SfC Magazine - November 2017

Skills for Changing
TIMES
Vol. 1
Nov 2017
Skills for Change’s NEW Quarterly Magazine
Inside:
• Our Annual General
Meeting & Employer
Partner Awards.
• Events & Program
Information.
Encouraging
Diversity in the
Skilled Trades
An update by the Ontario
College of Trades.
MEET OUR
CLIENTS
Ismael Cala
shares his
experience as a
former SfC client.
www.skillsforchange.org
1

Building Welcoming and Equitable Communities
REFER A
FRIEND
AND GET REWARDS!
Know anyone:
• looking for a job?
• looking for a mentor?
• want to upgrade their skills?
If so refer them to us today
and receive:
www.skillsforchange.org/refer
Ask our receptionist for more information!
Rules and restrictions may apply
2 Volume 1 - Nov 2017

Leadership Team
Surranna Sandy,
Chief Executive
Officer
Skills for Changing
TIMES
04. A Message From Our CEO
• Launch of Magazine & a year of celebration!
Kwame Brown,
Associate Vice
President
05. 35th Anniversary Celebration
• Meet our clients; a conversation with Corina Carvallo,
Manager of Programs & Services
Roland Rhooms,
Director, Programs
and Services
Board of Directors
Sampada Kukade,
Associate Director,
Outreach, Events and
Program Marketing
06. Encouraging Diversity in the Skilled Trades
• An update by the Ontario College of Trades
07. Upcoming Events
• Job Fairs, Information Sessions, and much more
08. Programs and Services Updates
• Skills for Change expands to Southwest Ontario
Azim Lila, Chair
Alex Petrovic, Vice-Chair
Diana Wielgus, Treasurer
Eiraj Sohail, Director
Janice Charko, Member
Victor Tung, Member
Francisco Arcaya, Member
Jasmine Jackman, Member
Rishabh Khamesra, Member
09. How CPA Ontario Welcomes
Internationally Educated Professionals
Skills for Changing
TIMES
Vol. 1
Nov 2017
• CPA profession proactively creates MRAs
Editor
Sampada Kukade
skukade@skillsforchange.org
Editorial Design & Digital Media Producer
Debora Jesus
djesus@skillsforchange.org
General Inquiries
info@skillsforchange.org
Skills for Change | Tel: 416-658-3101
791 St. Clair West, Toronto, Ontario M6C 1B7
All content in this magazine is © 2017. All rights reserved.
Reproduction in whole or in part is strictly prohibited.
www.skillsforchange.org
3

