ACCES EMPLOYMENT

2019-20 ANNUAL REPORT

DIGITALIZATION AND INNOVATION:

PREPARING OUR

FUTURE LABOUR FORCE

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Leadership
Report

ALLISON POND

PRESIDENT & CEO,

ACCES EMPLOYMENT

JOHN SHIELDS

CHAIR OF THE BOARD,

ACCES EMPLOYMENT

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Leadership Report:
Digitalization and Innovation, Preparing our Future Labour Force

ACCES has consistently demonstrated the ability to respond to change. We continuously update our organization and our services in response to an ever-shifting labour market, a rapidly evolving economy, the changing needs of our jobseekers and employers, government priorities and the employment services sector overall. Today, during this unprecedented time, our capacity and ability to respond is critical to achieving strong results for the jobseekers and employers that we serve. We are poised to play a key role in the economic and social recovery of the communities that we support.

In the last five years, ACCES has prioritized the growth of our online and digital services, recognizing that it plays a significant role in our ability to innovate and respond, as well as to reach our clients and provide them with more accessible learning and service options. In 2015, we began to use various online platforms and technology systems to enhance the services we deliver across the GTA, to broaden our reach to clients and employers across Canada, and to extend services to pre-arrival immigrants. With the generous support of a technology grant from Accenture, and the launch of the Canadian Employment Connections pre-arrival program (funded by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada), ACCES began the journey of digitalizing our services. We achieved significant results, more than doubling the number of individuals we serve from 16,000 (2015) to over 39,000 (2019).

This past year, the COVID-19 pandemic required us to generate creative and strategic new ways to provide services to jobseekers and employers in a completely online environment. Our well-established digital systems allowed us to quickly and effectively adapt and pivot. The global pandemic has tested our capacity to deliver online services effectively and we have used the lessons we have learned to build a stronger and more digitalized organization. ACCES also recognizes the need to help the most vulnerable jobseekers that may face barriers to finding us online. Despite our digital successes, the need for in-person human service delivery remains a significant priority in our work.

In 2019-2020, we continued to experience growth, serving over 39,000 jobseekers and 2,500 employers in the Greater Toronto Area and beyond. Across all of our programs, we continued to achieve outstanding employment results that we proudly share in this annual report. These tremendous outcomes were achieved as a result of the drive and commitment of the ACCES team. With 200 staff across seven locations, all of us are united in our work and share a passion for our mission, creating more diverse and representative Canadian workplaces.

This past year, we also launched new programs to meet the unique needs of women, refugees and youth. Together with Social Research and Demonstration Corporation (SRDC), we launched Career Pathways for Newcomer Women, a program focused on developing 21st century skills and the ability to thrive in fast-paced and changing work environments. In collaboration with the Geneva Centre for Autistic Youth, we adapted our Youth Job Connections program to meet the unique job search needs of this community. In collaboration with TENT, Starbucks, World Education Services, the Refugee Roundtable, and a number of partner employment service providers from across the GTA, ACCES delivered two refugee hiring events. Over 210 refugees and jobseekers met with 25 employers and community partners in the Toronto and Peel regions. The employers made 47 on-the-spot job offers and 140 on-the-spot conditional offers at these events. Finally, ACCES also began serving the Newmarket community this past year and we look forward to opening a physical location in the fall of 2020.

We recognize the essential support of our funders: The Ministry of Labour, Training and Skills Development; Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC); United Way Greater Toronto and the City of Toronto. ACCES acknowledges the funding and partnership of Ontario Tourism Education Corporation (OTEC) and the Social Research and Demonstration Corporation (SRDC) in the delivery of two IRCC funded programs. ACCES also extends our thanks to our generous program sponsors and donors including: Accenture, TD Bank Group, RBC Royal Bank, Business Development Bank of Canada (BDC), Toronto Pearson (Greater Toronto Airport Authority), Starbucks Canada and Starbucks Foundation, BMO Bank of Montreal, CPA Ontario, HP Canada, Google and Deloitte. We also thank our Board of Directors for their leadership and guidance of ACCES and the generous amount of time that they have each contributed to ensure our ongoing success.

This past year, ACCES has worked with a number of employer partners in different ways including recruitment, volunteering, pro-bono support and delivering customized services to jobseekers with an industry focus. Toronto Pearson committed to supporting ACCES’s Speed Mentoring program® in Peel Region, helping hundreds of newcomers to connect with mentors in their field. RBC continues to offer significant support in reaching jobseekers and newcomers online, broadening and increasing ACCES’s reach with customized workshop and webinar content to thousands of participants across Ontario, Canada and internationally to pre-arrival immigrants. We are also proud to continue providing services to newcomers and jobseekers through the RBC Meeting Place co-located at our ACCES Markham location.

With TD’s support, ACCES is addressing issues related to income instability for newcomers through future-skills development, much-needed STEM training for underrepresented groups, reducing and removing the barriers facing women jobseekers and helping to curb unemployment and underemployment among internationally trained professionals new to Canada. Specifically, TD’s recent generous support and sponsorship has strengthened and enhanced ACCES’s Women in Technology, Empowering Women, Cybersecurity Connections and Talk English Café programming.

In 2019, ACCES received a $1.1 million technology grant from Accenture to develop an artificial intelligence (AI)-powered bot to improve services for job seekers, including newcomers to Canada. The digital solution will enhance ACCES services and our capacity to support more jobseekers to secure jobs that align with their education and experience. VERA (Virtual Employment and Resource Attendant) is currently in BETA and will be fully launched in fall 2020.

All of these employer partnerships serve to enhance our work with jobseekers and ACCES’s capacity to grow innovative, industry-focused programs and services that maximize our resources and ability to help jobseekers succeed.

At ACCES, our work is rooted in the breaking down of barriers and our deep commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion. As we move forward this year into a future with so many unknowns, we want to reiterate our commitment to the fight against anti-black racism and all discrimination both within our workplace and our communities. We look forward to making real change in collaboration with our many employer and community partners, and through the hard work and passion of our richly diverse staff team members, including our newly formed black staff network, BACC (Black Action Coalition for Change).

John and I are excited to share with you our 2019-2020 Annual Report, Digitalization and Innovation, Preparing our Future Labour Force, and our many stories and successes from this past year. We hope you enjoy it.

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Our Services
for Jobseekers

At ACCES, we work closely with each jobseeker to thoroughly understand their needs, talent, skills and experience to ensure that they find success in the Canadian labour market. In addition, we leverage our strong employer relationships to connect diverse and talented jobseekers with employment opportunities that lead to their success and continued career growth. In a rapidly changing labour market, ACCES’s customized programs and services help jobseekers to navigate their job search journey while enabling employers to build and diversify their workforce.

SUPPORTING MORE
JOBSEEKERS AT ACCES

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Jobseekers

In 2019-2020, we experienced continued growth in the total number of jobseekers served by ACCES. Over 39,000 individuals were supported in their job search efforts.

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In-Person
Online Visits
Total Visits

The number of visits for in-person and online service increased by 9% last year, with 162,108 visits overall.

Highlights of
Our Impact & Results

EMPLOYMENT
ONTARIO RESULTS

ACCES delivers Employment Ontario services across six of our seven locations.

