Get Started in Canada: Fiany’s story
From Feeling Lost to Finding Confidence
When Fiany moved to Toronto from Mexico at the beginning of the pandemic, she faced multiple challenges. As a former university professor, she quickly learned that despite her education, starting a new career in Canada wasn’t straightforward.
Facing unexpected challenges in Canada
“Back home, we didn’t train for resumes or interviews,” she says. “Here, every job application was a series of steps I didn’t understand.”
Fiany felt stuck. Her struggles with English and dyslexia created barriers she thought were impossible to overcome. Even after earning a medical aesthetician diploma in Canada, she still didn’t have the confidence and practical skills needed to find a job.
Finding a path to confidence
One day, while she was at the library, Fiany saw a flyer: a free 8-week newcomer women employment program from PTP called Get Started in Canada. She applied right away and started the following Monday.
The program changed her outlook. Through a mix of online and in-person sessions, Fiany gained practical skills and improved her confidence. Classes on Canadian workplace culture, résumé building, and interview preparation were life-changing for her. In two months, she earned eight micro-certifications, including Business Writing, Customer Service, and Diversity and Inclusion.
“My favourite part was practicing real-life scenarios,” Fiany says. “No one had taught me how to respond when customers are frustrated. This program showed me clearly what to do and boosted my confidence a whole lot.”
Building a community of support
Beyond career skills, Fiany found a community among her fellow participants. Coming out of isolation during the pandemic, connecting with other newcomer women became a crucial support system.
“We became close friends. It felt like a support group,” she reflects. “We share resources in our WhatsApp group and practice interview questions together, even after graduation.”
Ready for a new beginning
Since completing the program, Fiany feels like a new person. She has the tools and the confidence to enter the Canadian job market. She plans to pursue interviews in her field, prepared with the knowledge she gained in Get Started in Canada. Her journey with PTP isn’t over. She plans to use its services to find a job, get her driver’s license and prepare for her citizenship test.
Looking back on her journey, Fiany says the program was key in helping her realize her potential in Canada. Compared to other programs she took, this one was “the cherry on the cake”. Her advice to other newcomer women who are unsure about their next step is to not wait. “If I had this program when I first arrived in Canada, my journey would have been more easy,” she says.
“This program wasn’t just professional. It changed my emotional perspective,” says Fiany. “Now, every day I ask myself, ‘What can I do today to be better than yesterday?’”
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