognized Canada as a multicultural country.

DIVERSITY THEN AND NOW “Forty years ago, everyone began to talk about gender diversity. Now, when we look at where we are today, what we talk about when it comes to diversity in the workplace has really broadened.

Companies are responsible to reflect what society looks like,” says Roxanne Hutchings, Inclusion and Diversity Lead for Accenture Canada.

In 1977, the Canadian Human Rights Act was enacted, outlining 10 unacceptable grounds for discrimination: race, national or ethnic origin, colour, religion, age, sex, marital status, family status, disability and conviction for an offense for which a pardon has been granted.

But the creation of the Act alone was insufficient in dramatically altering the makeup of workplaces across the country.

In 1987, the Employment Equity Act was enacted to create a systematic response to address discrimination. With it, the federal government set in place a framework for companies to ensure that all Canadians had the same access to the labour market.

T

he ever-quotable Anchorman gives a satirical inside look at the maledominated workplace of the 1970s.

The classic 2004 comedy is set in a fictional San Diego newsroom where egos run high and scotch flows freely.

When the ambitious Veronica Corningstone takes her seat next to Ron Burgundy, the polyester-clad news anchor learns firsthand that “diversity” in not in fact defined as “an old, old wooden ship that was used during the Civil War era,” as he once believed.

Pushing back against the rampant chauvinism of the time, Corningstone fights through her male co-workers’ constant sexist jokes and management’s reluctance to acknowledge her talent to eventually land a coveted network job.

In reality, the 1970s was a big decade for recognizing workplace diversity in North America, as companies endeavored to align with new guidelines that were being introduced. In 1971, Canada became one of the first countries in the

The Act legally requires employers to take action to ensure that they don’t merely open up job competitions to diverse applicants, but that they actively hire and train a diverse workforce.

Today, companies with more than 500 people on staff may be audited to ensure that women, Aboriginal peoples, persons with disabilities and members of visible minorities are fully represented within their organizations.

Having been part of Accenture for 25 years, Hutchings says she has seen the company’s workplace diversity practices expand and evolve.

“When I first came in, the focus was on women and LGBT inclusion. Today, we’ve expanded our focus to inclusion of persons with disabilities, and the focus on mental health has increased.

It’s changed and has become more talked about.

We want to foster a safe and inclusive environment,” says Hutchings.

Accenture was one of the first organizations to include an LGBT component in their inclusion and diversity policies, beginning in the

1990s, says Hutchings. Canada added sexual orientation to the list of prohibited grounds for discrimination under the Canadian Human Rights Act in 1996.

Today, the different ways we look at diversity and inclusion have become more central to public discussion and are more visible in society.

Thousands from the LGBT community and allies come out to march in Pride parades every year.

Paralympic broadcast coverage continues to expand rapidly and viewership has increased by 32 percent in the four years between the Vancouver 2010 Games and Sochi 2014. And an Aboriginal urban music group, A Tribe Called Red, continues to sell out shows around the world, while provoking public dialogue about Aboriginal struggles for equality with their unique brand of “Electric Pow Wow.” However, for each remarkable success story, there is another story about past struggles and challenges ahead.

The Canadian workplace is no longer homogenous, as women fill nearly half of jobs and visible minorities are highly represented. But women still earn less than men and minorities are not well-represented in key decisionmaking positions in Canadian organizations, according to the Canadian Conference Board.

Members of the LGBT community continue to face persecution every day in our country and across the globe. Persons with disabilities struggle to be included and accommodated in the Canadian workplace, as less than half of the disabled workforce candidates become employed.

Aboriginal people continue to feel the lasting impact of colonization and institutionalized inequality in their communities. They have seen little increase in representation in the workplace, and they continue to earn less than their non-Aboriginal counterparts—Aboriginal women in particular.

Canada has a long road ahead towards having a fully inclusive society. The onus does not fall exclusively on politicians and legislators.

Employers play a major role in influencing our national culture.

COMPANIES THAT LEAD Each year, Canada’s Top 100 Employers identifies companies across the country that demonstrate CO high school edition 21

leadership in creating a diverse and inclusive workforce. Accenture and PricewaterhouseCoopers are among two firms that have been called Canada’s Best Diversity Employers.

“Diversity is so important at Accenture. We take the widest possible view of inclusion and diversity. We go beyond race, gender, sexual orientation to create an environment that really affords a rich range of types of people and a diverse talent in the workforce,” says Hutchings.

The multinational consulting company identifies five main areas of focus as part of a company-wide commitment to inclusion and diversity. These include cross-cultural training and understanding, ethnic diversity, LGBT diversity, persons with disabilities, and workplace equality for women.