83%

OF CLIENTS FOUND EMPLOYMENT OR ACHIEVED THEIR TRAINING OBJECTIVES WITHIN ONE YEAR

98%

OF CLIENTS RECOMMEND OUR PROGRAMS AND SERVICES

SECTOR-SPECIFIC
BRIDGE TRAINING
PROGRAM RESULTS

ACCES offers programs serving the following sectors: Engineering - Project Management, Electrical Engineering, Financial Services, Human Resources, Information Technology, Leadership, Sales and Marketing, Supply Chain and Business Connections en Français.

85%

OF CLIENTS WERE EMPLOYED IN THEIR FIELD WITHIN ONE YEAR OF PROGRAM COMPLETION

OTHER INDUSTRY-
FOCUSED PROGRAMS

ACCES offers programs tailored to the following industries: Hospitality, Healthcare, Construction Trades, Customer Care, Cybersecurity and Information Technology.

83%

OF CLIENTS WERE EMPLOYED IN THEIR FIELD WITHIN ONE YEAR OF PROGRAM COMPLETION

ACCES PRE-ARRIVAL
SERVICES

The Canadian Employment Connections (CEC) program is a pre-arrival employment program that offers virtual services to prepare internationally-trained professionals for the Canadian job market as they prepare to immigrate to Canada.

86%

OF CLIENTS FOUND EMPLOYMENT BEFORE ARRIVING OR WITHIN ONE YEAR OF ARRIVING IN CANADA

ACCES SERVICES
FOR WOMEN

Over 10,000 women gained greater confidence, negotiation skills and acquired new job search strategies customized to meet their specific career goals. Last year, ACCES launched two new programs, Career Pathways for Newcomer Women and Women in Technology to help women prepare for the workplaces of the future.

The START Customer Care Program supports newcomer women on Ontario Works to prepare for a career in the customer care sector.

82%

OF CLIENTS HAD A POSITIVE OUTCOME OF EMPLOYMENT, PLACEMENT, IN TRAINING OR EDUCATION WITHIN ONE YEAR

JOB SEARCH SUPPORT
FOR REFUGEES

2,100+

refugees increased their employability and job search skills by accessing learning content through workshops, digital platforms and industry-focused programs

CAREER SUCCESS
FOR YOUTH

8,500+

youth (aged 15-29) received employment counselling, job search preparation and skills training to set them on the path to employment and career success in Canada

SUCCESS STORIES BY SECTOR

In partnership with industry leaders, ACCES prepares and places newcomer jobseekers in roles that reflect their experience, skills and education.

Click on the tiles below to read testimonials from successful program participants.

CONSTRUCTION TRADES

CYBERSECURITY

CUSTOMER CARE

ENGINEERING

FINANCIAL SERVICES

HEALTHCARE

HOSPITALITY

HUMAN RESOURCES

INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY

LEADERSHIP

SUPPLY CHAIN

SALES AND MARKETING

RESULTS FOR
ENTREPRENEURS

ACCES PROVIDED SUPPORT TO

195

NEWCOMER ENTREPRENEURS TO START THEIR BUSINESSES IN CANADA

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9

The businesses they started were in the following areas:

  1. Sales and Service (incl. retail) 31%
  2. Consulting Services 17%
  3. Import/Export 17%
  4. Education and Services 11%
  5. IT Services and Development 9%
  6. Production (food, beauty products, metal fabrication) 6%
  7. Travel Services 3%
  8. Farming 3%
  9. Logistics 3%

CHANGING LIVES THROUGH
INNOVATIVE SERVICE DELIVERY

Click on the arrows to scroll through our success stories.

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youth connection
Youth Job Connection and the Geneva Centre for Autism

The Youth Job Connection program at ACCES helps individuals between the ages of 15-29 to overcome barriers and acquire pre-employment training and support.

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MORE

youth connection
Career Pathways for Newcomer Women

ACCES launched the Career Pathways for Newcomer Women program this past year. The program focuses on supporting professional newcomer women in finding employment commensurate with their skills and experience.

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MORE

youth connection
Construction Trades Program

The Construction Trades program provides participants with industry insights, the chance to obtain certifications essential for the trades and the opportunity to make connections with employers and unions actively hiring across the Greater Toronto Area.

Construction Trades

SAYEL KIWAN
General Construction,
Torrent Shotcrete Ltd.

“ACCES Employment has been extremely helpful in preparing me for the construction field and I am very grateful for their help. I am excited to be connected to LiUNA”.

SOME ROLES OUR JOBSEEKERS SECURED THIS YEAR:
Cement Finisher, Construction Craft Worker, Precast Erector, Restoration Mason, Welder, Carpenter/Framer, Drywall Installer, Painter, General Labour, Warehouse Worker, Forklift Operator, Demolition Worker, Foreman

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Cybersecurity

Aditya Dev Ganapathy
Software Engineer,
Rapid7

"I loved that the Cybersecurity Connections team was very hands-on and gave personalized recommendations to each of us regarding our job search strategies. This was helpful in understanding the needs of Canadian recruiters and the job market here. The program team was available anytime we needed them. I can’t stress how comforting this was during the pandemic."

SOME ROLES OUR JOBSEEKERS SECURED THIS YEAR:
Senior Analyst Network Operations, Solutions Developer, IT Project Lead, Enterprise Network Operation Specialist, Researcher - Artificial Intelligence, NOC Specialist, Senior Simulation Developer, Business Development Manager, Network Analyst, Intelligence Analyst, Network Engineer, Quality Assurance Analyst, Information Security Manager, Cyber Security Consultant, Software Quality Principal Developer, Information Security and Privacy Analyst, Security Researcher, Infrastructure Project Manager, DevOps Engineer, Sr. Information Security Officer, Penetration Tester, IT Project Manager

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Customer Care

Temitope Soetan
Client Support Assistant,
The Career Foundation

"Immigrating to Canada in 2019 and enrolling in the ACCES Employment, START Customer Care program has been one of the best decisions I’ve made. The program provided me with a solid foundation to launch my career and understand how the Canadian job market works. It also taught me to be more confident and encouraged me to pursue my goals. The program facilitators are exceptional. They went above and beyond to provide one-on-one support to each and every student."

SOME ROLES OUR JOBSEEKERS SECURED THIS YEAR:
Client Support Assistant, Office Administrator, Bookkeeper, Customer Service Representative, Junior Accountant

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Engineering

Aravind Rajagopal
Plant Quality Specialist,
Magna International

“I truly believe that the Engineering Connections program at ACCES Employment is a fantastic program offered to newcomers in Canada. The knowledge that consultants share in their sessions greatly helps us to achieve our desired objectives. The team at ACCES Employment is very professional and dedicated to their work. Even after the program was over, when many businesses were shutting their doors and employers were not hiring, I was connected to opportunities. I received support for interviewing and job-offer negotiations and was able to successfully secure a great role.”

