Mentorship

Our mentoring program assists newcomers, builds inclusive workplaces, and strengthens the ability of Calgary organizations to attract and retain talent.

Whether you are an internationally educated professional living in Calgary or in the process of pre-arrival preparation, we offer mentorship programs that will support you to settle, live, and work in Canada. 

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  • Mentorship
  • I needed an insider's view of my industry, its current state...what courses would benefit me, what seminars and networking circles offered better value, which video conferences and industry magazines to subscribe to, which associations to join. And I was fortunate to get all that from my mentor!
    Vijay Panchmatia
    Mentoring Program Participant

BVC Partners with CRIEC

Mentoring Initiatives

Bow Valley College, in partnership with the Calgary Region Immigrant Employment Council (CRIEC), offers mentorship programs for internationally educated professionals (IEPs). The goal of the program is to connect immigrant professionals with Canadian experienced working professionals in a mentoring partnership.

CRIEC is part of a network of Immigrant Employment Councils (IEC) across the country that support newcomers with career path planning, mentoring, and other strategies to assist newcomers.

 

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Learn about CRIEC

Learn about CRIEC

SmartPathways: Pre-Arrival Mentorship Program

We prepare internationally educated professionals to arrive in Calgary.

This program has been designed to better prepare internationally educated immigrants (IEPs) to arrive in Calgary with the tools and information they will need to start building their new career. 

The program includes:

  • 15-20 hours of online training modules facilitated by a Career Coach to prepare IEPs to find a job
  • the opportunity to connect online with a mentor working in a similar field in Calgary 

Program partners include:

Contact SmartPathways@bowvalleycollege.ca for more information and to begin the registration process. 

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Program Overview

Watch this recorded webinar to learn more about the SmartPathways program.

Online Training Modules

The online training modules are relevant, targeted, and interactive training to prepare IEPs to find a job. Training modules include:

  1. Researching the Canadian Labour Market
  2. Job Finding Tools (Resumes, cover letters, LinkedIn)
  3. Interview Skills in the Canadian Market
  4. Mentorship
  5. Intercultural Communication Skills 
Mentorship

After the completion of Modules 1 - 3, participants will be matched with a Calgary mentor working in a similar field.

Before leaving their home country, participants will meet with their mentor 2 - 4 times, via Skype, and learn more about:

  • what is needed to enter their occupation in Canada
  • the appropriate resume focus to find employment in that field
  • what is happening in that industry right now

Participants will also have a meeting with their mentor after they arrive in Calgary. 

Eligibility

To be eligible for this program, participants must:

  • Have a completed a degree or certificate in the career target area
  • Have a minimum of at least three years of experience in their area of expertise
  • Have a Canadian Language Benchmark (CLB) of 7 or equivalent level IELTS (6.0) CELPIP (7.0)
  • Be coming to Calgary between 2 and 10 months from date of application

Program Overview

Watch this recorded webinar to learn more about the SmartPathways program.

Online Training Modules

The online training modules are relevant, targeted, and interactive training to prepare IEPs to find a job. Training modules include:

  1. Researching the Canadian Labour Market
  2. Job Finding Tools (Resumes, cover letters, LinkedIn)
  3. Interview Skills in the Canadian Market
  4. Mentorship
  5. Intercultural Communication Skills 

Mentorship

After the completion of Modules 1 - 3, participants will be matched with a Calgary mentor working in a similar field.

Before leaving their home country, participants will meet with their mentor 2 - 4 times, via Skype, and learn more about:

  • what is needed to enter their occupation in Canada
  • the appropriate resume focus to find employment in that field
  • what is happening in that industry right now

Participants will also have a meeting with their mentor after they arrive in Calgary. 