“We know that diversity is crucial to the fabric of who we are as a company, and it’s so important to attracting unique talent,” says Hutchings James Temple is the Corporate Responsibility Leader for PwC. He says that inclusion is a top priority, one that appears in every element of the business.

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“The diversity of our teams helps us bring unique experiences and perspectives to the table with our clients,” says Temple. Both PwC and Accenture see the diversity of their teams as a competitive business advantage.

What both these firms have in common with other leading firms is that they view diversity as an ongoing journey. For these companies to continue to forge ahead, they must do much more than speak about diversity—they must actively foster it.

DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION IN THE WORKPLACE In terms of recruitment, Accenture is always looking for new ways to expand its hiring network. The company recently reported that only one percent of their workforce is Aboriginal.

To address this, the company has spearheaded a program to effectively recruit young Aboriginal people. They’re teaming up with the Government of Canada and Accosys Consulting, an Aboriginal-owned technology company, to recruit interns for year-long work placements and to later transition them into full-time employees.

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As they build a more diverse workforce, Accenture focuses on training to foster an inclusive environment.

Operating out of many countries across the globe, Accenture sees first-hand the benefit of cross-cultural understanding. “Cross-cultural training is intended to increase awareness of how other cultures operate and how you as an individual operate, so that we can all learn to communicate better,” says Hutchings.

On a grassroots level within the workplace, large companies will often create a framework for employees to create and join peer resource groups. PwC has developed Employee Resource Circles to bring people with shared values together, including “Women’s Up Front,” the Black Professionals Circle, Latin Connections, and GLEE (Gays, Lesbians and Everyone Else).

“We support our employees in developing new internal and external relationships and encourage everyone to be involved, not just those who might identify with a particular interest area or group,” says Temple.

BY 2031, AT LEAST ONE IN FOUR CANADIANS WILL HAVE BEEN BORN OUTSIDE CANADA. IN THAT SAME YEAR, THE MAJORITY OF NEW HIRES WILL BE FROM AN IMMIGRANT TALENT POOL.

The output of these groups is valuable to the company, says Temple: “We look to them to help us think through important inclusion-based issues impacting their communities and to help us devise new strategies to help us make a difference to the success of our people, communities and clients combined.”

Overall, Temple says that the key to facilitating an ongoing transformation in the workplace is to create the right infrastructure to have every single person view themselves as an inclusion leader.

“Change Management takes time, and developing a truly inclusive corporate culture will always adapt and transform as society and business progresses,” he says.

LOOKING AHEAD By 2031, at least one in four Canadians will have been born outside Canada, predicts Statistics Canada. In that same year, it’s predicted that the majority of new hires will be from an immigrant talent pool. This means that businesses, clients, customers, partners and consumers will also be from many different countries and diverse backgrounds.

Today in Canada, the white male continues to dominate the corporate boardroom. Even as a multicultural nation, we are just beginning its journey toward true equality for persons of all cultures, races, sexual identities, genders, abilities and religions.

“There’s a lot left to do. We still need to focus on cross-cultural diversity.

We will need to continue to raise awareness and capability focus going forward,” says Hutchings.

Employers that embrace diversity in their hiring criteria would have, according to an RBC study, access to an additional 1.6 million Canadians to staff their organizations. These newly-employed Canadians would generate an estimated $174 billion in personal income. Companies that can successfully create inclusive environments will reap the rewards.

“We must always think about inclusion as a journey and that milestones are just that: movements forward on a continuum of important diversitybased issues, but to know that the work is never done. We must never become complacent,” says Temple. CO

Based in Toronto, Danielle Klassen works as a publicist and is a graduate of Carleton University’s School of Journalism. Connect with her on Twitter @daniklassen.

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SEE THE WORLD

THE NETHERLANDS: Home to more than 800,000 residents and an estimated 881,000 bicycles, Amsterdam is a top destination for international travel among North American youth.

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INTERNATIO

NAL

By Mitch Vandenborn

(AND YOURSELF IN A WHOLE NEW WAY)

NORTH SEA

THE NETHERLANDS

GERMANY

B E LG I U M

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tudying or working internationally can be stressful, expensive and lonely. Some days you’ll wake up and wade through tides of confusion until you crawl back into bed at night, mentally exhausted. You’ll miss your family, your friends and certain comforts from home you never knew you’d ache for.

In spite of all of this, I think it’s one of the most rewarding experiences a young person can have at the outset of their career. I learned more about myself, the world and what I wanted to do with my life in my six months abroad than I did during my whole undergraduate degree.

Growing up, I was the antithesis of someone you’d expect to live abroad. I was a shy kid who grew up in rural southwestern Ontario.

