This past week, in an opinion editorial in the Toronto Star, John Tory and Julia Deans of CivicAction reminded us that the world has a lot to learn from Toronto when it comes to new and innovative ways to attract and integrate newcomers. Pointing out that “Canada has a productivity challenge” and that “the competition for talent is heating up,” our Career Bridge paid internship program was cited by CivicAction and an international delegation as “a model for other cities.”
We are delighted to be recognized in this positive way, not only by CivicAction, but by readers of The Star as well.
Still, as Career Edge Organization’s President & CEO, Anne Lamont points out, looking to internationally qualified professionals is only part of the “creative solution” required. Here is Anne Lamont’s response to the article:
“Canada needs to attract, develop and retain a productive workforce – this means leveraging the skills, experience and potential of recent graduates and skilled immigrants to augment the talent pipeline for most companies. Having these discussions at a time when there is significant economic turmoil creates a disconnect between what is in Toronto or in fact Canada’s long term economic and prosperity interest and the immediacy of employers’ actions of reducing the number of employees as a cost saving measure in response to the challenging business environment. The lost opportunities for recent graduates who have made an initial investment in their future through education and the underemployment of many skilled immigrants that we have attracted to our country are both a reputational and an economic risk. However, the reality is that while it is not business as usual, organizations still have hiring needs, which presents an opportunity for seeking out creative hiring solutions. As the head of an organization that has worked with employers who have faced this dilemma before, I know that access to talent through our paid internship programs for recent grad and skilled immigrants has been an effective option. “
Anne Lamont
President & CEO
Career Edge Organization