Eligibility

To be eligible for this program, participants must:

  • Have a completed a degree or certificate in the career target area
  • Have a minimum of at least three years of experience in their area of expertise
  • Have a Canadian Language Benchmark (CLB) of 7 or equivalent level IELTS (6.0) CELPIP (7.0)
  • Be coming to Calgary between 2 and 10 months from date of application

Face-to-Face Mentoring

A mentorship program with a proven track record

Internationally Educated Professionals (IEPs) face a variety of obstacles when arriving in Canada. The information and guidance they receive can impact their ability to find meaningful employment and be critical to their career and skill-development related decisions.

By participating in a mentoring program, IEPs develop a professional network, learn effective job-search strategies, gain a better understanding of Canadian workplace culture, and obtain industry and occupation-specific information.

This program is made possible through an investment by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada. 

For more information on mentorship, email mentorship@bowvalleycollege.ca

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Program Description

The goals of the program are to connect immigrant professionals with Canadian experienced working professionals in a mentoring partnership, build inclusive workplaces, and strengthen the ability of Calgary organizations to attract and retain talent.

This four month structured program includes:

  • 16 weekly meetings over four months - approximately 1-1.5 hours each
  • mentee and mentor orientation session
  • ongoing support by the Mentoring Coordinator
  • opportunities to provide feedback on the program

The one-on-one program is supported by the following sessions:

  • MentorShare sessions - regular gatherings of mentors from across the city who have the opportunity to learn from a mentoring "expert", share mentoring successes and challenges and network amongst themselves
  • MenteeShare sessions - regular gatherings of mentees from across our system who also have the opportunity to learn from a mentoring "expert", share mentoring successes and challenges and network amongst themselves
Become a Mentor

Mentors are established professionals eager and willing to set aside time to develop a supportive professional relationship with a mentee. Mentors must have:

  • at least five years of experience in their fields in Canada
  • a strong understanding of the Canadian workplace culture and knowledge of the skills required to meet the market demands
  • an interest in and an understanding of other cultures
  • previous mentoring experience

To register to be a mentor, visit the CRIEC website for more information.

Become a Mentee

A mentee is a skilled immigrant who is seeking guidance to find employment in Calgary. Mentees will be interviewed as part of the selection process and must:

  • have a total of at least three years of experience in their area of expertise
  • have a Canadian Language Benchmark (CLB) of 7 in reading, listening, writing, and speaking.
  • be a permanent resident
  • be able to meet with a mentor during regular work hours

To register, email mentorship@bowvalleycollege.ca. In your email include a copy of your resume and your CLB results or equivalent.

Program Description

The goals of the program are to connect immigrant professionals with Canadian experienced working professionals in a mentoring partnership, build inclusive workplaces, and strengthen the ability of Calgary organizations to attract and retain talent.

This four month structured program includes:

  • 16 weekly meetings over four months - approximately 1-1.5 hours each
  • mentee and mentor orientation session
  • ongoing support by the Mentoring Coordinator
  • opportunities to provide feedback on the program

The one-on-one program is supported by the following sessions:

  • MentorShare sessions - regular gatherings of mentors from across the city who have the opportunity to learn from a mentoring "expert", share mentoring successes and challenges and network amongst themselves
  • MenteeShare sessions - regular gatherings of mentees from across our system who also have the opportunity to learn from a mentoring "expert", share mentoring successes and challenges and network amongst themselves

Become a Mentor

Mentors are established professionals eager and willing to set aside time to develop a supportive professional relationship with a mentee. Mentors must have:

  • at least five years of experience in their fields in Canada
  • a strong understanding of the Canadian workplace culture and knowledge of the skills required to meet the market demands
  • an interest in and an understanding of other cultures
  • previous mentoring experience

To register to be a mentor, visit the CRIEC website for more information.

Become a Mentee

A mentee is a skilled immigrant who is seeking guidance to find employment in Calgary. Mentees will be interviewed as part of the selection process and must:

  • have a total of at least three years of experience in their area of expertise
  • have a Canadian Language Benchmark (CLB) of 7 in reading, listening, writing, and speaking.
  • be a permanent resident
  • be able to meet with a mentor during regular work hours

To register, email mentorship@bowvalleycollege.ca. In your email include a copy of your resume and your CLB results or equivalent.

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