By: Sam Seo, Employment Services Advisor and Mekki Herizi, Employment Programs Coordinator
The Fall of 2022 was a tough time for Daniel.
He just graduated from high school in Mexico and came alone to Canada to start a new life.
Daniel was born in Canada but raised in Mexico, so his experience when he landed in Vancouver was not different from any other immigrant — he wanted to find a job as soon as possible while looking for a school to further his education. Additionally, Daniel’s family planned to join him and live in Vancouver as soon as he settled down, and this added another big burden on his shoulders.
The first thing Daniel did was to look for a job online. Since he had some work experience at his father’s construction company in Mexico, he was confident he’d easily find a general labourer job at a construction site. His friend from Mexico suggested working at a construction company where most employees are Mexican, however he wanted to challenge himself to experience Canadian workplace culture and start a meaningful job that would support his future career goal in Canada.
Daniel came across the Fast Track to Manufacturing (F2M) youth employment training program online and joined it soon after. His expectations about the program were not very high: He thought that he could find a job easily and he knew what to do to get a job. Once he started the training, he realized how little knowledge he had before and how many valuable skills he could gain from the program. In addition to learning about Canadian style resumes and preparing for interviews, he could also explore his own personality and characteristics, and where his passion and interests were. Reconfirming his career goal as a mechanical engineer was an exciting part of the program.
Despite some personal and financial obstacles, Daniel was able to complete the training thanks to encouragement from program staff. Most importantly, he didn’t want to miss this opportunity as he knew the value of the F2M training.
Unfortunately, Daniel couldn’t focus on his own job search after the training due to his family responsibilities. However, the F2M Employment Services Advisor kept trying to match him with job opportunities from employers. With the MOSAIC internal employer network, he was able to apply for a Carpenter Apprentice position at a renowned construction company in Vancouver. The interview went well, and the employer saw Daniel’s potential in construction. They hired him and even offered an interview opportunity for his father when he comes to Vancouver.
Daniel is very proud of himself for landing a great job, as well as establishing a foothold for his family’s settlement in Canada, and we are so proud of him too.
Daniel says he’s grateful to the F2M staff for their ongoing support. We offered support whenever he needed, including for his emotional health too. Now he feels very confident living in Canada. He was the youngest among the F2M participants, yet one of the most successful ones.
MOSAIC’s Fast Track to Manufacturing (F2M) program helps youth (ages 17-29) to undergo six weeks of crucial skills training and workplace preparedness workshops. Eligible clients can expect financial support, job placement support and more. Read more about the program.