A Message from Our CEO
Launch of Magazine & a Year of Celebration!
Surranna Sandy,
Chief Executive Officer
In her leadership role as the Chief
Executive Officer of Skills for
Change, Surranna brings passion
and dedication to ensure that
immigrants and Canadians are
provided with tools and resources
to successfully enter the labour
market in their chosen profession.
Surranna has a Master’s of Arts
in Management and Leadership,
an MBA in Human Resources
Management (HRM) and a Hons.
BA in Business.
Surranna brings 16+ years of
experience in the private and
nonprofit sector. She currently
serves as the Board Chair for the
Toronto Workforce Innovation
Group (TWIG), and is a Board
Member and Director-at-Large
for First Work (youth employment
network).
On behalf of Skills for Change I’d like to welcome you to the re-launch of “Skills
for Changing Times.” We are so pleased to be re-launching this magazine in
conjunction with commencing our 35th anniversary celebrations! Skills for
Change has offered various newsletter/magazine formats over the years,
and Skills for Changing Times was the magazine delivered in the late 1990s.
This refreshed magazine initiative came
about to provide you, the reader, with
fresh content about Skills for Change
programs, services and events; articles of
interest; and provide an opportunity to
profile current and past clients, and our
current partners.
The past several months have been
extremely busy at Skills for Change and
I’d like to thank each and every one of our
staff members for their hard work and
dedication to the Agency. Our Proposal
Development team has been hard at work
continuing to submit applications and
work collaboratively with our partners
to ensure we are offering comprehensive
Volume 13, No. 1 edition of the Skills for Changing
Times magazine – December 1999
programming to our clients. We have many program updates that you’ll read in
this magazine. I’d like to highlight our expansion in the Southwest region with
the launch of our Experience Ontario program; Numeracy@Work program;
and our upcoming Bridging the Gap program, creating intergenerational
learning opportunities between seniors and young persons. We now also have
new satellite offices in Stratford and Guelph.
We encourage you to read the information in this magazine. Please continue
to provide us with feedback and suggestions for the magazine. Send your
comments to communications@skillsforchange.org.
About Skills for Change
Skills for Change is known for pioneering programs that respond to shifting
immigration and workplace trends and lead to employment. The first
program, in 1982, was an office training program that successfully led all
its first graduates, a group of women from Southeast Asia, into full-time
employment.
We take pride in our track record and the recognition of our agency within
and outside the Greater Toronto Area and province as a leader in services
to internationally trained immigrants.
We serve 14,000 people annually.
Vision
Mission
We envision a Canada where every immigrant succeeds.
We provide learning and training opportunities for immigrants and refugees
to access and fully participate in the workplace and wider community.
Locations and Service Areas
• Toronto Central
•
• Toronto East
•
• Toronto West
•
• Jane and Finch
•
• Markham - York Region
•
• Brampton - Peel Region
•
• Brantford - Southwest Region
•
• Hamilton and Guelph
www.skillsforchange.org
4 Volume 1 - Nov 2017

Inside SfC’s 35th Anniversary
Meet Our Clients
“I arrived in Toronto in 1998 and lived here for six years. I am a former
client of Skills for Change. Carla (staff) is the first person I met. She is
from Puerto Rico. Skills for Change is an Agency where they teach English,
entrepreneurship, software/computer skills for immigrants in Toronto. I
came in 1998 and I used to live a block from here. I used to work in a
restaurant nearby that doesn’t exist anymore.
I studied English at Skills for Change every day, as well as computer skills,
because I didn’t know anything about it. I also didn’t know anything
about entrepreneurship because I came from a communist country. Here
at Skills for Change they taught me how be an entrepreneur, taught me
computer skills and I learned English. And in 2000 I received the New
Pioneers Award for the best graduated student. I have a beautiful memory
of Toronto here. It changed my life.”
Ismael Cala
Journalist, writer, producer and
presenter of radio and television.
Ismael is internationally recognized
for his programs and is a lecturer and
motivational speaker. He currently has
4.5M followers on Twitter and Facebook.
In Conversation...
Corina Carvallo
Corina Carvallo,
Manager, Programs & Services
Employment and Training Services
Department
Corina Carvallo is the Manager of Programs and Services,
overseeing all settlement and language programs at our
Toronto Central location. She started at Skills for Change
in December of 2002. We recently sat down with Corina to
hear more about her 15-year tenure.
SK: What drew you to this Agency?
CC: I previously worked at non-profit organizations, so it
was a natural fit. I used to volunteer as a youth at local
charities as well, and I knew I wanted to help people.
My parents were immigrants and back in the 70s when
they first arrived to Canada, they didn’t have access to
settlement supports, so it was important to me to get
involved in an organization that helps newcomers settle
in Canada.
SK: What is it about our clients that you find most
interesting?
CC: I love that not only do we provide our newcomer
clients with essential skills to gain them employment and
settle in Canada, but somehow we instill a feeling in them
to want to give back to others. I know that we have made a
difference when our clients become employed and come
back to help others in need. It’s great to see the work we
do as a full circle.
SK: What do you love most about working at Skills
for Change?
CC: I love working with the various corporate and
community partners because it’s great to see how many
organizations value our mission and vision. I also enjoy
working with the staff at SfC – everyone that works here
wants to help our clients to succeed. It’s what drives them.
SfC is very client-centred and at the end of the day, that’s
who we’re trying to help.
SK: Where would you like to see SfC by the time we hit
45 years?
CC: I’d love to see SfC as a national organization. New
immigrants are settling all over Canada and it would be
great to replicate our programs to assist people all across
the country, especially in areas where they may not have
access to programs as we do.
SfC Celebrates 35 Years
This October, we commenced celebrations of our
35th anniversary. The
celebrations will continue
throughout the year, and
activities are being planned
for our partners, funders,
clients/former clients
and general community
to visit our offices and
relive the 35-year history
of the Agency. We will be
providing historical ‘Did
You Knows’ on Facebook
and Twitter, and will be
organizing an open house
in the New Year.
On October 21st, Skills for Change held a staff event to celebrate our 35th anniversary.
Staff (Kanchan Lakhotia, pictured above) shared stories about their time at Skills for
Change, their client success stories and what it means to help the community.
www.skillsforchange.org
5

