ACCES delivers Employment Ontario services across six locations in the GTA, including Brampton, Mississauga, Newmarket, North York, Scarborough and Toronto.
“Perhaps the biggest help was the reinforcement and enlightenment from the ACCES team—they gave me the drive and the push to keep moving forward. Their words are still there in my heart.”
GIAN ANGELO ZAPATA
Canadian Employment Connections & ENGINEERING CONNECTIONS: PROJECT MANAGEMENT
Gian arrived in Canada in the spring of 2020, five months later than originally anticipated due to COVID-19 related closures and route cancellations. Prior to arrival, Gian and his wife wanted to learn about career opportunities in Canada and were referred to ACCES Employment by Planning For Canada. ACCES offered pre-arrival support specific to Gian’s professional field and he gained a great deal of knowledge related to his job search and employer expectations in Canada. With pre-arrival services, Gian knew what to expect from the Canadian labour market, he was able to prepare his resume prior to his arrival, and he even began making professional connections in his field. Gian was well prepared to enter the ACCES Engineering Connections program and the Project Management stream.
Gian values the professional connections he made through ACCES, the academic rigor of the certification program, as well as the experience he gained while working with other candidates on real-life projects.
After graduating from the ACCES program in November 2020 and receiving his PMP certification, Gian was offered a position as a PLM Administrator (Product Lifecycle Management) with Armstrong Fluid Technologies. Gian believes his training at ACCES and his certification were instrumental in him landing this opportunity. “To be frank, I do not think that I would have been called for that interview if I didn’t have the guidance and training from ACCES and the PMP certificate!”
Jobseekers served in 2020–2021
Steady growth due to our increased online capacity and ability to support jobseekers virtually.
Total number of visits
An increase of over 38% from last year as a result of programs & services being delivered online.
of clients recommend our programs and services
of clients achieved a positive outcome (including employment, placement, training or education)
ACCES delivers Employment Ontario services across six locations in the GTA, including Brampton, Mississauga, Newmarket, North York, Scarborough and Toronto.
of clients found employment or pursued training objectives
“I never thought the ACCES program would be such a game-changer! I highly recommend the program to other newcomers. ACCES bridges the cultural differences and helps us prepare for our job search. It has been an extensive learning experience.”
Shikha Gandhi
Job Search Workshops (JSW) Program
As Shikha Gandhi reflects on her arrival in Canada during the pandemic, she recalls the anxiety she felt: “My morale was low and I had trouble believing in myself.” Shikha found it very difficult to navigate the Canadian job market during COVID-19. She didn’t think there were any opportunities for her; she needed help learning about Canadian workplace culture, how to create an effective resume, how to handle behavioural interviews, and how to network effectively.
With the help of ACCES and the JSW Program, she was able to overcome her anxiety and self-doubt. “I came to understand my weaknesses and learned to overcome my obstacles. With the support of the program, I was more prepared and became confident again.”
Once Shikha completed the program, she immediately began to see traction in her job search and the JSW team continued to support her with additional mock interviews to help guide her presentation skills. One month after graduating from the JSW Program, Shikha successfully secured a position as a Senior Credit Risk Analyst with CIBC.
OF CLIENTS ARE IMMIGRANTS
TOTAL NUMBER OF LANGUAGES SPOKEN BY ACCES JOBSEEKERS
WOMEN
MEN
ACCES has increased programs for women and this is reflected in the higher number of women supported in 2020–2021.
of our clients are youth between the ages of 15 and 29 years old
EDUCATION LEVEL
OF OUR JOBSEEKERS
OCCUPATIONAL BACKGROUND
OF OUR JOBSEEKERS
“Thanks to the START Program at ACCES I was able to overcome the many difficult challenges that I was facing. I was able to achieve my goals and become the person I am today thanks to ACCES Employment. I’ll forever be greatly indebted.”
VERYL OBODI
START Customer Care Program
Veryl Obodi immigrated to Canada from Kenya as a refugee claimant in 2019 and faced many obstacles including homelessness and unemployment. Veryl reflects how, at the time, she “had so much to learn about Canadian culture.” With no job or a source of income, and no network of support either personally or professionally, she ended up in a women’s shelter and relied on Ontario Works for financial and employment assistance.
Through Ontario Works, Veryl was referred to the START Customer Care Program at ACCES where she received industry-recognized certifications such as computer training, job search support, and coaching. Upon graduating, Veryl successfully found full-time employment and is currently working as part of the Relief Staff at YMCA Toronto. She’s been able to move into her own apartment and has continued to build her professional network using the skills, mentorship and guidance the START program provided her. Veryl is an example of how determination can lead to a bright future when someone is presented with the right opportunity through the right connections.
