Vancouver Foundation

Immigrant Employment Council of B.C. the quiet mentor With help from mentor Patrick Tobin (left), talented and ambitious newcomer Kassie Sambaraju is building a professional network in Canada. Building bridges for skilled newcomers BY ROLEY CHIU | PHOTO JAMIE KOWAL When Kassie Sambaraju arrived in Canada, she was on the outside looking in. It's been 20 months since the veteran research assistant with the short dark curls said goodbye to her family in Bangalore, India. She left a comfortable position back home, working in the social development sector, to start anew in an unfamiliar city. A move this bold exemplifies just the kind of confidence you'd expect from a seasoned professional with a management degree, a masters in science and a desire to build thriving communities. But when Sambaraju arrived in Canada, her ambition was met with disappointment. "Coming here, I feel under-utilized," she says, with a measure of patience befitting her research background. "I had a good position back home. Here, the pay is lower and it's very frustrating [trying] to find the right job." In Bangalore, Sambaraju had a substantial personal and professional network – something many of us take for granted. A strong network is not an easy thing to discard, but for her, it was a reasonable exchange for the opportunity to live and work abroad. "It's just that I know the job markets back in India, and I don't have a network here. That's the only difference," says Sambaraju, whose fluency in English is not betrayed by her southern Indian accent. "As a newcomer, there are very limited programs with organizations that help me build these networks and it's somehow harder to make friends and connections in Vancouver. I've talked to other newcomers and they feel the same way." It's a familiar story. Skilled immigrants entering the province struggle in the labour market and are often underemployed, despite a growing skills and labour shortage in B.C. But with help from her new mentor, Sambaraju's confidence has been restored. Four months ago, she signed up for a mentoring program delivered through the Immigrant Services Society of B.C. and co-ordinated by the Immigrant Employment Council of B.C. (IEC-BC is overseen by Vancouver Foundation, which supports the organization by providing a home.) IEC's mentoring program works with employers and immigrantserving agencies to match skilled newcomers with mentors who are Canadian-born and currently employed. Sambaraju was matched with Patrick Tobin, regional executive director for Canadian Heritage, who recently spent three months travelling in India. "When we met, we quickly realized that we had things in common," says Tobin, who has been with the federal government for 11 years. "We share a desire to contribute to the public good. I found it really interesting that a person as talented as Kassie was looking for work in public service, and not for the obvious reasons such as job security and good compensation, but really because she feels she can give back and contribute through government." Sambaraju and Tobin meet roughly once every two weeks at Library Square, among students, families and business people. "Our relationship evolved over time," says Tobin with a chuckle. "We moved through many stages and talked about public service hiring, how job postings are structured and Canadian workplace norms." Sambaraju would often present a specific opportunity, and they would work on it together. Tobin would reach out to his network of contacts, provide glowing introductions and request intelligence on specific organizations on her behalf. "Seeing the arrival experience through Kassie's eyes has taught me a lot," he says. "There are some very pervasive perceptions about immigrants on the part of employers, who have a tendency to discount immigrant labour." What began as a professional relationship eventually grew into a friendship that included social outings, where they introduced their significant others over dinner. "He's a very kind person. He's always there to help me," says Sambaraju with an infectious smile. "And I am glad that this mentoring process has helped me see these 'hidden' or 'unspoken' rules in the job market. I feel more grounded in my job search." With renewed vigour, Sambaraju now feels comfortable picking up the phone to call an employer, whether it be to seek information or schedule an information interview. "Do you know the expression 'priceless confidence'?" she asks with the poise of a college professor. "That's what Patrick has given me – it has been empowering. I now have the fishing skills to fish," she says with a hearty laugh. VF To find out more about the Immigrant Employment Council of B.C., call 604-629-5364, e-mail info@iecbc.ca or visit the website www.tapintotalent.ca Spring 2012 I Vancouver Foundation l page 17 p14-17_Mission-Mentor.indd 17 6/6/12 10:55:02 AM

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