CRIEC Connects

The skilled immigrant talent pool will be an important component of future workforce planning strategies. The Calgary Region Immigrant Employment Council (CRIEC) understands this dynamic and seeks to provide the appropriate solutions for both employers and skilled immigrants or internationally trained professionals (ITPs). We secure Champions from business and community leaders and other supporters who are ready, willing and able to tackle the challenges related to skilled immigrants securing and retaining employment commensurate with their skill and experience. And with the dedication and assistance of our Community Partners and other supporters, we connect ITPs with employers through critical initiatives such as our flagship mentoring program.

Interested in becoming an employer partner? Please contact Marie-France Varin (Director, Program Development).

Mentor-Mentee Orientation Session - Feb 23, 2012

Alumni Event Video - October, 2011

Alumni Event Photo Gallery - October, 2011

What's New

Check this out…

Thank you to the following employees from TransCanada Corporation for volunteering their time as mentors in CRIEC’s Mentorship Program and ... thanks to TransCanada Corporation for their generous donation of $3,000 to the program.

Dmitry Ryapolov
Heather Poole
Jeff Kelly
Sara Barss
Tim Gibson
Zaid Alibhai

The donation was made possible through the company’s Matching Time Grant Program, which matches the personal contributions of their employees (time or money) to charitable organizations. The program ensures their corporate giving directly reflects the interests and concerns of their employees.

Deloitte Impact Day Video, September 2011

Deloitte Impact Day Photo Gallery, September 2011

Mission & Vision

CRIEC builds pathways such as mentoring programs, cultural competency programs and positive relationships between Calgary employers and ITPs that encourage hiring and retention.

CRIEC works toward creating seamless and transparent processes that empower ITPs to work in their field and achieve full acceptance by their professional and regulatory bodies.

Operational guidelines – CRIEC will:

Support, encourage and work with organizations that provide employment services to skilled immigrants on programs and solutions that will lead to the full employment of Calgary’s immigrants.
Initiate programs and solutions where appropriate.
Identify and raise awareness of the built-in barriers, and work toward removing them.
Ensure multi-stakeholder collaboration.

One of the mentees you will meet in this video not only secured employment shortly after
this video was taken, he has since been promoted to Account Manager at Printer Plus Inc.

Become a Mentor

CRIEC's mentoring program helps Calgary employers access the skilled and experienced employees they need to meet business objectives, and helps ITPs gain job search strategies, build professional networks, and acquire the tools necessary to secure employment commensurate with their education, experience and skills. To learn how you can benefit from this occupation-specific mentoring program, see information below:

Why be a Mentor

Mentor Handbook

Mentor-to-Mentor Forum User Guide

Mentor-Mentee Calendar User Guide

Mentor Testimonial - May, 2012

Become a Mentee

If you are a new or recent immigrant to Canada, please read “Who can be a mentee.” If you meet the program requirements, register by emailing Lindsay Cova (lcova@bowvalleycollege.ca) at Bow Valley College (phone: 403-410-3211).

In your email, please include a copy of:

Your resume
One of the following documents (front and back copy):
- Permanent Resident card
- or Canadian Citizenship card
- or landing papers
Your Canadian Language Benchmark (CLB) results (or equivalent)

Financial assistance program

If you are a newcomer and struggling to pay for the costs of the Canadian accreditation or training you need to work in your pre-immigration career, contact Immigrant Access Fund (IAF) and ask about their micro loans.

Partners

SmartConnections

SmartConnections is a collaborative approach to sharing specialized-information designed to enable ITPs to focus on career pathway development plans, applicable accreditation matters, skill transfer options, and networking opportunities with relevant stakeholders and employers.