SOME ROLES OUR JOBSEEKERS SECURED THIS YEAR:
AERONAUTICAL SAFETY ENGINEER, ROBOT DESIGN ENGINEER, LEAD ENGINEER, SYSTEM ENGINEER, PROJECT SCHEDULER, OPERATION/TURNAROUND COORDINATOR, CONSTRUCTION SITE LOGISTICS COORDINATOR, PRODUCTION ENGINEER, MANAGER ASSISTANT, MAINTENANCE MANAGER, QUALITY ANALYST, MANUFACTURING ENGINEER, BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT DIRECTOR, PROJECT CONTROL ANALYST, BUSINESS DATA ANALYST, PROJECT COORDINATOR, PRODUCTION COORDINATOR, MECHANICAL ENGINEER, PROJECT MANAGER, AUTOMATION AND INTEGRATION ENGINEER, ELECTRICAL MAINTENANCE SUPERVISOR, QUOTATION SPECIALIST, SITE COORDINATOR, ELECTRICAL ENGINEERING SPECIALIST, QA/QC INSPECTOR, EMP CONSULTANT, METER DATA ANALYST MANAGER, ENGINEERING & MAINTENANCE SUPERVISOR, PROJECT ENGINEER, INSTRUMENTATION TECHNICAL SPECIALIST, PROTECTION AND CONTROL SPECIALIST

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Financial Services

Okeke C.
TD Bank

“ACCES Employment brought me close to great connections that would have taken me months, if not years, to meet. My journey was a lot easier because ACCES guided me through it all. I learned a lot about the Canadian workplace, resume writing, elevator pitches and interviews. I was assigned a mentor and I was connected to the right people and subsequently got a job offer.”

SOME ROLES OUR JOBSEEKERS SECURED THIS YEAR:
Financial Planning Associate, Bilingual Accounting Specialist, Marketing Analyst, Banking Advisor, Assistant Underwriter, Exports and Documentary Collections Manager, Financial Advisor, Finance Manager, Sr. Financial Analyst, AVP Industrial and Nature Resources Global Credit, Wealth Management Operations Officer, Investigation Officer, Recovery & Legal Officer, Portfolio Manager, Insurance Advisor, Training Specialist

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Healthcare

Hardik Patel
Medical Advisor,
Mylan

“My success in finding employment as quickly as I did was due to the guidance and support I received from ACCES. My advice to all newcomers to Canada is to continue putting effort into your job search. There will be times when things are not happening – but that is ok. Don’t give up. No one is going to come and offer you a job if you are not pursuing opportunities. ACCES can help you to develop your soft skills, learn about workplace culture, and prepare for networking events. Continue to build your network in any way you can and good things will happen."

SOME ROLES OUR JOBSEEKERS SECURED THIS YEAR:
INFECTION CONTROL PRACTITIONER, CLINICAL RESEARCH ASSISTANT, MEDICAL ADVISOR, PRODUCT MARKETING ASSISTANT, EPIC ANALYST (HEALTH INFORMATION ANALYST), CLIENT SERVICES COORDINATOR, DIABETES MEDICAL ADMINISTRATION, PHARMACOVIGILANCE ASSOCIATE, REGIONAL MEDICAL ASSISTANT, MEDICAL SECRETARY, DENTAL RECEPTIONIST, BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT OFFICER, LAB PATIENT TECHNICIAN, HARM REDUCTION EDUCATOR, CLINICAL ADMINISTRATOR, SALES ASSOCIATE, CASE WORKER, ENT CLINICAL STAFF , MEDICAL RECEPTIONIST, FIRST AID/CPR INSTRUCTOR, PEER NAVIGATOR, MENTAL HEALTH CONSULTANT, CLINICAL COORDINATOR, RELIEF CRISIS INTERVENTION AND HARM REDUCTION WORKER, DENTAL ASSISTANT, INSTRUCTOR, PHARMACY ASSISTANT, PATIENT COORDINATOR, CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE, DATA MANAGEMENT ASSISTANT, OFFICE ADMINISTRATOR/PATIENT EXPERIENCE COORDINATOR, MARKETING COORDINATOR, SCREENER

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Hospitality

Puneet Sharma
Duty Manager,
Marriot Hotels

“This program has changed my life completely! It has prepared me for my interviews and helped me to land a good job in the hospitality industry in Canada. It made me realize the difference in hiring styles and job markets from other parts of the world. Also, ACCES has linked me to employers that I wouldn’t have been able to connect with otherwise.”

SOME ROLES OUR JOBSEEKERS SECURED THIS YEAR:
HOTEL MANAGER, FOOD & BEVERAGE MANAGER, SALES MANAGER, DUTY MANAGER, FOOD & BEVERAGE SUPERVISOR, EVENT COORDINATOR, FRONT DESK AGENT, HOUSEKEEPER

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Human Resources

Adedoyin Adetayo
Human Resources Manager,
Maratek

“Joining ACCES Employment's HR Connections program was a crucial part of my success in Canada. The program enriched me with valuable information, resources and the connections needed to thrive in the Canadian labour market. I was able to secure a job consistent with my experience and background immediately after the program. I would strongly recommend ACCES Employment!”

SOME ROLES OUR JOBSEEKERS SECURED THIS YEAR:
HR Manager, HR Generalist, HR Specialist, Human Resources Assistant, Learning and Development Business Partner, HR Administrator, IT Recruiter, Global Talent Coordinator, Talent Acquisition, Compensation & Benefits Analyst, Senior HR Manager, Career Broker

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Information Technology

Karthik Oruganti
Contract Management Specialist,
IBM Canada

“After joining ACCES, I realized that most of Canada's jobs are available through the ‘hidden’ job market. Every aspect of the program was vital as it helped me understand the nuances of getting a job in Canada. ACCES helped me connect to a mentor from IBM, who was volunteering to help newcomers like me improve our visibility through tailored resumes. I did not know about an available position in their organization until I spoke with them. I was interviewed over video conference and received an offer that I gladly accepted.”

SOME ROLES OUR JOBSEEKERS SECURED THIS YEAR:
Data Researcher, Salesforce Analyst, Technical Support, IT Architect, Sr. Automation Architect, Business Consultant, Product Owner, Business Systems Analyst, Help Desk Support Specialist, Regional Sales Manager, Connected Home Specialist, Security Analyst, Developer, Mainframe Engineer, Systems Data and Reporting Manager, Sr. Project Manager, UX Designer, Systems Administrator, Cloud Computing Specialist, Acting CTO, Data Scientist, Agile Project Manager, Incident Manager

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Leadership

Gurav Bansal
Investment Professional & Program Manager (Fund & Accelerator),
Holt Accelerator

“Initially, I was a bit skeptical about investing eight hours per day, five days a week, for four weeks, but the Leadership Connections program provided me with building blocks and guidance to channel my efforts in the right direction. The program was extremely comprehensive and provided all the possible tools you would need for leadership roles in a new country. I really liked the specific modules on networking, the dynamics of corporate culture in Canada, preparing my elevator pitch and, most importantly, the networking and mentoring opportunities.”

SOME ROLES OUR JOBSEEKERS SECURED THIS YEAR:
COMPLIANCE OFFICER, PROJECT MANAGER, ACCOUNTS EXECUTIVE, SENIOR TRADE FINANCE SPECIALIST, INTERNAL AUDIT MANAGER, ENTERPRISE DECISION SUPPORT MANAGER, CREDIT ANALYST, COMMERCIAL BANKING ANALYST, GOVERNANCE & RISK MANAGER, MORTGAGE ADMINISTRATOR, INVESTMENT MANAGER, MARKET RISK MANAGER, FINANCIAL CONTROLLER, DIRECTOR OF STRATEGY & REAL ESTATE ASSET MANAGEMENT, SENIOR ACCOUNTING PROCESSING OFFICER, DIRECTOR OF ASSET MANAGEMENT, DEPUTY GENERAL MANAGER, COMPLIANCE OFFICER (TECH)

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Supply Chain

Amr Elsagheer
Senior Buyer- Arcerol,
Mittal Dofasco

“I believe that the professionally prepared sessions and amazing speakers that ACCES provided were pivotal in my employment success; they helped me to customize my qualifications and professional biography for the Canadian business environment. The project assignment and experiential learning added real value to my presentation skills, research methodologies and boosted my confidence.”

