Skills for Change



SfCeNews
January 31, 2005
Volume 6  Issue 1
Circulation 6,685 Subscribers

Skills for Change (SfC) is a non-profit agency based in Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
Our mandate is to provide learning and training opportunities for immigrants and refugees so that they can participate in the workplace and wider community.

In this edition...

New Pioneers Awards Recipients Announced
Teachers Networking Evening
'Good Morning Children'
Industrial Mechanic (Millwright) Certification
Spaces Still Available for ESL Classes
Success@Skills for Change
Looking for Donations of Computer Hardware
Special Guest Series at the Employment Resource Centre
TechSkills Course Calendar

 New Pioneers Awards Recipients Announced

Skills for Change

INVITES YOU TO THE

Wednesday, March 9, 2005

"Celebrating those who have gone first
and so prepared the way for others"

Westin Harbour Castle
1 Harbour Square, Toronto, Ontario

Reception: 6 p.m.
Dinner and Awards Ceremony: 7 p.m.
 

Recipients

Chan Hon Goh Principal Dancer, National Ballet of Canada Arts Award Sabra Desai Faculty, Humber College Community Service Award David Tavares Tel-e Group Corporation Canada Entrepreneurship Award   Dr. Dimitrios G. Oreopoulos Toronto Western Hospital, University Health Network Science and Technology Award Edona Caku Student, University of Toronto Youth Award Eric Acuna Newark Paper Board Products Skills for Change Graduate Award

Ticket Sales

Individual tickets and corporate tables are now on sale. Click here to order through our secure on-line service, or here to download a ticket order form.

Program Advertising

The New Pioneers Awards Program is distributed at the event and later used as a promotional tool and presented to corporations, local businesses, government departments, community agencies and individuals. Book your advertising space by February 1, 2005.  Click here to download an advertising form.

Silent Auction

Donations of goods and services are being sought for our Silent Auction held during the New Pioneers Awards Gala.  Click here to download a donation form.

Sponsors

Lead Sponsor CIBC     Award Sponsors Blake, Cassels & Graydon LLP Certified General Accountants of Ontario Manulife Financial Sun Life Financial TD Bank Financial Group Xerox Canada Limited     Gold Sponsor Deloitte & Touche LLP     Silver Sponsors Scotiabank Teranet Inc.     Corporate Donor Staples Business Depot     Media Sponsors Official Newspaper - Toronto Star Citytv 97.3fmEZRock Ming Pao Daily News

Selection Teams

Selecting the New Pioneer Award recipients is time consuming and depends on volunteer commitment. The New Pioneers Awards would not be possible without the expertise and generosity of our volunteer selection teams.

Arts
Jim Garrard (Leader) - Toronto Arts Council
Thom Clulow - Sun Life Financial
Rochelle Holt - A Space Gallery
Soheil Parsa (1995 NPA Recipient) Modern Stage Company
Pat Sinervo – JVS Toronto
Farida Zuberi – Skills for Change

Community Service
Catherine Kenwell (Leader) - The Canadian College of Naturopaths
Edward Eng - Manulife Financial
Aster Fessahaie - (2002 NPA Recipient) City of Toronto Community & Neighbourhood Services
Susan McIsaac - United Way of Greater Toronto
Keith McNair - Davenport Perth Neighbourhood Centre
Dianne Neale - St. Michael’s Hospital
David Hughes – Skills for Change
Marily Molina – Skills for Change

Entrepreneurship
Denise Araiche (Leader) - CIBC
Jocelyne Achat - TD Bank Financial Group
Michelle Field - BMO Bank of Montreal
Greg Grice - RBC Royal Bank
Michele Kwok – Scotiabank
Klaus Nienkämper - (2003 NPA Recipient) Nienkämper Furniture & Accessories Inc
Maria Garofalo - Skills for Change
Karobi Ray - Skills for Change

Science and Technology
Dr. Rama Bhat (Leader) - York Central Hospital
Kim Allen - Professional Engineers of Ontario
Ronald H. Friesen - Sun Life Financial
Graham McLeod - Blake Cassels & Graydon LLP
Victoria Prince - Borden Ladner Gervais LLP
Dr. Elvino Sousa - (2003 NPA Recipient) University of Toronto
Anna Bassovets - Toronto Catholic District School Board
Valli DiLallo - Toronto Catholic District School Board

Skills for Change Graduate
Bill Waicus (Leader) – Skills for Change
Ed Carter - RBC Royal Bank
Dan Karim - Micro Second Computer Inc.
Mary Ann Lara - Manulife Financial
Julius A. Zombori (2004 NPA Recipient) - Ernst & Young LLP
Trisha Grace – Skills for Change

Youth
Barbara Titherington (Leader) – Centre for Addiction and Mental Health
Rochelle Cole – Retired Teacher
Azim Lila - (2003 NPA Recipient)
Tony Martino - Xerox Canada Limited
Kim Warburton - Bell Canada
Arshia Raafat – Skills for Change
Avanti Chakraverti – Skills for Change

Read more about the New Pioneers Awards here.
 

 Teachers Networking Evening

Skills for Change organized the first Internationally Trained Teachers' (ITTs) Networking Evening on January 27.