Dr. Wendy Cukier, founder/director of the Ryerson Diversity Institute, speaks at the
College’s Diversity and Inclusion Symposium.
Encouraging Diversity in the Skilled Trades
An update by the Ontario College of Trades
According to BuildForce Canada, over the next 10 years
Canada will lose hundreds of thousands of skilled
tradespeople due to retirements. Guiding young people,
women, Indigenous Peoples, new Canadians and persons
with disabilities into these in-demand sectors is the key to
filling the skills gap
“All stakeholders have a responsibility to identify, share
and work together to implement diversity and inclusion
initiatives that will help strengthen Ontario’s
skilled trades workforce,” says Don Gosen,
Chair of the Ontario College of Trades’
(College) Board of Governors.
That’s why the College hosted its first-ever
Diversity and Inclusion Symposium this
past summer. The goal of the symposium
was to explore ways of working together
and strengthen opportunities to retain,
upskill and increase the participation
of underrepresented groups in the skilled
trades.
Seven speakers, including Sarah Watts-Rynard,
Executive Director of the Canadian Apprenticeship Forum
and John Norris, Executive Director of the Collision Industry
Information Assistance, spoke of the challenges and how
we can break down barriers to encourage traditionally
underrepresented groups into the skilled trades and
apprenticeship programs.
“The fact is the
skilled trades are for
everyone—all the handson
elements are teachable and
with over 150 trades to choose
from, there is a trade out
there suited to everyone’s
interests and abilities.”
skilled trades is increasing, though not as quickly as we
would like, and immigrants and racialized minorities still
face barriers,” says Dr. Wendy Cukier, Founder/Director of
the Ryerson Diversity Institute and one of the participants
in the symposium.
But having a diverse workforce is crucial to a business’s
success. A diverse workplace can offer a broad spectrum
of perspectives that can assist in problem-solving,
decision-making and generating innovative
ideas. And when it comes to hiring employees,
recruiting from a diverse audience can
increase productivity by ensuring that the
most qualified person is hired for each
role.
Sally Harvey, Director of Education
and Labour Development of
Landscape Ontario and a participant
in the symposium views diversity in the
workforce as a critical component to any
business: “It’s smart business, it makes sense…
we’ve got to come together and start partnering
to create those solutions.”
For more information
about diversity and
the skilled trades,
please visit
collegeoftrades.ca.
The fact is the skilled trades are for everyone—all the handson
elements are teachable, and with over 150 trades to
choose from, there is a trade out there suited to everyone’s
interests and abilities.
“We’ve seen evidence that the percentage of women in the
6 Volume 1 - Nov 2017
Participants of the
Diversity and Inclusion
Symposium explored
ways of working
together to retain,
upskill and increase
the participation of
underrepresented groups
in the skilled trades.