The only international trips I’d taken were to see baseball games in Detroit, and a couple of road trips to Florida.

The closest experience I had to a interacting with a foreign culture was with my grandparents on my Dad’s side. They immigrated to Canada from the Netherlands in the

1960s and have lived in Ontario ever since.

From time to time I’d ask what it was like there and about other family members still living there, but I always thought of experiencing Holland for myself as a bucket-list type of thing.

It wasn’t until my third year at Carleton University in Ottawa that travelling there presented itself as an option. I was studying journalism and stressing over those big existential questions twenty-somethings usually stress over: • Did I choose the right program?

• How am I going to find a job after graduation?

• What is my career going to look like?

With those issues weighing on my mind, I thought studying abroad might help me figure out a few of them. I browsed the different countries and schools I could travel to, but only two had programs where the credits would transfer back to my degree at Carleton: Denmark and the Netherlands.

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IT DIDN’T TAKE VERY LONG FOR ME TO FEEL LIKE I’D MADE THE RIGHT CHOICE. ALMOST AS SOON AS I STEPPED OFF THE PLANE, MY LIFE BECAME A WHIRLWIND OF NEW EXPERIENCES, LANGUAGE AND CULTURE.

I took it as a sign that it was time for me to visit my ancestral homeland and went full-steam ahead planning my adventure. After a year of saving money and filling out endless amounts of paperwork, I was sitting on a red-eye flight somewhere over the Atlantic Ocean, excited and feeling good about my decision.

NEDERLAND—Dutch It didn’t take very long for me to feel like I’d made the right choice. Almost as soon as I stepped off the plane, my life became a whirlwind of new experiences, language and culture.

Almost everything about being a student there was internationally-focused.

My residence building housed students from both the Netherlands and all over the world. We spent so many (late) nights sharing stories about our countries and laughing about all the cultural differences we found.

At school, my course topics ranged from European cities to art history to the state of religion in modern Europe. My program was made up entirely of international students, so we were able to bring many different cultural perspectives to classroom debates.

When we had some time off school, my friends and I did the backpacking thing, staying in hostels and jumping from country to country faster than a fugitive. You don’t really get to “know” a country in this way, but it’s a great way to get the flavour of many different countries.

Outside of school and travelling, I spent a lot of time with my Dutch family, who couldn’t have been more accommodating. They told me many stories about our family history and took me to see where my grandparents were born, and to the cemeteries where our great relatives were buried.

Six months flew by way too fast, and I found myself back on another red-eye flight to Ottawa. It wasn’t until I got back that I felt I could fully process everything I did and saw, and looking back now it all still feels like a visceral dream.

WHAT I LEARNED Studying abroad gave me answers to a lot of the questions I was struggling with back home.

A lot of articles I’ve read on personal development stress the idea of putting yourself outside your comfort zone, somehow finding that space where you’re challenged without feeling frustrated.

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Have you ever traveled abroad? Share your story with blog@careeroptionsmagazine.com and we’ll post it on our blog!

I think studying abroad puts you right in that sweet spot. You’ll encounter the normal problems that come from travelling, like language barriers and visa issues, but you’ll also face everyday problems, like getting sick or running low on cash, that become magnified by the fact that you’re in a foreign country.

Figuring out solutions to these problems on your own does wonders for your independence, and in my experience, I learned how to become more comfortable with being uncomfortable.

So when I got back, I found a lot of my anxiety about the future was gone.

My inner monologue stopped saying, “How are you going to figure this out?” and switched to: “Well, it’ll be hard, but you’ve solved tougher problems.”

Travelling also forces you to come to terms with the absolute immensity of the world. This gave me a confidence that no matter what how bad the economy gets or what degree I graduate with, there will always be an opportunity somewhere out there for me to make a living (if I’m willing to work hard for it).

Studying abroad isn’t a panacea or a guaranteed solution to all of the stresses of being a young adult, but I think there’s a special form of selfrealization that it can offer, like swinging a wrecking ball at all of your preconceptions about the world and about yourself. CO

Mitch Vandenborn is a digital communications professional and graduate of the Bachelor of Journalism program at Carleton University. He can usually be found obsessing over design, municipal politics and pugs. Follow him on Twitter @mitchvandy

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STEM GROWS GREAT CAREERS WHY WOMEN SHOULD PURSUE A CAREER IN THE SKILLED TRADES

By Zujajah Islam

Lindsay Amundsen is the director of program development and operations at Journeyman, an organization that promotes, supports and mentors women in the skilled trades. She says that the negative stigma surrounding work in the trades often discourages women from considering it as an option.

