Practical Tools & Resources for Sourcing & Attracting Immigrants Jacqueline de Raadt Program Manager, E-MAP Prince George, BC December 12, 2012

Overview  What is Canadian Manufacturers & Exporters (CME)?  What is E-MAP?  Practical tools and resources  Questions

What is CME?  Canada’s largest Industry and Trade Association  Lead a coalition of manufacturers and exporters representing: $600 billion in annual shipments ($40 in BC) 3 million jobs (200,000 in BC) 20% of Canada’s GDP (11% in BC)  80% of which are SME’s  Offer advocacy, programs and services to support the growth and health of manufacturing in Canada  Bottom line: If we are not making things in the country we are in big trouble!  Manufacturing is vital to the health of our economy and our collective future.

Recruiting Climate Demographic shift hitting the workforce  One of the challenges our members are facing  The population in Canada is aging  It will be getting worse as more retire and the workforce shrinks  Many of our members see recruiting as a big challenge right now, and anticipate labor shortages getting even worse in the coming years.  Recruiting will become more of a sales job rather than a passive posting of jobs followed by a critical selection process

What is E-MAP?  Why E-MAP?  Funded by Human Resources & Skills Development Canada  Placed 100+ Foreign Trained Engineers into manufacturing and technical jobs in BC since 2007  We support Employers through a no cost job board and resume referral service  Roughly 700 Foreign Trained Engineers on our database who are permanent residents or Canadian citizens and currently reside in BC  Employers tell us we have a strong “and I told two friends” network to attract talent (people forward job postings to friends and relatives)

Interesting Ideas Perspective shift  Recruiting is transforming into a PULL and a HUNT process not a post job and wait process.  We like the IEC’s concept of creating a LARGE database of immigrants looking for work that can be easily searched using key words  Translate your job ads into other languages and have your career website translated into other languages.  Post a video on your website of an immigrant who works for the company now and is enjoying their job

RAS Pulleys EXAMPLE:  Based in Surrey this 65 employee manufacturing company was having trouble attracting skilled immigrants. Part of their strategy was to post this information and a video on their website.  RAS is a proud supporter of diversity in the workplace, through this initiative we have teamed up with EMAP (Engineering Matching and Placement program) to hire and train internationally educated engineers in the Canadian workplace. Below is one of our success stories: 

Interesting ideas cont.  Place the job ads in small ethnic newspapers in Vancouver and outer lying areas in their language  Offer to write an article for that small ethnic newspaper about immigrants from that country in your company.  Take an ad out in the newspaper, support and connect with them, their community and their paper!  Sell the company NOT describe the company. Make them want to come and be part of your team  Interview 4 candidates and make 1 of them the “wildcard”

What will help us move? cont.  Show them you will be inclusive and will support them in their transition to move to a new community  “We understand that moving North to a new city might be challenging and if you want to work for us, we want you and we are committed to supporting you and your family’s move”  Offer support for their spouse to find work  Sell the Prince George lifestyle (outdoors, sports…”We love living in Prince George for these reasons” Why do you like it here?)  Illustrate the basic core competencies that are required for the job and then offer to train.

Questions?  How can I help?  What has worked for you this far?  What are some successes you can share with the group? Thank you!