Inside SfC Events
From Left to Right: Orbit Engineering; (top centre-left) Labrador Services Group; (bottom centre-left) AluCine Latin Film Festival; (top centre-right) CPA Ontario; (bottom centre-right)
Unilever Canada; Prasana Balachandran, Keynote Speaker.
34th Annual General Meeting and Employer Partner Awards
On September 13th, we held our 34th AGM at Toronto City Hall and presented the 2016-17 Annual Report. The AGM was
followed by our Employer Partner Awards ceremony, which recognizes the accomplishments of Skills for Change’s business
partners. A keynote address was delivered by Mr. Prasana Balachandran, Director of Communications at Ideal Developments.
We’d like to congratulate this year’s winners:
Labrador Services Group – Newcomer Champion Award
AluCine Latin Film Festival – Youth Employer Award
Unilever Canada – Leadership in Business Mentoring Award
Orbit Engineering – Diversity Champion Award
Ontario Lung Association – Longstanding Partner Award
CPA Ontario – Longstanding Sponsor Award
To find out more information on opportunities as an employer partner of Skills for Change, please contact Jacqueline
Smith-Jordan at jsmith@skillsforchange.org.
Mayor Linda Jeffrey and Perry Chao from OCOT speak to the group
TRADES WIN SUPPORT PROGRAM HOSTS
EMPLOYER BREAKFASTS
On Tuesday October 24th, Skills for Change, in collaboration
with the Ontario College of Trades, hosted an employer
networking breakfast at Brampton City Hall. We had over
thirty attendees, including two City of Brampton Councillors,
and the Mayor of Brampton who spoke of the work Skills for
Change does in supporting clients and promoting skilled
trades. Attendees discussed emerging hiring trends in the
Trades Sector.
From top left to bottom right: 3rd place winner, Stella Ozudde with Pitch Competition
judges; 2nd place winners Abdi Ahmed & Alyaa Osman; 1st place winner Troy Budhu;
Community Impact Hub participants.
COMMUNITY IMPACT HUB GRADUATION
In September, Skills for Change’s Community Impact
Hub (CIH) participants graduated after 12 weeks of social
innovation training and job development with one-on-one
supports. Participants presented their business ideas to
improve the Jane and Finch neighborhood and the top three
winners received seed funding to kick start their businesses.
www.skillsforchange.org
7

Inside SfC
Programs & Services
Skills for Change launches Experience Ontario
Pilot Program in Perth & Huron County.
Funded by the Ministry of Education, this Experience
Ontario pilot program is directed at recent high school
graduates and current Grade 12 students in the Perth
and Huron County area, who are interested in postsecondary
education or training, but are uncertain
of their pathway/next steps. Qualifying participants
include:
• Recent (2016-2017) secondary school graduates
who have an interest in attending college, university
or apprenticeship training and who:
• Did not apply to post-secondary education or
training;
• Applied and were offered admission but did not
accept any offers; or
• Applied and were not accepted to a particular
program but have interest in attending other
post-secondary programs.
• Grade 12 students on track to graduate in 2017-18
from a publicly-funded Ontario school, who are
interested in post-secondary education but not
certain of their next steps.
This FREE program supports participating youth with
the following:
• One-on-One coaching from a qualified and
approachable Youth Coach;
• Extensive support for participants who are
struggling or face barriers to success;
• Workshops and training about career development,
soft skills and educational/career pathways;
• Mentor meetings with professionals in the
participants’ respective fields of academic interest;
• Support in securing entry level employment (if
desired);
• Funding to pay for 100% of participant’s
applications to college and/or university.
For more information about the ExO program, contact
exo@skillsforchange.org.
Employers’ Breakfast
The Trades Win Support Program (TWSP) will be holding
an Employer Networking Breakfast in York Region on
Friday, November 10 from 8:30am - 10:00am at Markham
Small Business Council.
This is an opportunity for employers in the Trades Sector
to network and discuss trends in Trades. The event is
sponsored by the Ontario College of Trades. To register
for this event, e-mail tradeswin@skillsforchange.org.
Upcoming Events
Trades Win Support Program
The Trades Win Support Program provides training
and employment support to internationally-trained
tradespersons: electricians, refrigeration and air
conditioning mechanics, industrial millwrights and
plumbers.
The program is delivered from our Peel (Brampton)
and York (Markham) locations and consists of
employment preparation delivered by Skills for
Change and technical hands-on training delivered
by our training partners Humber College or Stanford
International College. Additional supports include:
mentoring, work experience placements and job
development support.
Next Class sessions:
November - Electricians (309A, 442A)
January - HRAC (313A,313D)
Email: tradeswin@skillsforchange.org
Employment Ontario Job Fairs
November 7 - One Call Staffing Job Fair
One Call Staffing Solutions Inc. is looking to fill
General labourer, Assembler, Machine Operator, and
much more!
November 8 - Paragon Security Hiring Event
No license? Not a problem! Paragon can help you
obtain your Ontario Security Guard License.
November 21 - Correctional Officer Career Info Session
Learn more about the career, basic requirements, the
hiring process, and speak directly with a recruiter.
More at www.skillsforchange.org/events
Career Skills Courses
November 25 - Accounting Essentials
November 25 - Accounting Essentials with QuickBooks
November 18 - Microsoft Excel 2010 (Level 1)
November 18 - Microsoft Excel 2010 (Levels 1 & 2)
More at www.skillsforchange.org/careerskills
TD Finance Community Giving Campaign
Nov 16 - This session will inform clients about the work
Finance professionals do in the banking environment.
Topics to be covered include: preparing an effective
resume by TD Finance standards; tips on the
interviewing process at TD Finance; and much more!
Register at SfCDayofCaring.eventbrite.ca
8 Volume 1 - Nov 2017