The evening was attended by over 40 ITTs who had graduated from the first three groups of the Teach in Ontario - STIC program. This was an opportunity for participants to share information and experience, and to explore post program options.

Graduates heard information about the mentoring program at Skills for Change by Farida Zuberi, Mentoring Program Coordinator. Peggy Edwards, SfC Executive Director, introduced the Policy Roundtable Mobilizing Professions and Trades (PROMPT).

As an outcome of the event, the participants were able to generate some ideas about how to organize themselves as a representative group of ITTs. They all look forward to continuing this initiative and meeting regularly in the future.
 

 'Good Morning Children'

by Shabnum Budhwani

“When I was 10 years old, I dreamt of opening a classroom door and saying ‘Good morning children.’ Today, thirty years later, I dream the same dream again.”

These are the words of Irina Litmanovitch, an internationally-trained teacher participating in the Teach in Ontario project.

Funded by the Ministry of Training Colleges and Universities and provided in partnership with LASI World Skills of Ottawa, the Ontario College of Teachers, the Ontario Teachers Federation, this Skills for Change bridging project assists Internationally-trained Teachers (ITTs) to become licensed to teach in the publicly funded school system. ITTs are provided with help, ranging from information on the licensing and certification process to counseling and language assessment. Participants get a chance to engage in panel discussions with school principals and to be interviewed by Human Resource Professionals from different school boards.

The province of Ontario is facing a teacher shortage in areas such as French, chemistry, physics, math, computer and technological studies. Teach in Ontario addresses these shortages by enabling internationally-trained professionals to apply their knowledge and experience in our schools.

“All we want to do is to be able to teach. That is the only thing we have been doing for most of our lives and that is the only thing we can do and love to do.”

As they say, “Once a teacher, always a teacher.”
 

 Industrial Mechanic (Millwright) Certification

Are you an Internationally-trained Mechanic (Millwright) seeking to obtain your certification, upgrade your knowledge and find a job in your trade?  If yes, join the Bridge to Success for Trades Program.

Course starts April 4.  Click here for more information.
 

 Spaces Still Available for ESL Classes

Classes start February 7 or February 14.

· ESL/Advanced Communication in the Workplace for Working People
· ESL/Clerical Accounting for Immigrant Women – April 18, 2005
· ESL/Communicating Clearly
· ESL/Computerized Accounting (Daytime and Evening available)
· ESL/Introductory Bookkeeping (Daytime and Evening available)
· ESL/Keyboarding
· ESL/Microsoft Office
· TOEFL
· Employment Preparation for Retail Services

To apply, call 416 658-7090, Monday to Friday between 1:00 p.m.–3:00 p.m., or Monday to Thursday, between 7:00 p.m. - 9:00 p.m. or Saturday, 10:00 a.m. -12 noon.
 

 Success @ Skills for Change

by Rafael Mateos

Don’t let employment barriers get you down. As long as you have the determination, you will find a way to succeed. Entrepreneurship is another way of becoming gainfully employed in Canada.

As an internationally-trained accountant I did a work search program at Skills for Change and had the benefit of working with a mentor who provided me with information about my profession in Canada. As a result I had a few job interviews that I thought would have resulted in employment. This did not happen and so I decided to explore other options.

Since the rent and living expenses had to be paid, I started to look for new opportunities and that is how I decided to start my own business. It had to be something easy to handle and have minimum risk. I did some research and decided to set up a small retail store. Of course this required investment and a long-term commitment, but I still think it was the right moment to do it. Now I am my own accountant!
 

More success stories...

 Looking for Donations of  Computer Hardware

 Special Guest Series

Guest Speakers at the Dufferin Mall Employment Resource Centre, 900 Dufferin Street, Suite 101.

Pre-registration is required, please call 416-516-4689 to reserve a seat

Selling Yourself to Employers
Trevor Snow
February 7, 2005 at 1:00 p.m.

Helping Newcomers find work in customer service, administrative, retail, clerical accounting
Clerical Employment Services: Information Session
February 14, 2005 at 1:00 p.m.

Working Skills Centre Information Session: Job Ready Skills Training for Newcomers
Silva Mardirossian
February 21, 2005 at 10:30 a.m.

Job Search Tips for Engineers
Joan Kent/Culture Link
February 28, 2005 at 1:00 p.m.


More Info? www.derc.ca 
Contact Us:
t: 416 516-4689
e: erc@skillsforchange.org
 

 TechSkills Course Calendar

To register, call 416 658-3101 ext. 302 or 218, or,
register on-line with your Visa or MasterCard

Download application form in pdf format
 

 Acronym Soup

Confused? Don't be. Here's a list of our agency acronyms, what they mean and (where applicable) a link to the program web page.
 

CES	Clerical Employment Services
CIS	Cultural Interpreting Service
EAS	Employment Assistance Services
EPRS	Employment for Retail Services
ERC	Employment Resource Centre
FOAP	Finance & Office Assistant Program
IAT	Intake, Assessment and Training
ITAB	Internationally Trained Accountants and Bookkeepers
JSC	Job Search Centre
JSW	Job Search Workshop
LINC	Language Instruction for Newcomers to Canada
ONIP	Ontario Network for Internationally-training Professionals Online
NPA	New Pioneers Awards
STIC	Sector Terminology Information & Counselling

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