Success Skills Centre has operated since 1985 as a community-based, not-for-profit organization, working in partnership with the federal and provincial governments, as well as the City of Winnipeg. The Centre works primarily with immigrant professionals and skilled workers who have had their education and experience from outside of Canada.
As a result of its experience with immigrants, the Centre has developed into an independent assessment and internship workplace resource centre, providing employment and counselling assistance to immigrants. Advice and guidance to employers and others working with immigrant professionals and skilled workers is another service provided.
The Centre’s main objective is to help remove barriers immigrants encounter which interfere with their ability to utilize their skills and training in Canada. Also, the Centre acts as a broker and advocate to access programs, courses and employment training.
Immigrants come to the Centre by agency referral or word-of-mouth to receive help ranging from employment search, introductory computer applications practice, résumé preparation, to job interview skills. The Centre also provides workspace for the clients’ job search. Individuals may attend the Centre for varying lengths of time, based on their initial assessments. Services range from one-time visits to participating in scheduled workshops, to a workplace internship arranged by Centre staff, to developing a combination of initiatives for individualized plans of action.
Training host employers play a valuable role by taking the Centre’s program interns into their workplace according to their occupational background. This practice provides positive proof and reinforcement that immigrants contribute concretely to Canadian operations.
The process of the employer on-site work placement includes having program interns observe, discuss and gain Canadian on-the-job perspectives in a normal, every day work setting. This may be done in several ways with agreed upon learning objectives, for example, by job shadowing, by carrying out assigned tasks or projects, by investigating specific markets, methodologies, and/or assisting in various tasks or operations. Very often, once the interns have had an opportunity to demonstrate their knowledge and skills, employer hosts are most interested in hiring or recommending the individuals to other employers.
Some of the interns may qualify for wage subsidy programs under Employment Insurance, or under the provincial Immigrant Credentials Recognition Program. As well, the provincial Professional Immigrant Pilot Project (PIPP) allows for a variation of employment wage and/or education/accreditation options for immigrant clients potential employers.
There is no cost to employers or clients for the Centre’s services.
