Before moving to Canada, Francis worked in the forestry industry in Scotland for eight years, where he gained enough experience and knowledge to work anywhere in Scotland. However, when he moved with his family to Canada in 2020, it was not easy for him to find a job in the same field without Canadian certificates and experience.
Professional forestry is regulated in BC, like lawyers, accountants, doctors, dentists, and engineers. Anyone practising professional forestry is required, by law, to be registered with, and meet specific standards set by the ABCFP.
Exploring the requirements of a regulated profession and getting the required courses and certificates can be complicated and costly for newcomers, especially when they already have extensive knowledge in the industry.
At first, it was difficult to become an established forestry professional in Canada due to differences in professional designations required to work in the forestry industry in Canada. With the help of Career Paths [for Skilled Immigratnts], I was able to receive the funding support required to enroll on essential courses and apply for membership with the required professional bodies. – Francis Guyver
Career Paths for Skilled Immigrants program helped Francis obtain the necessary registration with ABCFP, an Occupational First Aid Level One Certificate, and a Wildlife Danger Tree Assessors Course. The team also worked with him on his cover letter and resume for the Canadian job market.
The program enabled me to find employment with Snuneymuxw First Nation owned forestry company Mount Benson Forestry LP. Once I had the required professional designations, advice from the helpful CVIMS team to update and improve my cover letter and resume and take training courses to improve my employability, I became more employable and more competitive within the workforce. – Francis Guyver
Career Paths for Skilled Immigrants is the bridge to career fulfillment in the pre-arrival profession. The program supports newcomers with customized career counselling, occupational training and exam preparation for skilled immigrant job seekers. Addition support and funding are available based on the newcomer’s eligibility.
Coming into a new country can be challenging. A significant part of this challenge is finding meaningful employment in the profession that was left behind before emigrating. CVIMS can be a gamechanger in overcoming this challenge for new immigrants entering Canada. I would wholeheartedly recommend it to help the transition into the BC workforce. – Francis Guyver
If you feel inspired by Francis’s story and know someone who would benefit from this program, contact Wendy Wen, our CCDP Immigrant Employment Specialist, at (250) 753-6911 Ext. 102 or wwen@cvims.org