Carmen Jacques, Student Recruitment Manager, explains the path to CPA designation
to internationally educated professionals at Skills for Change.
How CPA Ontario Welcomes
Internationally Educated Professionals
Almost a quarter of a million people migrate to Canada
every year, bringing with them skills, knowledge and a
deep desire to succeed in this country. The reception they
receive can vary greatly but, for internationally educated
professionals (IEPs), they’ve come to appreciate that there is
one profession that rolls out the welcome mat: accounting.
While there is nothing to stop individuals from offering some
accounting services to the public, the vast majority of those
seeking employment in the accounting field quickly come
to appreciate the career potential and credibility
that comes with achieving the only recognized
Canadian accounting designation: Chartered
Professional Accountant.
The need for newcomers is real. The
increasing complexity of the business
world requires top financial and
accounting expertise so the demand
for highly trained accountants would be
rising even if the aging of the baby boomers
weren’t sending many current members
into retirement. As such, the profession’s
interest in the internationally trained is not
merely altruistic, as there is a great demand for CPAs
that must be met and new Canadians represent a large pool
of talent from which to draw new recruits.
Beyond meeting market needs and thereby helping Ontario’s
economy, there is another excellent reason why CPA Ontario
wants to bring IEPs into the profession. As mentioned, almost
anyone can go into business as an accountant in Canada,
but members of CPA Ontario are subject to standards for
qualification and conduct that are designed to protect the
public interest. Achieving a CPA is a win-win for all involved
as it gives new Canadians instant credibility while assuring
potential clients and employers that the person with that
prestigious designation is regulated in Canada.
“Almost a
quarter of a million
people migrate to Canada
every year, bringing with
them skills, knowledge and
a deep desire to succeed
in this country.”
standing from organizations in a number of countries
to quickly enter the ranks of Canadian CPAs. There are
also documented paths for entry into the profession for
accountants from other global accounting bodies that do
not currently have an MRA or MOU with Canadian CPAs.
However, the CPA profession doesn’t just focus on
internationally trained accountants (ITAs); there is also a
big push to recruit IEPs who did not qualify as accountants
in their homeland. A major focus for CPA Ontario’s student
recruitment team is that of educating IEPs that their
future success might be best achieved via the CPA
path.
Vicki Liederman, CPA Ontario’s Director
of Student Recruitment, said: “Our
profession is looking for top talent and
we have never restricted that hunt to
those who happened to be born here —
we want people who are eager to work in
accounting and finance roles.”
And, unlike most professions, CPA Ontario
offers a wide range of programs designed
to meet the needs of both IEPs and ITAs. They
include workplace and business culture course, career
and job search skills, networking, mentoring and more.
CPA Ontario also works with a number of likeminded
organizations to provide information about the CPA
designation outside of Canada. This pre-arrival information
ensures that IEPs can prepare the necessary documentation
and complete a transcript assessment before they arrive in
Canada.
The word is out that the Canadian accounting profession is
committed to supporting the internationally educated and
trained, with hundreds of IEPs joining the ranks of CPA
Ontario’s membership every year.
To accommodate accountants coming from abroad, the
CPA profession has proactively created mutual recognition
agreements (MRAs) and memorandums of understanding
(MOUs) that allow accountants with designations in good
More information about how to become a CPA is available
at information sessions (see https://www.cpaontario.ca/
become-a-cpa/events/information-sessions).
www.skillsforchange.org
9

