Thousands of people gathered at Merivale Mall Wednesday afternoon at the YMCA’s Opportunities Expo for New Canadians. Most attendees are newcomers to Canada, looking for a new job and a fresh start. The event brings together employers, jobseekers and essential support services to help those in need navigate a new life in a new country. “I tried to be here right at 11 a.m. so that there will be less of the queue,” says Jyothi Mohanan, who moved to Canada from Dubai and relocated to Ottawa a couple of weeks ago. “I worked as an inside sales manager, so I’m looking for a position with the technical background or something similar.” Ismail Owolabi moved from Nigeria in February and is looking for work in the trades. “I’m a construction estimator, so I have a bit of experience in project management,” says Owolabi. “I have experience in site supervision, so I’m looking towards that line, but I’m open to entry-level roles as well.” The Opportunities Expo is in its sixth year and is organized by the YMCA of the National Capital Region. The aim is to help ease the strain of those settling into a new community while also looking for work. Sana Belhadad, the YMCA’s Newcomer Information Centre Director, says she knows firsthand how difficult it can be to look for a new job after moving to Canada “I was a newcomer before, and I truly understand how it feels like starting from zero, like starting over,” says Belhadad. “I know if there is a lot of challenges…there is the fear, the loneliness, the pressure and people are lost… and people are bombarded with information.” Jobseekers attending the Opportunities Expo can meet with over 30 employers from trades, service and other in-demand sectors. The event also provides newcomers with access to community organizations, and valuable immigration and settlement services. “We really try to bring all the resources and all sectors available here in Canada in that event in one place,” Belhadad said. “The idea is what we try to make sure to give access to newcomers to all the information available and let them feel that they belong to this community.” Dilfo, a family-owned mechanical contractor in Ottawa, was one of the employers in attendance. “We have an I.T. Support Role posted right now. We’ll be looking for a Project Coordinator Co-op, and we’re also looking for an HVAC journey person technician for construction,” says Rachel Cimon, who looks over every resume submitted to Dilfo. “A lot of the questions we’ve been getting here today, especially for people who are new to Canada is, ‘I don’t have any experience here will you hire me?’ You know, for us, it doesn’t matter for some of our roles if your experience is here or not. If you have a degree and you have work experience, there’s a very good chance that you could be our person.” The Opportunities Expo isn’t just for newcomers, it’s open to everyone looking for work. Before the door opened, over 1,800 people registered to attend this year’s Opportunities Expo. “This is for everybody regardless of the immigration status...international students, people also who have been here for years…What I like about this event is the way we design it so it can fit everybody,” says Belhadad. The YMCA of the National Capital Region says they’re already gearing up for next year’s event.