Over 8,260 women gained greater confidence, negotiation skills and acquired new job search strategies customized to meet their specific career goals. ACCES programs that serve women include Career Pathways for Newcomer Women, NOW, Women in Technology, Empowering Women, Entrepreneurship Connections®, and the START Customer Care Program.
This program is designed to help professional newcomer women find employment that utilizes their internationally acquired skills and experience. Using research administered by the Social Research and Demonstration Corporation, this program identifies service delivery models that determine the most effective ways to equip participants with the knowledge, confidence and connections they need to integrate into the labour market and thrive in fast-paced and changing work environments.
“I remain grateful and thankful for the opportunities I received through joining the Healthcare Connections program. The amazing team spared no effort to help me succeed and find the job I wanted. For me, the program was a game changer.”
Ahmed Abdelrahim Nashaat
Healthcare Connections Program
A trained medical technologist from Egypt, Ahmed Abdelrahim Nashaat had a strong background in pharmaceutical sales and marketing from his time working in Egypt and Saudi Arabia. When Ahmed arrived in Canada, he did not know how to transition into the Canadian workforce, especially during the pandemic. With the broader healthcare sector focused on the COVID-19 response, Ahmed was concerned his skills and experience were not in high demand and he may not find employment.
Ahmed was encouraged by the Healthcare Connections team at ACCES. He worked closely with the team to create an employment plan based on his needs and received key referral information that focused on his interest in pharmaceutical sales. He also took advantage of professional networking opportunities and was supported in building connections with various professionals in the pharmaceutical industry. Ahmed put the lessons he learned to good use and narrowed his job search to positions that were in demand. With ongoing support of the Healthcare Connections team at ACCES, Ahmed applied for a position at Elsevier as a Solution Specialist Manager, and he was successful in securing the role.
Our sector-specific bridge training programs connect internationally trained professionals with employment in their field including Engineering, Financial Services, Human Resources, Information Technology, Leadership, Sales and Marketing and Supply Chain. These programs are funded by the Ministry of Labour, Training and Skills Development.
of clients secured employment reflecting their skills and experience
ACCES offers programs tailored to the following industries: Engineering, Hospitality, Healthcare, Construction Trades, Customer Care and Cybersecurity.
of clients secured employment reflecting their skills and experience
Over 1308 refugees increased their employability and job search skills by accessing learning content through workshops, digital platforms and industry-focused programs.
“ACCES helps you successfully navigate the job market, but for me it was more about my self-confidence. I was able to work on relationships, meet my goals, and begin to build a career.”
Andrea Lucía Vargas Saad
Youth Job Connection Program
When Andrea Lucía Vargas Saad arrived in Canada from Colombia, she felt insecure because her English language skills were not strong. Enrolling in the Youth Job Connection program at ACCES, Andrea was able to practice and improve her English while learning about Canadian Workplace Communications. Andrea felt empowered by the interview techniques, the resume help, and the connections she made at ACCES. For Andrea, this program was instrumental in building her self-confidence.
Andrea was able to secure a role as a Sales Representative at Mastercom, a telecommunications company with 16 locations across the Greater Toronto Area.
ACCES has continued to support Andrea and she has recently received a promotion—she now works at Mastercom’s head office as a Business Solutions Expert.
Over 7,000 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.
The pre-pandemic barriers that many marginalized high school students faced were significantly amplified through the social and economic impacts of the pandemic. Students living in communities disproportionately affected by COVID-19 became further disengaged from school and faced the risk of complete withdrawal. The Safe Return to Class program helped this vulnerable group of students by re-engaging them in education while motivating and supporting them with summer employment. Funded by the Ministry of Education, the Safe Return to Class Program allowed ACCES to provide youth living in Toronto and Peel Region with 20 hours of paid pre-employment training followed by placements in paid summer jobs. Participants also received ongoing mentorship and peer support while they participated in summer school to catch up with missed schooling/credits.
YOUTH PARTICIPATED IN THE SRTC PROGRAM
PARTICIPANTS PLACED IN SUMMER EMPLOYMENT
“ACCES motivated me to start my business right away and they supported me through all the early steps. I was able to connect with mentors, with advisors in my industry, and met subject matter experts in Canada to build my professional network. ACCES saved me a lot of time and I was able to avoid early pitfalls and errors.”
