The Calgary Catholic Immigration Society (CCIS) is holding a symposium in Airdrie on March 26 at the Rocky View Schools Education Centre.
Opening Doors will feature a number of speakers who will discuss integrating cultures for immigrants, particularly in the workplace.
One of the speakers, Vanessa Lodermeier, a researcher for Bow Valley College, completed a year-long study on the ease of access to language training, education and career-development services for immigrants in communities around Calgary.
Lodermeier used interviews, questionnaires and focus groups to get data from more than 140 participants in the communities of Airdrie, Banff, Black Diamond, Turner Valley, Canmore, Chestermere, Cochrane, High River, Okotoks and Strathmore.
From speaking with immigrants, employers and service providers, there were three main concerns that stood out: language training, foreign qualification recognition support and affordable transportation.
“Immigration is a huge part of Canada’s legacy,” said Lodermeier. “It’s been a part of our past and it’s going to be part of our future.
“We are facing increasing skills shortages and engaging immigrants to come, generally speaking most immigrants do come to rural Alberta with high levels of education.
“It’s very important to make sure they have the supports that they need to be able to work in the jobs that they’re able to and help with those skills shortages.”
Joining Lodermeier at the symposium will be Judy McMillan-Evans of McMillan-Evans Consulting and Dean Estrella, a cultural diversity coordinator with CCIS, as well as panelists Laura Hahn (community/adults pastor at Cochrane Alliance Church), Nik Dubokwik (program supervisor from Airdrie/Cochrane Employment Services) and Ryan Siemens (Prairie Waters Elementary School principal).
Estrella said it’s an opportunity for Canadians to join in the conversation and learn how to be more welcoming to immigrants, who she said can feel isolated at times.
CCIS held a similar symposium in 2011 in Strathmore, and Estrella says through working with the Welcoming Airdrie Committee the CCIS noticed the need for such an event in the city.
“They come into a new community and they don’t know how to access various resources, whether it’s the educational system, health-care system, they don’t know how to navigate through the Canadian culture,” said Estrella of the challenges faced by immigrants.
“They don’t know how to go about finding the things that they need.”
Estrella, who is also involved in organizing the event, hopes people from all over the region will attend.
To sign up for the free event, visit symposiumairdrie.eventbrite.com until March 12.
“I see it as an opportunity, really, to further share in the research findings with a wider audience,” said Lodermeier.
“It’s really about fostering public awareness in a lot of ways. I think it’s a great opportunity to further share that knowledge. This is publicly funded research so anytime we get to share it with a bigger audience is just fabulous. I’m really interested to see what the other speakers have to say and the panel participants as well.”
As a result of her research, Lodermeier is now piloting a free course to permanent residents at Bow Valley College to develop their workplace communication skills.
“It basically provides training on things like soft skills and intercultural competence in terms of communication,” she explained.
“It’s a lot about networking and small talk and cultural differences, norms, etiquette in the workplace.”
For more information on the course go to BowValleyCollege.ca/TheFuture – the course is funded by Citizenship and Immigration Canada and Bow Valley College.
Half of the course is offered online and the other half can be completed in person, over the phone or through Skype.
To qualify for the course you must be a permanent resident living in Airdrie, Banff, Beiseker, Irricana, Black Diamond, Turner Valley, Canmore, Chestermere, Cochrane, Crossfield, High River, Okotoks or Strathmore.
