“When I came here from Tanzania in 1982 there was a recession and I was jobless for nine months. There was no one to tell me where to find a job. I had to start at minimum wage and had a really tough time. I want to give newcomers support so they won’t have to suffer as much as I did.”

The one key tip I try to pass on to my mentees

Most jobs aren’t advertised in the newspaper. If you want to work for a company, go look at their websites. I give my mentees the names of the big construction companies here. I show them how to go online, look for positions and how to apply.

One mentoring experience that stands out for me

Natalia, a mentee of mine from Russia, had excellent experience, but couldn’t find work. Within one month of us meeting, I saw a job in Saturday’s Toronto Star for a job in Edmonton. I called her first thing Monday morning. She applied by 9:30AM. By noon human resources had contacted her to set up a meeting with the company president who was travelling through Toronto that evening. She had an interview at 9PM and was signing the contract by 11PM. It’s a phenomenal story and I was ecstatic for her.

My advice for job-seeking skilled immigrants

It took my daughter six months to find a job after graduating from mechanical engineering from the University of Toronto. That’s a typical amount of time. It’s not just newcomers.

Mentee, Natalia Dourbalova, on why Nizar’s mentorship made a difference to her

I was a professional engineer in two countries and had over 15 years of experience when I arrived here, but I couldn’t find a good job. Nizar gave me specific information about which companies to research and how to get my job search back on track. He explained that I needed to obtain my license and find work in my field – and that I should consider relocating to do so. He was right on all accounts. After working in Edmonton, I have three years of Canadian work experience and my designation. I really value Nizar’s feedback and have continued to ask for advice on pursuing professional development courses. I wish there were more Nizars for other internationally trained engineers new to Toronto.

More on mentor Nizar Hirji

Building Inspector, City of Toronto (retiring late 2011)
Mentor to 10 or more skilled immigrants through The Mentoring Partnership
Nizar heard about The Mentoring Partnership through the City of Toronto, a corporate partner of the program