Edmonton Region Immigrant Employment Council (ERIEC)

Edmonton Region Immigrant
Employment Council (ERIEC)
Collective Impact Case Study: Immigrant
Collaborative in Alberta
Edmonton Radisson South
Doug Piquette
ERIEC
October 9th, 2013
ERIEC: The Story of Local
Leadership
“A lot of things we take for granted, professionally and
culturally. I don’t think I understood the extent of the
differences even with my own staff. Vivian opened my eyes
to the simple things we just don’t think about.”
- Annette Bilawchuk
CMP Mentor, TELUS
“I didn’t know what Canadian employers were looking for.
I just gave the answers I thought I
should say. Now I know more how
the Canadian people are thinking
and what they want in a
professional.”
– Fen Li, Engineer, Mentee
ERIEC Organizational History:
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Pre-Feasibility Phase (2007)
Interim Planning Phase (2008)
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Organizational Foundation Phase (2008/2009)
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Implementation Phase (2009)
Pre-Feasibility Phase: Who were the local leaders?
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Alberta Employment & Immigration (AEI)
City of Edmonton
Dell Canada
Edmonton Community Foundation
Edmonton Economic Development Corporation (EEDC)
CHIP Hospitality
Pre-Feasibility Phase: Next Steps…
1. Could an Immigrant Employment Council concept be
successfully established in the city?
2. What will be the design, governance structure and
service delivery model for Edmonton?
3. Can we recommend an implementation process?
RESULT: Stakeholder groups agree that ERIEC is
needed, feasible and should be implemented
(2007)
Community Stakeholders and Leaders (2007-2008):
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Alberta Employment & Immigration
Edmonton Social Planning Council
Citizenship & Immigration Canada
ALLIES/Maytree Foundation
Edmonton Mennonite Center
City of Edmonton
Colt Engineering
Enbridge Pipelines Inc
CoSyn Technology
Multicultural Coalition
EEDC
NorQuest College
Edmonton Community Foundation
Royal Bank of Canada
Interim Planning Phase (2008):
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Build common fact base (key messages)
Gather key stakeholders
Establish structure - Board, Council, Staff
Secure funding
Identify Host Organization
Identify and recommend initial action idea - “Low Hanging
Fruit”
Organizational Foundation Phase (2008/2009):
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ERIEC Board Set Up (Incorporation in April 2008)
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Executive Director Hired (October 2008)
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Organizational Foundation Phase:
- Strategic Direction
- Confirm Operational Funding
- Office set-up
- Environmental Scan/Working Committee
- Staff
- Set Priorities for Implementation Phase
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ERIEC Organizational Launch (2009)
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Career Mentorship Program Launch (2009)
ERIEC - Our Vision:
“Immigrants are welcomed and participate in the
economy at the level of their full potential”
ERIEC as a Catalyst
KEY STAKEHOLDER GROUPS
• Skilled Immigrants
• Corporate Partners
• Immigrant Service Providers (ISP)
Skilled
Immigrants
Corporate
Partners
ISPs
ERIEC
Our Programs:
• The Career Mentorship Program
• Speed Career Networking/Smart Connections
• Annual Global Talent Conference
Other Initiatives:
• Annual Business Leaders Breakfast
• ITW Employer Engagement Study (2012)
• PLAR/Mentorship Study (2011)
• EMCN - RISE Employer Awards Collaboration (4 years)
ERIEC’s Outcomes to date:
• Over 200 mentor/mentee Career Mentorship matches in
the Edmonton Region
• Over 400 mentor/mentee participants in Speed Career
Networking/Smart Connection events
• Over 400 mentor/mentee participants at 3 Annual Global
Talent Conference
ERIEC: Key Ingredients for Success
Local:
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Strategic planning approach and rigor
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Development of key partnerships - allowed for
greater influence and synergies
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Diverse Board Representation - varied
backgrounds and different businesses
perspectives
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Working Collaborations - EMCN’s Employer
Rise Awards to promote the recognition of
employers who have benefited by hiring skilled
immigrants
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Creating an effective and relevant Career
Mentorship Program
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Increasing the awareness of the “business
case” for hiring skilled immigrants
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Continued funding support from Federal and
Provincial government programs
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Dedicated staff
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Media and awareness of the value of hiring
skilled immigrants.
External: IEC support from ALLIES/Maytree (2007)
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TRIEC Model
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hireimmigrants.ca
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SME Research Project
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Coaching
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Information sharing, best practices and learning hub
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Project tools
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National Executive Director Sessions
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Annual Learning Exchanges
ERIEC: Creating Change - “Nuts and
Bolts” of Building Partnerships
Nuts and Bolts to Creating Change:
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Employer engagement/local employer champions
Ability to draw stakeholders to the table
A model that is adaptable to local circumstances
Maintain focus on ‘mission’
Strong local leadership
Share and learn with stakeholders and peers
Actionable ideas
ERIEC: Understanding your
Impact on the Community
Mentees/Employees:
• Potentialize their professional talents
• Anchor newcomers into the community
• Better equipped to integrate and thrive in the
Canadian work environment
• Increase their ‘social capital’ and professional
networks
Mentors/Employers:
• Access to an underutilized ‘global talent
pool’ in Edmonton
• Building internal leadership and
intercultural competencies
• No cost, soft recruitment possibilities
ERIEC: Giving a Voice to Newcomers
in Edmonton
ERIEC Programming:
• Creating ‘real time’ opportunities for
employers and employees
Marketing and Communications:
• Program Outreach/Promotions
• Presentations
• Social Media
ERIEC: Changing the Conversation in
Edmonton
ERIEC: Challenges Faced and Lessons
Learned
Challenges/Opportunties:
• Limited financial and human resources to
support program growth
• Ensuring there is a good return on investment
• Ensuring that we are meeting the needs of
employers
• Engaging employers who have many
demands on their time
Challenges/Opportunties:
• Need for a strong media profile
(i.e. Marketing/Communications/Social Media
Marketing strategy)
• ERIEC operates in an multi-stakeholder
environment (+/-)
• Follow-up with program graduates to recruit
them as future mentors
“Relationships are always a two-way street. You always learn
from another person. Mustafa, for example, offered many
Turkish experiences and perspectives, highlighting differences
in our cultures. If I have a Turkish client in the future, I will be
better prepared to talk to that person.”
-Ishpreet Lamba,
Aramark Corporation
Contact:
Doug Piquette
dpiquette@eriec.ca
780-497-8866
Follow us on Twitter: @eriec_edmonton
Join our group on LinkedIn!
Thank you!