SOME ROLES OUR JOBSEEKERS SECURED THIS YEAR:
PRODUCTION MANAGER, BUSINESS OWNER, SENIOR MANAGER, PROCUREMENT SPECIALIST, LOGISTICS SPECIALIST, LOGISTICS COORDINATOR, TACTICAL BUYER, PROCESS AND PROJECT ADVISOR, INVENTORY COORDINATOR, LOGISTICS AND SUPPLY CHAIN PLANNER, ASSOCIATE MERCHANT, RFP SPECIALIST, PROCUREMENT MANAGER, PROCUREMENT SUPERVISOR, GATEWAY OPERATIONS SPECIALIST, COMMODITY BUYER, PROGRAM MANAGER FOR DANGEROUS GOODS SHIPMENT, PROCUREMENT CAPACITY REPRESENTATIVE, KEY ACCOUNT MANAGER, PURCHASING AND INVENTORY ANALYST, REGULATORY REPORTING OPERATOR

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Sales And Marketing

Avishek Sarkar
Marketing Program Manager,
Soft Choice

“I think many newcomers like me were highly successful in their previous country. ACCES Employment helps package and position newcomers to Canada so that we not only find employers who are interested, but employers who will hire and retain us to grow our careers in Canada. Kudos to the entire team for the great work they have been doing!”

SOME ROLES OUR JOBSEEKERS SECURED THIS YEAR:
Performance Media Analyst, Job Developer, Inside Sales Representative, Dealer Services Analyst, Assistant Brand Manager, Customer Experience Advisor, Sales Analyst, Marketing Coordinator, Business Development Associate, Marketing Lead, Commercial Business Analyst, Field Sales & Marketing Manager, Media Buyer, Assistant Brand Manager, Territory Sales Specialist, Strategy Manager, Marketing and Communications Officer, Inbound Sales Rep, Pharmaceutical Sales Representative, Sales & Relationship Manager, Digital Marketing Specialist, SEO Specialist, Client Services Executive, Social Media Specialist, Brand Manager, Performance and Insights Manager, Marketing Insight Specialist

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YOUTH JOB CONNECTION AND THE GENEVA CENTRE FOR AUTISM

The Youth Job Connection program at ACCES helps individuals between the ages of 15-29 to overcome barriers and acquire pre-employment training and support. This past year, ACCES partnered with The Geneva Centre for Autism to provide job readiness, skills development and summer work placements for their clients; for many, it was their first workplace experience. This successful collaboration led to the creation of a customized Youth Job Connection program specifically directed at the unique needs of this community. The program has increased the capacity of ACCES staff to better serve youth on the autism spectrum and led to amazing results for youth clients with multiple barriers to employment.

CAREER PATHWAYS FOR NEWCOMER WOMEN

ACCES launched the Career Pathways for Newcomer Women program this past year. The program focuses on supporting professional newcomer women in finding employment commensurate with their skills and experience. The program prepares newcomer women for the rapidly changing labour market by building future skills, which will help ensure their long-term success in the Canadian workforce. Future skills emphasize flexibility and adaptability in the workplace including creative problem-solving, critical thinking and developing a growth mindset.

CONSTRUCTION TRADES PROGRAM

The Construction Trades program provides participants with industry insights, the chance to obtain certifications essential for the trades and the opportunity to make connections with employers and unions actively hiring across the Greater Toronto Area. Peyman Poori, a graduate of the program, reflects on his experience: “From the beginning, I could see the value of the program and I knew I was in the right place! They really helped me to build my confidence.” Peyman was hired by J&D Erectors as a Pre-Cast Patcher and is part of the CCW union. “Before arriving I heard it would take a long time to get started in Canada but it was pretty quick with the help of ACCES. I really appreciate how ACCES supported me and helped me find a career path I'm excited about.”

Jobseeker
Demographics

ACCES delivers customized programs and services to jobseekers from diverse backgrounds, representing different sectors of work and across all demographics. The primary goal at ACCES is to recognize and meet the unique job search needs of each individual and to ensure they receive tailored support that will help them to achieve their goals.

EDUCATION LEVEL OF OUR JOBSEEKERS

1 2 3 4 5
  1. Post Graduate 41%
  2. Bachelors Degree 32%
  3. High School or less 10%
  4. Certificate/Diploma 8%
  5. Other 9%

OCCUPATIONAL BACKGROUND OF OUR JOBSEEKERS

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
  1. Business, finance, administration 32%
  2. Sales and service 14%
  3. Management occupations 13%
  4. Natural and applied sciences 11%
  5. Social science, education, government service 8%
  6. Health occupations 6%
  7. Occupations unique to processing, manufacturing 6%
  8. Trades, transport and equipment operators 4%
  9. Occupations unique to primary industry 3%
  10. Art, culture, recreation and sport 2%

79%

OF OUR JOBSEEKERS ARE NEW TO CANADA

WOMEN: 47%

MEN: 53%

27%

OF OUR JOBSEEKERS AT ACCES ARE YOUTH (AGES 15-29)

Our expertise with supporting newcomers is evident in the overall demographic of our jobseekers. Their diversity brings unique experience and perspective to Canadian workplaces.

TOP 10
COUNTRIES
OF ORIGIN

(OUTSIDE OF CANADA)

  1. India
  2. Nigeria
  3. Pakistan
  4. Iran
  5. China
  6. Bangladesh
  7. Syria
  8. Sri Lanka
  9. Brazil
  10. Egypt

TOTAL NUMBER OF
LANGUAGES SPOKEN
BY ACCES JOBSEEKERS

85

TOP 10
LANGUAGES
SPOKEN

  1. English
  2. Hindi
  3. Arabic
  4. Punjabi
  5. Urdu
  1. Persian
  2. Gujarati
  3. Spanish
  4. Tamil
  5. Malayalam

Pre-Arrival Support for Jobseekers Immigrating to Canada

ACCES supports pre-arrival newcomers to prepare for their job search in Canada. Last year, ACCES online workshops were delivered to participants located in 67 Countries around the World

Afghanistan, Albania, Algeria, Angola, Australia, Azerbaijan, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Barbados, Brazil, Cameroon, Canada, China, Columbia, Ecuador, Egypt, Finland, France, Germany, Ghana, Greece, Guinea-Bissau, Haiti, Hong Kong, China, India, Indonesia, Italy, Jamaica, Japan, Kenya, Korea, Kuwait, Lebanon, Luxembourg, Malaysia, Mali, Mauritius, Mexico, Mongolia, Morocco, Mozambique, Nepal, Nicaragua, Nigeria, Oman, Pakistan, Peru, Philippines, Qatar, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, South Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sweden, Switzerland, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Turkey, Uganda, Ukraine, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom, United States of America, Vietnam.