“Many people think that construction is for ‘dumb people,’ or that it’s not a smart job,” she says. “There needs to be a cultural awareness around these jobs. The industry is booming. There is going to be tons of work.

The pay is wonderful. It’s secure. You can travel.”

As part of her work with Journeyman, ­Amundsen and her team visit schools and job fairs to promote the skilled trades and their organization’s mentorship program.

“I think by just educating kids at a young age and getting them exposed is the best way to spark their interest in the skilled trades,” she says. “It’s not that young girls or guys don’t want to be in construction. The problem is that they don’t know about it and they don’t know that they can do it.”

Visit

I

f you are a high school student applying to colleges and universities, or a post-secondary graduate searching for career opportunities, you’ve most likely heard about the skills shortage in the science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) fields.

In fact, the anticipated shortage of workers is seen as such a threat that the federal government recently promised to invest $19 million to promote education in STEM fields and the skilled trades.

So if you want a lasting career and are willing put the work into gaining a more technical skill set, the odds are in your favour—especially if you’re a woman.

Women have traditionally been underrepresented in STEM occupations. Female students are also less likely than their male counterparts to choose a STEM program in post-secondary school. It’s not because they’re less capable or less interested, but often because of the stigma that surrounds the skilled trades and stereotypes that exist about women who work in STEM fields. The skilled trades are simply overlooked as viable and fulfilling career options for young women.

journeymaninc.ca to learn Amundsen says there is so much all about careers in the skilled trades. potential, flexibility and stability in skilled trade jobs, but the issue is that young people aren’t exposed to them enough. She mentions a pilot project Journeyman wishes to establish with a school board in Ontario that would focus on incorporating the skilled trades into the curriculum. Students would participate in a type of shop class, but one where they would be introduced to all kinds of trades.

“We want to change what people think about construction. It’s not just rough and tough women working these jobs,” says Amundsen. “These are real, everyday women with families, of all ages, and from all walks of life.

And there are tons of different trades.”

Electrician. Welder. Software developer. Engineer. These and many more are rewarding, well-paying fields that will need new workers. Do you have what it takes to tackle one? CO

Zujajah Islam is studying Journalism and Political Science at University of Toronto. She’s undecided about her future, but she knows it will involve words.

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DO YOU HAVE

By Aisha Biberdorf

DIGITAL DREAMS? CAREERS IN MULTIMEDIA

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any young people aspire to work in multimedia development. You can be creative, think outside the box and work with smart, like-minded people.

But it’s also a very competitive industry: fastpaced, always evolving, with a lot more designers than there are jobs. It’s hard work, and you need to be passionate about it in order to succeed.

Nowadays companies don’t want to hire someone who specializes in just coding or just print—they want the full package. You must be able to generate and manipulate graphic images, animations, sound, text and video into consolidated and seamless digital applications.

career-oriented than what I would learn in university. I wanted practical, handson training.

What I learned from my experiences is that there aren’t any set rules to determine whether you should be a multimedia developer. It’s all about the passion you bring to the table.

And let’s not forget the people skills. The full package also means you must be able to work directly with clients. You must be able to investigate, analyze and recommend solutions through storyboarding, proposal writing and pitching concepts, and then write the necessary code to produce the product. Then, you must navigate and coordinate teams to manage the development and implementation of the product. And last but not least, you have to be able to edit, edit and edit some more!

Last thing to note is that there are some basic personality requirements to ensure success for any multimedia developer. You absolutely must have an aptitude for computing and design; you should be creative and somewhat artistic, with the ability to both lead and follow instructions.

You should have a strong client focus and be able to maintain a commitment to understanding and using new technology, and of course, be able to meet deadlines and be very attentive to detail.

The job title “Interactive Multimedia Developer” speaks to a broad skill set, opening up a seemingly limitless list of jobs: animators, e-commerce developers, graphic designers, interactive or interface designers, programmers, new media designers or developers, project managers, video and web producers, and web designers. That’s just a snippet of all of the possibilities—the field is still so young and versatile.

Industry projections indicate that the multimedia development sector is expected to continue to grow, especially in new interactive digital media. Many post-secondary schools are trying to respond to market needs by developing more programs to meet the demand, so it’s up to you to make sure you explore the diversity of programs available to ensure you get the best educational experience possible. CO

My passion for the field grew from my interest in art, design and new technology. I was fortunate enough to take part in a co-op program in high school, and was welcomed into a young and growing company that fostered a relaxed and creative environment. That was all I needed to motivate me to pursue this career path. I compared postsecondary programs offered across Canada, and ultimately decided on college because I determined that the curriculum there was more directly

Aisha Biberdorf is a crafty digital designer who perpetually strives for digital perfection.

