My name is Yonatan Andamariam. I came from Uganda as a refugee to Canada from Eritera. As a new immigrant, I was trying hard to find a job to settle in Canada. I applied to many places and dropped my resume in several places. No one called me. I was getting frustrated and stressed. I did not know how to approach employers and talk to them.
Then I met a past student who had completed the program and was working after he completed the program. He suggested I get in touch with the program coordinator at EmployAbilities and gave me her number.
I called her and had four interviews with different staff before I was accepted into the program. I was glad when the staff called me and said I was going to start the program on November 27, 2023. In the program, I learned many new lessons about working in Canada. How to write a resume, interview skills, First Aid, WHMIS, Forklift, and many others useful to work in Canada.
In addition to the certificates the we also got a living allowance and two bus passes. This reduced my stress of paying rent and other immediate needs. I am very grateful for all the skills I learnt in the Learn 2 Earn program at EmployAbilities that helped me to overcome barriers such as ways to find a job and to keep it.
The many workshops like budgeting, problem-solving, team building, Color Spectrum, interview skills, resume and meeting employers on my own helped me to build my confidence, and I landed a job that I found it. I work at A+ Convenience Store as a Cashier/Sales Associate. My long-term goals is to work in trades. I have requested my school records from Eritrea, once they come I hope to go to NAIT and explore trade courses and continue to work.
Thank you for this great program. I hope this program will help many young people like myself to settle in Canada by overcoming barriers.