Prajit Dasani
Entrepreneurship Connections® Pre-Arrival & Entrepreneurship Connections®
In November 2019, Prajit started the Entrepreneurship Connections® Pre-Arrival Program. When the COVID-19 pandemic delayed Prajit’s immigration, he wisely used this extra time to learn about entrepreneurship in Canada. He defined and refined his business idea and began working on his business plan. With the help of ACCES, he was able to launch his consulting business before he even landed in Canada! He is the founder of Atrybe, a proudly Canadian digital consultancy and technology adoption firm.
Once Prajit arrived, he continued his journey with ACCES and joined the Entrepreneurship Connections® program. He learned how to conduct market research, assess the competition and effectively pitch his business. Through the program, Prajit made several beneficial connections that contributed to his success.
Prajit continues to be involved with ACCES, this time as a volunteer. Prajit generously donates his time and attends networking events to support entrepreneurs who are new to Canada.
ACCES PROVIDED SUPPORT TO
NEWCOMER ENTREPRENEURS TO START THEIR BUSINESSES IN CANADA (Through Local and Pre-Arrival programs)
THE BUSINESSES THEY STARTED WERE IN THE FOLLOWING AREAS:
“ACCES provides crucial services to thousands of jobseekers every year and exemplifies how innovative thinking can truly improve the way the world works and lives. At Accenture, we believe that a better future depends on bridging the gap between talent and opportunity, and we recognize the importance of diverse newcomer talent and hiring through the ACCES pipeline. We are proud of the team at ACCES and all they do.”
Janet Krstevski
Managing Director, Canada Talent & Organization/Human Potential practice lead, Accenture
Accenture’s ongoing support of ACCES has enabled us to expand our digital capacity to help more jobseekers find meaningful employment. Through generous funding and in-kind expert consultation, Accenture has helped ACCES develop its in-house platforms for learning, for client management, and for data collection. When the COVID-19 global pandemic hit, ACCES was well-prepared to transition to a fully digital service delivery model. The ACCES-Accenture collaboration allowed us to respond quickly and efficiently—and continue to create opportunities for jobseekers—despite the adversity brought with the pandemic.
In 2020, a second Global Grant from Accenture enabled ACCES to develop VERA (Virtual Employment Resource Assistant), an innovative AI Chatbot solution that enhances our online employment for jobseekers in the Greater Toronto Area, across Canada and to pre-arrival immigrants around the world. VERA was launched in 2020 and has already helped thousands of jobseekers to access career learning and development resources and connect with the right ACCES staff and programs. We look forward to continuing this collaboration with Accenture as we leverage technology and innovation to assist jobseekers and employers in post-pandemic economic recovery.
EMPLOYERS
Employer volunteer hours contributed across all programs
“Together with our partners at ACCES, the new IKEA Canada Refugee Skills for Employment Initiative enables us to engage and support many different needs through language skills, customer service training, mentorship and networking. At the same time, we have the opportunity to discover and recruit new talent, expand our diverse co-worker base and contribute to our role in creating a more equal world.”
John Williams
Head of Equality, Diversity and Inclusion, IKEA Canada, ACCES Employer Partner
IKEA Canada and ACCES is an emerging collaboration that helps refugees develop new skills, find employment in Canada, and thereby integrate into our communities. As the depth of the COVID-19 pandemic grew, IKEA Canada reached out to ACCES for ideas to support our refugee jobseekers. IKEA provided pandemic relief and care packages for ACCES refugee families, which were distributed on April 28 and 29, 2020, to bring much-needed help and some happiness and joy during the pandemic.
The collaboration with IKEA Canada expanded in November 2020 with the Global Refugee Skills for Employment Initiative, which involved rolling out the IKEA Canada Customer Experience Training program in December 2020. The 5-day program is designed for clients with lived-refugee experience who are looking for training and employment opportunities with IKEA. Faced with pandemic-related restrictions, including the necessity for digital delivery, IKEA and ACCES saw an opportunity to expand the scope of the program and provide these opportunities nationally, across Canada. ACCES worked with various community organizations across the country to build and scale the program with partnerships in Ottawa, Quebec City, Montreal, Vancouver, Calgary, Coquitlam, Richmond, Edmonton and Winnipeg.
Clients completed the IKEA Canada Customer Experience Training Program
(DEC. 2020–MAR. 2021)
Mentoring is a critical component of service delivery at ACCES. Jobseekers and aspiring entrepreneurs need supportive mentors and a strong professional network to help them develop or transition in their career. Through mentoring, ACCES provides the insight of experts who volunteer with our programs to provide the best learning and opportunities for clients. During this unprecedented time, mentors and volunteers from across Canada and the Greater Toronto Area were eager to get involved. This support was instrumental in creating positive outcomes for jobseekers. Throughout the pandemic clients needed additional help and guidance, and mentors and volunteers went above and beyond to connect and create opportunities in virtual spaces.
