Directions for Immigrants

🍁🍂 Happy Thanksgiving!

To all our clients, thank you for inspiring us with your perseverance and commitment to building new opportunities.

Wishing you and all our community a Thanksgiving filled with gratitude and cherished memories.

Our office will be closed on Monday, October 12, 2026.

🌻📸By Karen Jenkins

Yesterday, we celebrated another successful Clear Communication for Business Workplace Communication Group wrap-up!

We know our participants left with stronger communication skills and renewed enthusiasm for navigating the Canadian workplace.

A special thank you to one of our participants, Edward Muriithi, who captured our classroom photos and proudly served as the unofficial photography director during our group photo session, making sure everyone struck their best pose! 📸😄

Also, to all participants for being such great sports and enthusiastically embracing the silly jumping photos suggested by our Community Liaison Officer, Ilse Barrios, ahem... yours truly! 😁).

And how not to mention the charm, expertise, and wonderful facilitation of Simran Sandhu, who once again guided a dedicated group of professionals with warmth and encouragement throughout the journey. And if you'd like to see a truly authentic moment, be sure to check out the photo Edward captured of her. Her expression says it all! 😄

Thank you everyone! We loved being part of your journey and look forward to seeing all that you'll accomplish next. 💫

“I Got My First Job in Canada, and It’s My Dream Job!”

When Aura, an internationally educated environmental engineer, came to Directions for Immigrants in September 2025, she was feeling discouraged.
Married and raising two children, Aura had spent one and a half years unemployed, applying for every job she could find without success.
“I was depressed and hopeless. Then someone told me about Directions for Immigrants, and I decided to book an appointment.
I was worried about how much the service would cost, but I called anyway.
My career coach was Darlene. I learned that I didn't have to pay for the services, and she gave me excellent advice. She helped me improve my resume, showed me how to better highlight my work experience, and encouraged me to attend the Clear Communication for Business group and the Boost Your LinkedIn workshop.
She also told me about two upcoming job fairs in Calgary. I wasn't sure which one I should attend, and she suggested I attend both.”

Putting Advice into Action
“Everything Darlene coached me to do, I did, and it paid off!

At the job fairs, I met numerous people in my field, and those connections ended up helping me receive a job offer.

The Clear Communication for Business group helped me ace my interview. Simran, the CCB facilitator and career coach, provided me with key interview questions and messages that helped me prepare and feel confident.
The LinkedIn workshop also helped me use the platform much more effectively.
That whole experience led me to the perfect job offer.”

Today, Aura is working as a Sustainability Consultant, the role she had been hoping for since arriving in Canada.
Her story is a powerful reminder that success often comes from combining the right support with determination, persistence, and a willingness to take action.

Aura's Advice to Other Immigrant Professionals
“Don't give up! I know that sometimes it is hard, but your dream job is waiting for you. If I did it, you can too!”

Each year, September 30 marks the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation.
The day honours the children who never returned home and Survivors of residential schools, as well as their families and communities. Public commemoration of the tragic and painful history and ongoing impacts of residential schools is a vital component of the reconciliation process.

Our office will be closed on Wednesday, September 30 in observance of the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation.
This day is a time to reflect and honour the experiences of Indigenous communities, Survivors, and their families.

The meaning behind the visuals
The design honours the children who never returned home from residential schools, Survivors, their families and communities.
In the centre are three symbols: a feather, a narwhal, and a flower. Each symbol represents the distinct cultures of First Nations, Inuit and Métis communities, brought together in a circular flowing composition to reflect the connection between the groups.
Above the central elements, stars surrounding the moon honour the children who never returned home from residential schools and symbolize their enduring place in our thoughts and memory. The dotted patterns evoke beadwork and reflect the importance of passing down art, culture and traditions from one generation to the next.
Flowing lines connect the elements of the design, reflecting the connections between land, water, communities and generations. Their winding path represents the journey of reconciliation and reminds us that reconciliation is an ongoing process.
The colour orange represents remembrance and the enduring message that every child matters.
National Day for Truth and Reconciliation Source: Government of Canada https://www.canada.ca/en/canadian-heritage/campaigns/national-day-truth-reconciliation.html

In just over two months, this fully committed client, actively participated in career coaching and workshops, and successfully landed the job she was aiming for!