ARRIVING IN CANADA

ACCES’s Canadian Employment Connections program supported nearly 1200 newcomers to Canada before they arrived. In 2019-2020, program participants landed in 9 provinces and 32 cities across Canada.

British Columbia: Vancouver, Victoria, Abbotsford, Burnaby, Surrey, Kamloops, Kelowna

Alberta: Edmonton, Calgary, Airdrie, Cold Lake, Lethbridge

Saskatchewan: Marsden, Saskatoon, Regina

Manitoba: Winnipeg

Ontario: Greater Toronto Area, Ottawa, Burlington, Guelph, Hamilton, London, Peterborough, Kingston, Windsor, Kitchener, St. Catherines

Quebec: Montreal

New Brunswick: Moncton, Saint John

Nova Scotia: Halifax

Prince Edward Island: Charlottetown

Click on the + buttons to read our success stories.

Ifeoma Abali
Ifeoma Abali,
Employee Lifecycle Specialist, McCain Foods

Ifeoma joined an online job fair with McCain Foods in Spring 2019 from her home country of Nigeria. McCain Foods approached ACCES for support with hiring HR professionals who were willing to re-locate to the company headquarters in New Brunswick. Ifeoma made a great first impression and later, she successfully completed several interviews. She was hired by McCain Foods into an HR position that is well-aligned with her professional background and experience. In Fall 2019, Ifeoma arrived in Florenceville-Bristol, New Brunswick (population 1600+).

Mohammad Shawki
Mohammad Shawki,
Project Manager, Xactly Corp. 

Mohammad had over ten years of project management experience before arriving in Canada from Bulgaria. The program helped him to prepare for a leadership role in Canada by providing him with the targeted information, coaching and professional connections that he needed. Mohammad was able to secure a Project Manager role that utilized his leadership experience in a highly competitive job market in Toronto.

Dang Nguyen
Dang Nguyen,
Field Service Representative, Solar Turbines

As an engineer in Vietnam, Dang was looking forward to moving to Canada. He began researching and applying for jobs but was not getting the response he was hoping for. With support from ACCES, he learned how to refine his resume, target his applications to specific job postings and to fully use his LinkedIn profile. Two months after starting the CEC program, Dang landed in Edmonton, Alberta with a job in his field at Solar Turbines.

Our Services
for Employers

ACCES builds strong relationships with employers from across the Greater Toronto Area, Ontario and Canada. Working closely with employers, ACCES develops an understanding of industry trends, sector-specific needs and in-demand skills. We integrate these components into our programming to effectively prepare our jobseekers and ensure that their talent and skills are linked to the recruitment needs of our employers. We connect our employers with talented newcomers who bring diversity and an international perspective to Canadian workplaces.

TOTAL NUMBER OF
EMPLOYERS WE WORK
WITH

2,500+

SIZE OF
EMPLOYERS

SMALL BUSINESSES: 69%
(UNDER 50 EMPLOYEES)

MEDIUM BUSINESSES: 22%
(51-500 EMPLOYEES)

LARGE BUSINESSES: 9%
(OVER 500 EMPLOYEES)

EMPLOYER
VOLUNTEERING

TOTAL NUMBER OF VOLUNTEER HOURS CONTRIBUTED BY ALL VOLUNTEERS AND MENTORS

8,234+

MENTORING AT ACCES


ACCES offers a range of mentoring programs and services that support our jobseekers with securing employment and building their professional network in Canada.

The ACCES Speed Mentoring® program provides opportunities for jobseekers to meet with mentors to ask questions about their sector, receive advice about their resume and job search, and to build their network of professional contacts. In addition, we offer a variety of other initiatives where mentors can provide their expertise and guidance to clients, such as guest speaker events, mock interviews and online mentoring sessions.

ACCES also delivers other mentoring opportunities using existing models that have contributed to the success of jobseekers, TRIEC Mentoring Partnership (TMP), helps immigrant professionals connect to their careers in Canada, supported by a one-to-one mentoring relationship with a professional in their field.

The Connector Program is a unique and innovative workforce development initiative aimed at helping immigrants to build their professional network, and secure meaningful jobs in their community (delivered by the Halifax Partnership).

Speed Mentoring® en Français supports bilingual newcomers (French and English) with building a professional network in Canada.

TOTAL NUMBER OF
SPEED MENTORING®
EVENTS

114

TOTAL NUMBER OF
MENTORS

1,828

TOTAL NUMBER OF
MENTEES

2,890

EMPLOYER SUCCESS STORIES

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Speed Mentoring® in Peel Region with Toronto Pearson’s Propeller Project

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Schneider Electric Provides an Impactful Networking Opportunity for Women

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TD Supports ACCES Programs that Help Newcomers and Women in Technology to Succeed

Speed Mentoring® in Peel Region with Toronto Pearson’s Propeller Project

In April 2019, ACCES and Toronto-Pearson launched a partnership that leverages our Speed Mentoring® program and aims at reducing unemployment and underemployment for at least 600 skilled new Canadians in Peel region. With funding from Toronto Pearson’s Propeller Project, ACCES has expanded our Speed Mentoring® program by engaging more volunteer mentors and industry leaders in the Peel Region. With this support, we have offered more Speed Mentoring® events to create connections for jobseekers with leading local employers, resulting in sustainable and meaningful employment for skilled newcomers. Through this initiative we hosted our first ever Peel Speed Mentoring® Marathon which included over 60 jobseekers and 60 mentors representing 51 employers from various sectors, including Financial Services, Engineering, IT, Sales and Marketing, Human Resources and Supply Chain.

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Schneider Electric Provides an Impactful Networking Opportunity for Women

The Electrical Engineering Connections program offered by ACCES, is an online, Ontario-wide, bridge-training program designed to support internationally trained electrical engineering professionals with their integration into the Canadian labour market. This program has generated great support from employers within the field, including Schneider Electric, a company that provides energy and automated digital solutions that focus on efficiency and sustainability. Established over 180 years ago, Schneider Electric is globally recognized for their gender equality initiatives in the workplace. Organizing a special networking event to support women from our Electrical Engineering program, Schneider Electric brought together employees from cross-functional departments to share their personal career journeys and provide advice on how to enter and advance within the industry. This was an important opportunity for women in the Electrical Engineering Connections program to learn about a top employer in the field, gain personal insight and advice as well as build their professional network.

“This was my first professional event in Canada. It was an amazing experience. The women who organized the event were all very welcoming and open. There were three leaders from different departments who shared their career journey, experiences and what they learned along the way. It was very encouraging and motivational. I had a chance to mingle with other employees and I received some great tips on how to move forward in my job search. When I left, I was full of positive energy and I had increased confidence.”

- Hetal Baldha, Electrical Engineering Alumni

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TD Supports ACCES Programs that Help Newcomers and Women in Technology to Succeed

By working together in a variety of innovative and targeted ways, ACCES and TD are making a difference in the lives of newcomer jobseekers. With TD’s support, ACCES provides specialized support for newcomer women, who are generally underrepresented in STEM careers, by supporting them with future-skills development and much-needed tech training. In addition, we have worked collaboratively with TD to address unemployment and underemployment among internationally trained professionals, therefore improving their income stability, and overall integration into the Canadian labour market. TD’s recent support and sponsorship has allowed ACCES to offer Women in Technology, Empowering Women, Cybersecurity Connections and Talk English Café programming. Through this collaboration we also created an innovative workshop series introducing refugees to TD’s own control functions and compliance training.