“I come from immigrant parents, and I know the challenges they faced. Supporting and enabling newcomers to Canada is so important. I am constantly inspired by their bold choice to leave everything behind—their lives, their friends, their connections—with no guarantee of what is to come. I feel I have a responsibility to help, to really ‘lean in’ to the work of mentorship. Through the TD-ACCES collaboration, and volunteering with Empowering Women and Women in Technology, we’ve been able to support, mentor, and hire some amazing candidates.”
Rashmi Vohra
District Vice President, Metro West, Etobicoke, TD Bank Group
“I have the pleasure of working on the TD Diversity and Inclusion Centre of Excellence team, and I am the Bank’s relationship manager for the Empowering Women, Cybersecurity, and Women in Technology programs at ACCES. Supporting the transition of skilled newcomers into the Canadian workforce has given me a broader and more insightful perspective. Through mentoring and volunteering, I’ve been able to gain a better understanding of cultures and experiences different from my own. At TD, we take pride in creating a culture that celebrates the unique talents and contributions of each individual. When recruiting qualified candidates through ACCES, TD gains a wealth of innovative ideas and unique perspectives, which empowers us to meet the needs of our customers in an ever-evolving financial market.”
Nicole Jacksic
Diversity Program Manager, Diversity and Inclusion, TD Bank Group
ACCES and TD Bank Group have built a long-standing, successful relationship that allows us to work together to help newcomers and refugees integrate and fully participate in the Canadian economy. Generous contributions from TD have been a great benefit to various ACCES programs. Most recently, TD Ready Commitment, the Bank's global corporate citizenship platform, has provided support to benefit participants in three unique ACCES programs: Women in Technology, Empowering Women, and Cybersecurity Connections.
In addition to recruiting qualified candidates from ACCES programs, TD has encouraged colleagues to get involved as volunteers. The response and support of TD Bank Group is making a difference in the lives of ACCES clients.
The ACCES Speed Mentoring® program provides opportunities for jobseekers to meet with mentors who can respond to questions about their sector, receive advice about their resume and job search, and to build their network of professional contacts.
The TRIEC Mentoring Partnership helps immigrant professionals to succeed in their careers in Canada through the support of a one-to-one mentoring relationship.
The Connector Program helps immigrants to build their professional network and secure meaningful employment in their community (delivered by ACCES in partnership with 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
Total number of Mentors
Total number of Mentees
CIBC Mellon and ACCES have been building a strong relationship over the years. CIBC Mellon has hired ACCES clients from our various bridge training programs and they have been actively involved in ACCES events including Speed Mentoring®, Roundtable Discussions, and hosting confidence-building sessions on “Speaking on Your Feet” for ACCES clients. In 2020, our relationship with CIBC Mellon was expanded through their sponsorship of the START Customer Care Program for women. Through this sponsorship CIBC Mellon will have the opportunity to provide their expertise and guidance to help women succeed in their goal of re-entering the workforce. As part of their sponsorship, CIBC Mellon will lead two sessions with START program participants focused on Job Search & Interview Preparation in a Virtual World and Resume Best Practices.
“Our company has benefited immensely from having access to the talent and skills of newcomers to Canada, including many of us who have volunteered our time as mentors. Our partnership with ACCES has allowed us to “pay it forward” as we offer our own insights and experience to jobseekers.”
Susan Carroll-Clark
PMP, Project Manager, CIBC Mellon
IBM has generously provided us with access to their SkillsBuild platform, making custom training courses, projects, and personalized coaching available to our clients as they reskill, upskill and prepare for employment. TD Bank Group, via its global corporate citizenship program, the TD Ready Commitment, is lending additional support to this collaboration to fund programs that help women and newcomer IT professionals find career success in Canada. “One of the greatest challenge facing businesses today is the need for skills that don’t require a traditional degree. There is a critical need to make sure Canadians are gaining these meaningful skills that align to industry needs,” said Claude Guay, IBM Canada President and General Manager. “That’s why, regardless of background, education or life experience, SkillsBuild will equip learners with the professional skills and mentorship they need to navigate the new digital economy.”
Through the integration of the SkillsBuild platform, ACCES has enhanced our service delivery model and provided a valuable new resource to our clients. ACCES will be promoting IBM SkillsBuild for use by partner organizations across Canada.
“IBM SkillsBuild is an amazing platform for learning. The courses are explained in simple language so that it is easy for a beginner like me to understand. I am confident about my skills now after taking this course. I would like to thank ACCES and IBM for giving me this opportunity to learn and enhance my skills.”
