Foundation Program

Support Assistant in Financial Services
City of Toronto

“You are your greatest asset so invest in yourself and be visible”

Prior to joining the IEP program, Morenikeji Onemheghie participated in the Newcomers Program in Construction - Professional and Technical Route at the Toronto Community Benefits Network (TCBN). Morenikeji learned about the IEP program through the TCBN program coordinator and decided to enroll for it. Although she had undergone some technical trainings to help improve her employability, it was still challenging to get a job in the Canadian workplace.

When asked to describe some of the barriers to employment she faced upon arrival in Canada, she described that “As a certified chartered accountant, most of my experience back home were in the banking industry and I was looking for jobs outside the banking sector”. Morenikeji wanted to do something else aside from working in the banking industry. She noted that this “was a major challenge”.

After joining the program, Morenikeji described the goals and positive results that she achieved from her experience, “The program helped harness my skills and experiences. The language course was very helpful in enhancing my workplace communication in the Canadian context. The various employment workshops were very helpful for job search, application and interview preparation. The opportunity to be able to attend different job fairs, meet various recruiters and employment agencies all added to the learning experience. All the resources were easy to access”. With the training and resources that she received in the IEP Bridging Program, Morenikeji was able to secure employment as a Support Assistant in Financial Services at the City of Toronto.

When asked what advice she would give another newcomer and who was looking for a job, she said: “I would encourage them to study the sector they are interested in, ensure they have the right skill sets for the sector and if not, acquire the required skills. It is also important that they understand the Canadian workplace culture which is where the IEP Bridging Program comes in.”