5. Integrating and Retaining Internationally Trained Workers
5.2 Training, mentoring and career development
Ensure your own success – help your workers learn, grow and succeed.
Training programs
You can provide training courses or peer-to-peer practical training in the workplace or let your workers know where training is available. Training options include the following:
- Skills training. Skills training is offered by community organizations, municipal public libraries and community centres. Colleges and institutes also offer various courses to upgrade technical and language skills. Some programs combine technical training with occupation-specific language training and bridging programs.
- Language training. ITWs can benefit from language training in English or French, occupation-specific language training, or customized business English or French courses.
- Cultural and communications training. Cultural and communications training helps all workers to be more effective. Cultural training helps workers interact more effectively with colleagues, suppliers or customers. Communications training develops presentation skills and helps workers to communicate their ideas more clearly.
- Organizational training. Like all new employees, ITWs will benefit from training that focuses on your organization’s norms, practices and expectations.
- Taking Action: A Guide. Essential skills can help boost the productivity, innovation and overall competitiveness of your business. This guide outlines a step-by-step process, including helpful strategies and useful tips, for developing and integrating essential skills training in the workplace.
- Job Enhancement and Essential Skills. Job enhancement is when an employee is given new responsibilities or tasks that give him/her the opportunity to develop his/her skills or abilities. It is an effective way for employers to help employees, including ITWs, to improve their essential skills, and it does not require a lot of resources to be successful.
Your organization can also benefit by helping community organizations and training institutes develop job-related training.
Mentoring programs
Providing mentors–dedicated and experienced staff members–to answer new workers’ questions will help them integrate into your workplace faster. Mentoring programs can help all new employees but may be particularly valuable to internationally trained workers.
Career development
Career development opportunities are important for all employees and for your organization. Be sure to make these opportunities available to internationally trained workers.
- Include ITWs in formal leadership development programs.
- Be open to new forms of leadership and collaboration. Don’t overlook the abilities of ITWs just because they don’t reflect the norm in your workplace.
- Provide coaching and courses to develop communications and leadership skills. Remember that ITWs may have special needs based on their cultural backgrounds, abilities, training and work experience.
- Support workers who are pursuing certification or licensure. Your organization could benefit by providing financial support for examinations, or by offering workers paid time off to prepare for and write important examinations.