ASET Technology Alberta Spring 2016 - 8

Participants in the ETIP program find themselves in the first phase of the program at the EMCN learning about the soft skills needed to work in Canada. Many immigrants come from cultures where there wasn't a specific value placed on soft skills in the workplace. Once their time at NAIT is complete, the participants then move into the third and final phase of the program focusing on employment - with one more month of classroom support and two months of direct one-on-one support with a professional career counsellor. Focusing on developing resumes, cover letters and giving opportunities to network with potential employers, this particular phase teaches some of the cultural norms when applying for jobs in Canada. When searching for positions in their home country, the students typically found jobs through referral, or by blitzing their resumes to as many potential employers as possible. "Basic English requirements was probably one of the top key areas that our students needed to improve upon when first arriving," says Hauer. "But we also saw we needed to teach them about Canadian culture and the kind of skills that would help them find a job, and progress their career." "We had one student who once applied for 500 jobs but had no connections as a result of their efforts," Hauer indicates. "When we looked into it, we discovered that this student, whose education and experience was with aircrafts, was applying for positions that were not remotely related." The second phase of the program then shifts to four months of classroom learning at NAIT. Their time there is designed to adapt and improve their technological skills to match Canadian standards. Essentially, it is an accelerated version of NAIT's two-year diploma programs. Once they have completed the program, graduates are then recognized with Technologist-in-Training (T.T.) membership with ASET, signifying their commitment to the professional development of their technical careers. "Now going into our 21st year, ETIP was developed when ASET approached us recognizing some major gaps and challenges immigrants face when looking for work," Hauer recalls. "It was a combination of some soft and technical skills that foreigntrained professionals needed support with." "All the students have a minimum education requirement to enter the program," she adds. "The time at NAIT gives them a better understanding of Canadian technical requirements, like how to work on Canadian materials, or work in typical Canadian environments - which presents unique engineering challenges, like frost, that they have never been exposed to." 8 | SPRING 2016 | TECHNOLOGY ALBERTA "ASET has been ahead of the game in recognizing the trend of the incoming talent pool," compliments Hauer. With current immigration trends, foreign-trained professionals will continue to be a resource for employers, and with programs like ETIP, the transition to Canada will make it easier for immigrants to adjust to their new home. 

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of ASET Technology Alberta Spring 2016