Many newcomers to Canada often feel confused about what to do and how to navigate their new environment.
When you first arrive, you’ll receive various suggestions and advice from different sources. However, blindly following all advice is not the right approach. You should assess and determine what works best for you. Not all advice will be suitable for your situation. Try to choose a path that is convenient for you and minimizes frequent job changes. Don’t let others’ opinions dictate your decisions.
One important thing to remember is that among your own community, you may encounter people who belittle your work. Some may even compare your job to something insignificant. However, you will find very few who will genuinely support, encourage, and inspire you to grow. That doesn’t mean such people don’t exist, but they are rare. Fortunately, some people are genuinely kind and supportive.
I am an Early Childhood Educator (ECE). Back in my home country, I completed my bachelor’s and master’s in Child Development and Family Relations. When I first arrived in Canada, I learned about the ECE program. I started researching and even visited a few daycare centers to gather information. Eventually, I found out that I needed to complete a proper course to apply for jobs in this field.
During that time, several Bengali individuals gave me different kinds of advice. One person said, “This job is just about taking care of other people’s kids. Why would you do this?” He even used disrespectful words and added, “My wife will study accounting and get a great job.”
I have no idea how successful his wife is as an accountant now, but I can tell you that many accountants struggle to find jobs in their field or are unable to establish themselves successfully.
Another woman, who was an Early Childhood Assistant (ECA), told me, “There’s no need to study this. You should study something else.”
However, I didn’t listen to anyone. I pursued ECE, and by the grace of Allah, I am doing well. Even if you don’t want to work in daycare, you can work in schools with this qualification.
Let me share another example. A girl from a different ethnic background started working as an ECA. Since you can’t work as an ECE without a diploma, I asked her what she studied. She said, “Accounting.” When I asked if she had worked in that field, she said, “Yes, I worked in a bank, but I couldn’t succeed.” She had come to Canada as an international student and is now a citizen. After spending so much money studying accounting, she is now working as an ECA.
Today, I think to myself—if I had followed others’ advice and chosen a different career, I wouldn’t be living as comfortably as I do now. Of course, everyone’s experience is different.
Getting a job in Canada is quite challenging. You might think finding a daycare job is easy, but it’s not that simple. However, it is possible. Many Bengali women are in this profession or are currently studying for it.
Is this the only job option? No, there are many others. As I mentioned, you can work in a bank, and even prior experience from your home country can be helpful.
The most in-demand jobs in Canada are in healthcare.
Here’s a piece of advice for those considering ECE, automotive, or similar fields:
-
Full-Time Study at a College
- You can enroll in a full-time course at a college.
- There are plenty of student loan options available.
- In Ontario, some grants or loan forgiveness programs can help reduce costs.
- However, you will need to repay the student loan later.
-
Work as an Assistant While Studying Part-Time
- You can work full-time as an assistant and study part-time.
- Ask your employer if they offer an apprenticeship program to support your education.
- This way, you won’t have to pay out of pocket, and you’ll gain both income and experience.
Both my husband and I studied while working. My husband took advantage of his company’s apprenticeship program to complete several semesters. Unfortunately, I didn’t get that opportunity because I worked for a Bengali-owned company, and they never informed me about such opportunities. However, my colleagues in other companies pursued ECE through their employers’ apprenticeship programs.
You need to do your research and find out which programs offer apprenticeship options.