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Digitalization and Innovation: Preparing our Future Labour Force

ACCES recognizes the importance of being agile, innovative and responsive to change. Over the past several years ACCES has updated and modernized our service delivery tools and options to ensure that our organization remains responsive to the rapidly changing needs of jobseekers and employers. We have used technology to enhance the services we deliver at our 7 locations across the GTA, and to broaden our reach to clients across Canada and to pre-arrival immigrants. The development and implementation of these technology systems allowed us to more than double our annual service numbers from 16,000 in 2015 to over 39,000 in 2019. This past year, the COVID-19 pandemic required us to generate creative and strategic new ways to provide services to jobseekers and employers in a completely online environment. Our well-established digital systems allowed us to quickly and effectively respond and adapt in this unprecedented time. This section highlights several initiatives and partners that have enhanced and facilitated this tremendous growth and development.

Accenture's Support for VERA:
ACCES’s Virtual Employment and Resource Attendant

In 2019, ACCES received a technology grant from Accenture to develop an artificial intelligence (AI)-powered bot to improve services for job seekers, including newcomers to Canada. The digital solution will enhance ACCES services and increase our capacity to help more job seekers to secure jobs that align with their education and experience. Using conversational AI, automation and machine learning, the bot will act as a virtual attendant, helping job seekers find the online resources they need, including articles, videos, skills assessments and e-learning modules.

Over the past year, ACCES developed VERA, a Virtual Employment and Resource Attendant. VERA will be launched in Fall 2020 and we anticipate that she will be an important online resource and channel to support jobseekers as they navigate the various phases of job search with ACCES. VERA will be able to search for information, make recommendations and answer questions based on ACCES’s current online library of resources, curriculum and other teaching material. In addition, VERA will help jobseekers to navigate service and program options relevant to them.

“ACCES provides crucial services to thousands of jobseekers every year and this project shows us how innovation can truly improve the way the world works and lives. We’re thrilled to see how this project is coming to life with VERA and we’re proud of the team at ACCES and all they do to help jobseekers.”

Janet Krstevski, Managing Director, Canada Talent & Organization Practice Lead, Accenture

Partnership with RBC to Provide Jobseekers with an Employer Perspective Online

- Ria Ragbir, Banking Advisor, RBC Meeting Place Brampton, delivers an online micro-learning to jobseekers about preparing an elevator pitch

The RBC Online Webinar series, which began in 2018, includes a monthly schedule of events that complement ACCES’s regular employment preparation workshops for jobseekers. The online RBC sessions provide ACCES clients with valuable learning and insight from an employer’s perspective. Throughout the past year, and continuing since the COVID-19 pandemic, RBC has delivered webinars with ACCES twice a month to support jobseekers both in Canada and overseas to pre-arrival immigrants. This coming year, RBC has committed to delivering additional online events including regular online job fairs and other larger scale events to reach additional jobseekers.

This past year, over 25 volunteers supported this joint initiative, reaching over 6,000 jobseekers online.

“For many newcomers, finding employment is a top priority as they settle into life in Canada. Our webinar series in partnership with ACCES is an incredible way of helping our newest community members learn more about the Canadian job market in an effort to help them gain the confidence and skills they need to build their careers.”

Amit Brahme,
Senior Director, Newcomer Segment, RBC Royal Bank

Responding to the COVID-19 Pandemic

In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, ACCES leveraged our technology systems to create and implement service solutions to provide customized options for jobseekers and employers. In March 2020, ACCES pivoted to a remote service delivery model that allowed us to continue to provide critical employment services to the communities we serve. We set up a Virtual Call Centre to field inquiries and to provide one-to-one employment counselling sessions. We transitioned all of our programs to online delivery and utilized a number of online platforms to deliver a range of integrated services including job fairs, workshop modules, webinar broadcasts, e-learning modules and interview preparation.

To address the digital divide, we secured valuable resources from funders and donors to assist jobseekers who did not have the equipment required to access online services. With funding from United Way Greater Toronto and in-kind corporate donations, ACCES set up a process for loaning out tablets and laptops to clients in need. In addition, we were able to enhance our services to include assistance for clients who needed to develop or improve basic digital literacy so that they could access essential information and services.

ACCES would like to thank our many employer partners who continue to actively engage and volunteer to support our jobseekers during this COVID-19 pandemic including Accenture, Scotiabank, BMO, CIBC Mellon, RBC, TD, PwC, SunLife, Intact Insurance, CPPIB, Starbucks, GTAA, Ernst & Young, Franklin Templeton, SoftChoice, HP, KPMG, IBM, CPA, Civic Action, Bain & Co., Amazon, Rexall, TTC, Rogers, Ingram Micro.

ACCES would also like to thank and acknowledge several local businesses for their time and attention in supplying us with the equipment and PPE materials needed as we re-opened our physical locations to the public. You can read their full stories here.

Walk of Fame Awards

This year, our Walk of Fame Awards honour individuals and businesses that have made a contribution to our community as we face the COVID-19 pandemic together. Each winner has contributed in their own way, demonstrating great resilience and generosity. ACCES honours each of our winners for their commitment and spirit during these challenging times.

Hesham Abdelhady
Hesham Abdelhady,
Clinical Research Coordinator,
Critical Care Medicine Department at Toronto General Hospital
Healthcare Connections Alum
Ali Farooqui
Ali Farooqui,
HR Manager,
POLAR PAK®
ACCES Alum and HR Connections Advisory Committee Member
Tiffany Lattibeaudere
Tiffany Lattibeaudere,
Personal Support Worker
ACCES Alum
KPMG
KPMG,
DIVERSITY & INCLUSION AND TALENT ACQUISITION TEAMS
Virtual Volunteering and Support across Several ACCES Programs
Peter Hawkins
Peter Hawkins,
Managing Director and Controller,
MELLOHAWK Logistics
ACCES Supply Chain Connections Advisory Committee Member, Mentor and Volunteer
Zisan Sari and Arif Ogun Sari
Zisan Sari and Arif Ogun Sari,
Founders and Co Directors,
OZ's Global Consultancy and Traders’ Nest Canada
ACCES Alumni, Entrepreneurship Connections® 

*Financials

STATEMENT OF
FINANCIAL POSITION

AS AT MARCH 31, 2020

STATEMENTS OF
REVENUE, EXPENSES
AND CHANGES IN NET ASSETS

FOR THE YEAR ENDED MARCH 31, 2020

*The financial statements also include other schedules and footnotes that are integral to the report as a whole. The full report is available online here.

ACCES Alum, Hesham Abdelhady, is recognized for his commitment as an essential-service employee working on the front lines to coordinate clinical research focused on COVID-19. We congratulate him on the successful transition of his international experience to this important work here in Canada.

“I am truly honoured to be recognized. Thank you to the Healthcare Connections team at ACCES for your support throughout my job search. To know that I am actually making a difference in fighting a global issue such as the COVID-19 pandemic is greatly rewarding. I look forward to working each day with physicians and COVID-19 patients to discuss treatment plans, and share knowledge with research hospitals across Canada and the world. This is my dream job in a very difficult time but I’m glad to have the opportunity to make a difference.”    