Building Welcoming and Equitable Communities MINISTRY OF CITIZENSHIP AND IMMIGRATION
Building Welcoming and Equitable Communities MINISTRY OF CITIZENSHIP AND IMMIGRATION
Become a Sponsor
and help a newcomer in need
• Partner on a Program-specific Initiative.
• Employer Benefits Available.
Immigrant,
Refugee &
Settlement Hub
Immigrant,
Refugee &
Settlement Hub
• Get access to our Corporate Diversity Training Centre.
• Sponsor our annual June Gala event.
All corporate partnerships include promotions at Skills for Change’s resource centres, regular digital
media exposure, features in quarterly magazine and online blog, and much more!
Building Welcoming and Equitable Communities MINISTRY OF CITIZENSHIP AND IMMIGRATION
The Immigrant, Refugee & Settlement Hub - IRS HUB@791 - is a
coordinated suite of programs and services to support the social, civic
and economic integration of newcomers to Canada.
Immigrant,
Refugee &
Settlement Hub
SERVICES
PROVIDED
skillsforchange.org/irshub
The Immigrant, Refugee & Settlement Hub - IRS HUB@791 - is a
coordinated suite of programs and services to support the social, civic
and economic integration of newcomers to Canada.
10 Volume 1
www.skillsforchange.org
- Nov 2017
416-658-3101
The Immigrant, Refugee & Settlement Hub - IRS HUB@791 - is a

Career Skills
Effective and affordable way to build your
business, technical and administrative skills
Course Categories:
Accounting and Finance
Microsoft Office
Quality Assurance
Project Management
Business Skills
Information Technology
Register today at
skillsforchange.org/careerskills
www.skillsforchange.org
11

1982-83
formed in 1982;
incorporated as a
1988
changed to SKILLS FOR
CHANGE OF METRO
TORONTO.
1993
to Canada (LINC).
- First New Pioneers Awards
gala event is held.
- Becomes a United Way of
Greater Toronto member
agency.
2010
Agency expands to add
two Employment Ontario
and Flemingdon Park.
2008
funds JSW in 2000 and
ELT in 2008.
- Trades Win Support
Program (TWSP) in
Brampton is launched.
1998
program is launched,
which served as the
bridging programs in
Ontario.
1996-97
is updated.
- Agency is restructured
into four units.
2011
- A ground breaking
Immigrant Women in
Leadership
Gender-based analysis
project is developed.
- TWSP expands to York
region.
2013
- Seniors and Youth
Entrepreneurship
programs are
introduced.
- Programming in the
Jane-Finch area is
launched.
2014
Entrepreneurship Hub
for immigrant women
and youth starts.
2015-Present
- Agency develops Theory
of Change.
- Services are expanded to
Southwestern Ontario
Thank you for your support
over the last 35 years!
12 Volume 1 - Nov 2017
www.skillsforchange.org