We're celebrating a client who recently secured an Administrative Support Technician position with Volker Stevin, Svitlana Izbash.

Like many newcomers, she faced the challenge of helping employers understand how her international experience connected to the Canadian workplace. Through determination, continuous learning, and Directions for Immigrants support, she gained the tools and confidence to successfully navigate her job search.

Svitlana actively interacted with her career coach, Miroslav Reljić, scheduled sessions with him for resume critique, mock interviews, and to get his overall expert advice, while also attended these valuable workshops that we offer to our clients: Boost your LinkedIn, Networking and Info Interviews, Marketing Your Transferable Skills, Job Search Strategies, and the North Star Job Club.

“These sessions helped me understand Canadian employer expectations, improve my resumé, and practice interview skills in a supportive environment. My sincere gratitude to Miro who supported me over the past two months. The workshops and our personal meetings have been incredibly valuable, and I truly appreciate the high-quality guidance that he provided for me.”

Svitlana advice to other immigrant professionals:
" I would recommend actively participating in workshops, job club, and support like the one from Directions for Immigrants. These sessions helped me understand Canadian employer expectations, improve my resumé, and practice interview skills in a supportive environment.”
Also, “Don't underestimate the value of your transferable skills. Communication, coordination, problem solving, leadership, and adaptability are highly relevant. Learning how to present them clearly makes a big difference."

Congratulations on this well-deserved success. We are proud to have been part of your journey!

Are you an Environmental Professional? Check out the options for certification with ECO Canada

Looking to give your career a boost?

If you have 0-5 years of environmental experience, you may qualify for the Environmental Professional in Training (EPt) Designation from ECO Canada.

✔ Build professional recognition early in your career
✔ Access a national network of environmental professionals
✔ Discounts on trainings and events

Start your application today: https://bit.ly/4z2LUT6

Thank you to all the pharmacists!

It’s ! This year’s theme, “Empowering pharmacists for healthier futures,” is especially timely in Canada.

So far in 2026, we’ve seen continued momentum in pharmacist care across the country — alongside growing evidence of the impact pharmacists can have on access to care.

To mark the occasion, we’re taking a look at some of that progress, hearing directly from patients and highlighting how our campaign is advocating for pharmacists to be fully authorized to provide the care they are educated and trained to deliver.

➡️ Read more: https://ow.ly/jn4f50ZRpgL

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C’est la ! Le thème de cette année, Donner aux pharmaciens les moyens d’agir pour un avenir plus sain, tombe particulièrement à point au Canada.

Depuis le début de 2026, nous constatons une dynamique soutenue en matière de soins prodigués par les pharmaciens dans tout le pays, parallèlement à des preuves de plus en plus nombreuses de l’impact que ceux-ci peuvent avoir sur l’accès aux soins.

Pour marquer cette occasion, nous présentons certains de ces progrès, donnons la parole directement aux patients et mettons en relief la manière dont notre campagne milite pour que les pharmaciens soient pleinement habilités à prodiguer les soins pour lesquels ils ont été formés.

Lire davantage : https://ow.ly/zoo750ZRphg

Today, our career coaches alongside a group of talented clients from our North Star Job Club, attended the University of Calgary Career Fair!
Events like these are a fantastic opportunity to build confidence, expand networks, and connect with employers face-to-face.
We are proud to support internationally educated professionals as they take meaningful steps toward their job search goals.
Wishing everyone who attended a successful day of networking and opportunities!

Are you looking for ways to strengthen your English language? Check out the resources with the Calgary Public Library

Join us at Saddletowne Library on Mondays, September 14 – October 19 at 1:00 pm to enhance your English conversation skills and build your confidence in communication in our drop-in program. A strong intermediate level of English is required to participate. In partnership with Calgary Essential Language Solutions.

Learn more by visiting our website at: https://bit.ly/49YTgN3

Make sure to look for our mentorship officers Mentorship for Rural Immigrants

Fall 2026 Airdrie Regional Job Fair When September 22, 2026 3:00 pm – 6:00 pmCategory Career Fairs, Connect with EmployersLocation Genesis Place, 800 East Lake Blvd NE, AirdriePresented with Airdrie Regional Chamber of CommerceRegistration Register nowUpdated list of employers and positions:Airdrie Job Fair List of PositionsFall 202...