Hesham Abdelhady,
Clinical Research Coordinator,
Critical Care Medicine Department at Toronto General Hospital

ACCES recognizes Ali Farooqui and POLAR PAK® for successfully pivoting normal business operations at POLAR PAK® to provide face shields for front line workers in the healthcare sector during COVID-19. Ali Farooqui is a long-standing alum and volunteer at ACCES since 2011 and is currently an active member of the HR Connections Program Advisory Committee, meeting virtually to support ACCES services.

“It is an honour to be recognized and to receive this Walk of Fame Award from ACCES. When the pandemic began, POLAR PAK® adjusted operations to produce plastic face shields worn in the healthcare sector to protect against the spread of COVID-19. Using our experience and resources in producing food packaging and plastic containers, POLAR PAK® reduced the overall R&D process from months to weeks in order to respond. This pivot has also allowed us to hire steadily since the beginning of May. Something that initially started as a way to support our community and provide much needed personal protective equipment for our healthcare workers has turned into a real business opportunity as well. We are very proud that we have remained open and have continued to hire, and for what we have been able to provide for the community.”    

Ali Farooqui,
HR Manager,
POLAR PAK®

ACCES recognizes Tiffany Lattibeaudere for her tremendous commitment to her work as a personal support worker, securing employment during the COVID-19 pandemic as an essential worker and supporting the vulnerable senior population.

“I am so thrilled and grateful to be recognized as a Walk of Fame winner. As a certified personal support worker (PSW), I came to ACCES for help after I was laid off from my part-time role at the start of the pandemic. Even though I was aware of the risks of working in senior healthcare facilities during this time, I felt it was my duty to work if I could. ACCES helped connect me to a full-time role in a nursing home providing care and comfort to seniors who have been separated from their loved ones because of the pandemic. I am proud to be able to contribute my work and effort during this time.”    

Tiffany Lattibeaudere,
Personal Support Worker

ACCES recognizes KPMG and their team of outstanding virtual volunteers for standing by their motto #weareinthistogether throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. KPMG employees are generously sharing their skills and experience to provide valuable support to ACCES jobseekers.

“KPMG strives to support our community. When the pandemic hit, we started looking for ways to provide our support, get involved and give back. We were thrilled to be able to mobilize volunteers from Toronto, Montreal and Vancouver to provide career advice and support a number of bridge training clients with mock-interviews, virtual panels and Speed Mentoring®. The Walk of Fame Award is a very meaningful acknowledgment, thank you to ACCES. Supporting newcomers is personal for our firm, where 32% of our employees identify as an immigrant and many others as passionate allies. We admire the work ACCES does and look forward to continuing to build our relationship and to making meaningful connections with talented clients.”    

KPMG,
Virtual Volunteering

ACCES recognizes Peter Hawkins for demonstrating his commitment to supporting jobseekers virtually to find success in the supply chain sector. We also recognize his dedication and commitment to his employees at MELLOHAWK Logistics during the COVID-19 pandemic.

“I am honored to be recognized with this award. Working with ACCES is a win-win; I am able to provide my expertise to support ACCES programs and I truly love working with jobseekers. When they achieve success, it is very rewarding. During the pandemic, I have embraced technology to continue delivering this much needed support virtually. I have also tried to maintain operations at full capacity in my own company during the pandemic, providing alternative work environments and accommodating my staff’s unique situations.”    

Peter Hawkins,
Managing Director and Controller,
MELLOHAWK Logistics

ACCES recognizes Zisan Sari and Arif Ogun Sari, both ACCES Alumni, for using their global trade and consultancy connections to build a sustainable channel for the manufacturing and import of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) to help fight the COVID-19 pandemic in Canada. 

“We started our business in 2019 after completing the Entrepreneurship Connections® program at ACCES. Our consultancy firm provides trade insights and services between Canadian and Turkish businesses. We heard the Prime Minister’s speech about ‘working together to fight COVID’ and we were inspired to try to figure out the best way we could help Canadian society. We used our ability to build bridges between quality Turkish manufacturing and Canadian import and distribution channels to facilitate the import of PPE. We saw the need and we knew we could help bring in quality products to help fight the virus. We are honoured to be recognized by ACCES. We’ve received great support from the team at ACCES; it really has been the most welcoming agency.”     

Zisan Sari and Arif Ogun Sari,
Founders and Co Directors,
OZ's Global Consultancy and Traders’ Nest Canada

Statement of Financial Position

AS AT MARCH 31, 2020

2020 2019
ASSETS
CURRENT
Cash and cash equivalents (Note 2) 878,617 1,548,616
Contributions receivable 2,338,419 1,378,294
HST Recoverable 854,305 221,644
Prepaid expenses 379,786 277,972
4,451,127 3,426,526
Capital assets (Note 3) 1,775,756 1,414,706
6,226,883 4,841,232
LIABILITIES 2020 2019
CURRENT
Accounts payable and accrued liabilities 2,522,876 2,132,421
Deferred contributions (Note 4) 954,297 421,493
Deferred contributions - capital assets (Note 5) 652,061 295,593
4,129,234 2,849,507
Net assets 2,097,649 1,991,725
6,226,883 4,841,232
Commitments (Note 6)
COVID-19 (Note 9)
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Statements of Revenue, Expenses and Changes in Net Assets

FOR THE YEAR ENDED MARCH 31, 2020

2020 2019
REVENUE (SCHEDULE 1) 24,405,961 23,495,647
EXPENSES
Amortization of capital assets 678,711 523,506
Bank charges and interest 94,256 69,310
Building occupancy 1,799,883 1,658,494
Consulting and other purchased services 482,894 261,902
Insurance 51,335 47,461
Licenses and dues 8,700 9,834
Office equipment rental and repair 105,404 166,085
Office supplies and resource material 680,488 551,052
Professional fees 154,436 113,312
Program delivery services 3,014,424 3,132,857
Promotion and publicity 52,038 60,617
Salaries and benefits 14,738,449 14,088,368
Staff development 93,690 114,584
Telephone 125,158 131,600
Training supports and subsidies 2,076,926 2,356,969
Transportation 143,245 165,336
24,300,037 23,451,287
Excess of revenue over expenses 105,924 44,360
Net assets, beginning of year 1,991,725 1,947,365
Net assets, end of year 2,097,649 1,991,725
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Acknowledgements and
Special Thanks