She is a recent graduate from the Interactive Multimedia Developer program at Algonquin College and now works at gordongroup marketing + communications in Ottawa. Follow Aisha on Twitter @AishaBiber

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W

hen Parker Zhang made the choice to leave his home in Southern China and come to study economics in Canada, he knew there was a possibility that he would choose to not return home.

The low cost of living, coupled with the country’s welcoming immigration policies, made Canada a very attractive destination for Zhang. He first learned about the opportunity to study in Canada while in high school, and took it upon himself to learn as much as he could about Canadian culture and the English language before he made the trip.

“I took Canadian high school classes in China, which was an advantage to me because then I was already familiar with the culture. So coming here wasn’t as intimidating as it could have been, because I knew what to expect,” he says.

This fall, Zhang will be graduating with a degree in economics from Wilfrid Laurier University in Waterloo, Ontario.

Many international students are encouraged to come to Canada as part of a recruitment effort organized by a particular Canadian university or college, and are often inspired to choose their international school based on the school’s ranking and post-graduate employment statistics.

This is true for Lorraine Monteiro, a recent graduate of Carleton University’s Bachelor of Commerce program who specialized in international business.

“One of the things that impacted my decision was that Carleton University actually came to my high school in the United Arab Emirates, and told us about the [job] opportunities and how you can apply. From there I decided to give it a shot,” says Monteiro.

In a 2014 survey conducted by Hobsons Education Solutions Company, 18,000 international students in Canada indicated that university rankings, tuition fees and post-graduate employment prospects were key factors in determining which school they chose to attend.

Caroline Konrad, who is the current head of the career centre at the University of South Hampton in the United Kingdom, says that promoting Canada’s high university rankings abroad is essential.

EDUCATION DESTINATION HY INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS W CHOOSE CANADA By Lindsay Brennan

“[Canada is] amongst the top in the world,” says Konrad. “We have the employment factor; tuition costs are on par with anywhere else and, in some cases, are actually lower than most places in the world.”

“This legislation started to come out in the UK in 2011-2012, and now less than two years later you’re seeing a 30 percent drop in international student applications. India alone is dropping more than 20 percent,” said Konrad. “That’s crazy.”

Konrad says she plans to move from the UK to start a new post in Toronto at Ryerson University in the fall. She says higher education for international students is actually the eighth highest industry in the UK, although these numbers are seeing a drastic drop due to restrictive legislation that was introduced in 2011.

Zhang says he plans on staying in Canada to complete a Master of Business Administration (MBA). To do that, he must leave his full-time job.

“Students can only work in the UK for four months after graduation. To stay beyond that and qualify for a Work Visa, they have to have a job offer for a salary over £20,000, which is only possible if you’re an engineer. It’s really restricting the number of students who can stay on in the UK.” This restrictive legislation is one reason why more students, such as Zhang, are coming to Canada, as it’s easier to obtain permanent residency here.

“Once I get my MBA, I’ll probably go back to work for my current company because they have some education benefits and they help pay for tuition, which is great because it saves me money. I would be saving $15,000,” said Zhang.

In the UK that number is reduced to a maximum of 10 hours per week, according to Konrad. In Canada, international students can up to 20 hours a week, but for many that is not enough.

“By restricting the number of hours one can work to 10 (or 20 hours) a week, you are restricting the student in building up their resumé,” she says. “Since work placements, [part-time jobs and co-ops] are often key to getting graduates jobs, this poses a significant problem.”

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Monteiro says she has also faced this same problem. When asked about job prospects for international students, she laughs.

“If you’d asked me this question a week ago, I would have told you that it’s really hard to find jobs, but if you keep trying, you will eventually get something,” she says. “I always advise people to take on internships, even though it’s free and might seem discouraging at first.”

Monteiro says that at one point after graduation, she had taken on three internships with different companies, to boost her resumé and keep busy. It was one of these internships that led to her current position in marketing.

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Although the inability to work more than 20 hours a week does pose difficulty for many international students studying in Canada, some are finding that their international background actually has worked to their advantage in finding employment.

The part-time job Zhang worked throughout university actually led him to his current position as an international marketing assistant with a Waterloo company. His main responsibility is to build connections between Waterloo and Shanghai.

“I definitely feel as if there are job opportunities in Canada, especially in international cities

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like Toronto or Ottawa. Here, my international background works to my advantage because I can speak both English and Mandarin, and I know both Chinese and English culture.” CO

Lindsay Brennan is a fourth-year Journalism student at Carleton University. She enjoys writing about everything from international affairs to scientific discoveries. Connect with her on Twitter @LindsayBrennan_