Business - Accounting Stream

Financial Clerk
University of Guelph

Samuel Zeleke enrolled in the IEP program to familiarize himself with the business culture and legal requirements in Canada and to enhance his network with professionals in his field. Reflecting on his employment challenges, he noted, “the professional job market in Canada is characterized by stiff competition”, and so Zeleke decided to join a bridging program to help him land a permanent position.

"I had set a goal of increasing my marketability to the Canadian labor market by updating my knowledge and acquiring relevant skills that would fit Canadian business culture," Samuel emphasized.

Explaining how the program helped him gain new skills and knowledge, he stated, “As accounting specialization program, I got knowledge of the Generally Accepted Accounting principles specific to Canada Business organizations (ASPE) which was completely new for me”.  In addition, Zeleke, through the program, he explained he also gained new skills to bolster his job prospects, “I believe that I have acquired new skills mainly in relation to communication, resume writing, and business principles”.

Networking and resume preparation were areas where Samuel found significant support from the program. "The program helped me improve my network both in social media and personal contacts," he highlights. Talking about the impact of career coaching Zeleke noted, “my LinkedIn profile has been improved and started getting more views and connections than before”.

Zeleke was successful in finding employment even before graduating from the program,  “I think it helped me to get recruiter's attention as I have included it in my resume”, Samuel reflects. In addition, after gaining employment,  “the program also helps me in improving my communication and interaction skills in day-to-day relations with collogues”, he emphasized.

Offering advice to newcomers seeking employment in Canada, Samuel underscores the importance of equally honing both soft and hard skills and engaging regularly in professional development to stay competitive in the job market. "Understanding the business culture of the country, including business legal principles, job application processes, and networking” are steps he advises newcomers to take.