  • BOARD OF DIRECTORS
  • John Shields, Ryerson University, Chairperson
  • Brian Bachand, Evolution Evolution, Vice-Chairperson
  • Gayle Takahashi, CDPCBO, Secretary
  • Kim Stevens, RBC, Treasurer
  • Alan Ng, Move to Where Inc.
  • Andrea Robertson, TD
  • Dauna Jones-Simmonds, DEJS Consulting (served to Sept. 30, 2019)
  • Janet Krstevski, Accenture
  • Lucille D’Souza, RBC
  • Miguel Lopez, SciCan Canada
  • Raly Chakarova, Toronto Region Board of Trade
  • Sharon Connolly, Business Development Bank of Canada
  • Allison Pond, ACCES Employment, President & CEO 
  • PROGRAM SPONSORS
  • Accenture – IT Connections, Virtual Employment and Resource Attendant Project (VERA), Lead Event Sponsor for Speed Mentoring® Marathon
  • Business Development Bank of Canada (BDC) – Entrepreneurship Connections® 
  • BMO Financial Group – Event Series 
  • CPA Ontario – Event and Webinar Series 
  • Google – Youth Technology Training 
  • GTAA (Greater Toronto Airports Authority) – Speed Mentoring® (Peel region)  
  • HP Canada – HP Life Modules
  • RBC – Financial Services Connections, Online Event Series and ACCES Markham co-location
  • Starbucks Foundation – Mentoring for Refugee and Newcomer Youth
  • TD Bank Group – Empowering Women, Women in Technology (The TD Ready Commitment)
  • FUNDERS
  • Ministry of Labour, Training and Skills Development
  • Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC)
  • City of Toronto Employment & Social Services
  • United Way Greater Toronto
  • Social Research and Demonstration Corporation Canada (SRDC)
  • WCG Employment Ontario
  • EVENT SPONSORS
  • Accenture
  • Business Development Bank of Canada (BDC)
  • Canadian Immigrant
  • Career Connections
  • C&D Group
  • Desjardins Financial Security Independent Network Ontario Central Region
  • OTEC
  • Professional Engineers Ontario 
  • Reuter Benefits
  • SCL Search
  • Scotiabank
  • Seneca
  • Sigma Promotions
  • Starbucks
  • Tangerine
  • TD Bank Group
  • The TENT Partnership for Refugees
  • World Education Services (WES)
  • FOUNDATION SUPPORT
  • Cathy J Richards Friends and Family Foundation
  • RBC Foundation
  • TD Bank – Private Giving Foundation
  • CORPORATE DONORS
  • Aldgate Constuction (1988) Limited
  • App Solve Inc.
  • Apprio
  • AVIVA
  • Barrick Gold (Heart of Gold)
  • CIBC Mellon
  • Crosslinx
  • Deloitte (Pro-bono support - Alumni Engagement Strategy)
  • Desjardins Financial Security Independent Network Ontario Central Region
  • Devoncore
  • Google
  • GTAA
  • Leaderboom
  • PWC
  • Randstad
  • Royal Bank of Canada
  • SciCan Ltd. 
  • Salesforce.org Canada Corporation
  • Slalom Consulting
  • Sommer Law Professional Group
  • Starbucks 
  • The Mobile Shop
  • Traction on Demand
  • Vlocity
  • Samifiru Tumarkin LLP
  • COMMUNITY PARTNERS
  • Actions Interculturelles
  • Afghan Women’s Organization
  • Agincourt Community Services Association
  • Arab Community Centre of Toronto
  • AYCE Employment Services
  • Alterna Savings
  • ACCESS Community Capital Fund
  • Brampton Multicultural Community Centre
  • Brampton Board of Trade
  • Brands for Canada
  • British Columbia Construction Association
  • Caledon Community Services
  • Calgary Regional Immigrant Employment Council
  • Calgary Catholic Immigration Society
  • Canadian Supply Chain Sector Council
  • CARE Centre for Internationally Educated Nurses
  • Career Edge Organization
  • Catholic Cross-Cultural Services
  • Career Edge Organization
  • CEDEC
  • Centennial College
  • Centre for Education and Training
  • Centre for Information and Community Services
  • Centre for Women’s Education and Development
  • City of Markham - Small Business Centre
  • City of Toronto
  • City of Toronto, Entrepreneurial Services
  • City of Moncton
  • City of Dieppe
  • CivicAction
  • Coalition for Persons with Disabilities
  • Collège Boréal
  • Colleges and Institutes Canada - Planning for Canada
  • COSTI
  • Conseil Economique et Social d'Ottawa-Carleton
  • Dixie Bloor Neighbourhood Centre
  • Dufferin-Peel Catholic District School Board
  • Edmonton Regional Immigrant Employment Council
  • Export Development of Canada
  • Futurpreneur Canada
  • Family Services of Peel
  • George Brown College
  • Georgian College
  • Great Moncton Local Immigration Partnership
  • Global Hamilton
  • Hire Immigrants
  • HIO
  • HRPA
  • Humber College
  • ICTC
  • IEC-BC (Immigrant Employment Council of British Columbia)
  • Immigrant Access Fund Canada
  • Immigrant Centre Manitoba Inc.
  • Immigrant Employment Council of BC
  • Immigrants Working Centre
  • Invest Ottawa
  • ISANS
  • Job Skills
  • JobStart
  • John Howard Society
  • JVS Toronto
  • Literacy Council York-Simcoe
  • LiUNA Local 506 Training Centre
  • Magnet
  • Markus Van Aardt Consulting
  • MaRS Discovery District
  • Mississauga Board of Trade
  • Moody's Analytics Inc.
  • MOSAIC
  • Muslim Community Services
  • National Connector Program
  • New Horizons Media
  • Next-Steps Employment Centre
  • Newcomer Centre of Peel
  • Newmarket Public Library
  • NPower Canada
  • OCASI
  • ONESTEP
  • Ontarion Masonry Training Centre
  • Operation Springboard
  • Opportunities for Employment
  • OTEC
  • Ottawa Community Loan Fund (OCLF)
  • Ottawa Public Libriary
  • Ottawa Catholic School Board
  • Peel Career Assessment Services
  • Peel Halton Workforce Development Group
  • Peel Halton LEPC: Local Employment Planning Council
  • Peel Newcomer Strategy Group
  • Peel District School Board
  • Polycultural Immigrant and Community Services
  • PCPI
  • Pro Bono Ontario
  • Punjabi Community Health Services
  • Refugee Career Jumpstart, Region Of Peel
  • Region of York Social Services
  • Rexdale Women's Centre
  • Riipen
  • RNC Employment Services
  • Ryerson University: The G. Raymond Chang School of Continuing Education
  • Scarborough Housing Help Centre
  • Scarborough Women’s Centre
  • Scadding Court Community - Newcomer Entrepreneurship Hub
  • Seneca College
  • Settlement Assistance and Family Support Services
  • Sheridan College
  • St. Stephen’s Employment and Training Centre
  • Skills for Change
  • Supply Chain Canada (changed from SCMAO)
  • S.U.C.C.E.S.S.
  • Technation
  • The Multicultural Association of the Greater Moncton Area (MAGMA)
  • The Regional Municipality of York - Local Immigration Partnership
  • Thornhill Employment Hub
  • TRSM Business Career Hub
  • Toronto Employment Social Services
  • Toronto Region Board of Trade
  • Toronto District School Board
  • Toronto Public Health
  • Toronto Public Library
  • TRIEC
  • Triple Scoop Consulting
  • United Way of Peel Region
  • University of Toronto
  • University Settlement
  • Vancouver Central Library
  • Vancity, Vancouver
  • VPI (Etobicoke)
  • Warden Woods Community Centre
  • World Education Services (WES)
  • World Skills Education Centre
  • WoodGreen Community Services
  • Workforce Planning Board of York Region
  • Youth Employment Services
  • YouthLink
  • YMCA
  • YMCA Next Stop Canada
  • YMCA Build ON
  • YWCA
  • 3+ Economic Development Corporation