AWET KIDANE

Awet Kidane knows there is a need for skilled workers in Canada, yet her experience has indicated that the path for immigrants to find meaningful employment in their field is hardly transparent.

Kidane is from Ethiopia by way of Norway, where she obtained a Master’s degree in Environmental Studies. She has been looking for stable employment ever since arriving in Canada in 2004.

To make ends meet, Kidane took a part-time contract position at the Vancouver YWCA and spends the rest of her time pounding the pavement.

“It hasn’t been easy. Getting work has not been straightforward. You have to network and talk to as many people as you can. It takes a long time.”

Kidane believes the Canadian government should establish much more comprehensive programming than what currently exists in order to assist new immigrants in securing work in their established professions, to assess credentials, and to encourage Canadian employers to hire foreign-trained professionals.

I am not doing what I am trained to do, nor what I am excited about in terms of a career.