Maneesha Razdan
ACCES Client
programs at acces onboarded onto the platform
(as of March 31, 2021)
jobseekers invited to join the platform
learning hours completed
learning activities completed
ACCES works collaboratively with many community organizations to strengthen our services and ensure that our clients receive seamless, well-integrated support from various service providers. Through joint referrals, virtual events, program ideation, and more, we work together to build new opportunities. Over the past year, and moving forward, these partnerships are instrumental for us to effectively serve our communities. We thank our community partners, and we look forward to continued collaboration.
In January 2021, The Ministry of Labour, Training and Skills Development commenced the transformation of Employment Ontario with the initial roll-out targeting three ‘proto-type areas,’ including Peel where ACCES Brampton and ACCES Mississauga officially went live under the new Employment Ontario (EO) model. ACCES has worked closely with WCG Services, the new Service System Managers (SSM) for the region, to ensure a smooth transition to the new model which places primary emphasis on serving clients who are farthest removed from the labour market. Accordingly, ACCES has leveraged our existing capacity to effectively serve high-need jobseekers. WCG Services has facilitated a collaborative approach, including the creation of a ‘community of practice’ to achieve strong outcomes, and enable enhanced communication within the network of service providers. WCG Services has supported ACCES as we remain true to our commitment to service excellence; this includes our focus on being client-centered, responsive to local community needs, and focused on outcomes that are data-driven and evidence-based.
United Way Greater Toronto has worked collaboratively with ACCES and supported us in various ways over the past year. UWGT provided greater flexibility and support in our program funding, allowing us to adjust and respond to emerging pressures and changing needs brought on by the pandemic. UWGT also provided much-needed additional resources to ACCES through their administration of the federal government’s Emergency Community Support Fund, including essential resources for clients such as tablets for digital connectively and gift cards to purchase groceries and other necessities. In addition, UWGT has demonstrated great leadership through the Inclusive Local Economic Opportunity (ILEO) project, in which ACCES has been pleased to participate. This included working closely with Sun Life and IBM to pilot a scalable workforce development model, that provided training and support to residents of the Greater Golden Mile (GGM) neighbourhood, preparing them for jobs at Sun Life. ACCES is also collaborating on the ILEO Joint Venture initiative, which is aimed at supporting economic development in the Greater Golden Mile.
The Workforce Planning Board of York Region has been instrumental in connecting ACCES to employers and other key stakeholder in York Region, and in collaborating with ACCES on several important initiatives over the past year. The Workforce Planning Board has been a strategic partner in various regards, including advising on demographic/socioeconomic data for Newmarket and York Region; supporting the development of workshop content; promoting ACCES among other service providers, employers, and clients; and hosting events such as virtual job fairs and information sessions. This collaborative relationship has strengthened our ability to support jobseekers in Newmarket and across York Region.
CICS is a valued community partner, that works with ACCES in many capacities. CICS supports our clients and helps us to promote our services within the community. Providing wrap-around services, CICS offers one-on-one settlement sessions with ACCES clients to ensure newcomers are well-informed and supported as they settle into their life in Canada. Co-hosting virtual hiring events for hundreds of jobseekers in the community as well as facilitating Information Sessions focused on ACCES Bridge Training Programs, including Cybersecurity and Engineering Connections, CICS continues to demonstrate the true spirit of collaboration.
This year, ACCES is pleased to join Tent as a Preferred Implementing Partner. The Tent Partnership for Refugees is a non-profit organization launched in 2016 to mobilize the global business community to include refugees. Today, they are a network of over 170 major companies around the world, committed to integrating refugees in their communities. ACCES is working closely with businesses in the Tent Partnership to help them implement projects to support refugees. ACCES provides Tent’s corporate members with individualized guidance, best practices and support to meet their refugee hiring goals.
Aligned with one of our key strategic priorities, ACCES has for many years worked diligently to develop our technology and digital capacity enabling enhanced services to our clients, including pre-arrival support to immigrants preparing for arrival in Canada. When the global pandemic created a sudden and accelerated need for technology adoption, ACCES was able to quickly and seamlessly pivot to full online service delivery. As we tackle the important work ahead of post-pandemic economic recovery, ACCES is well-positioned to implement a flexible hybrid (virtual and in-person) service model that will provide customized support to jobseekers facing varying needs and circumstances. During the past year, ACCES has developed a new website; launched VERA (an AI-powered chatbot to support clients digitally); integrated our email and marketing automation platforms with our client management software; improved capacity in data collection and reporting; and integrated our client registration, content management, and learning management systems.
The vision and mission of ACCES is centered on core principles of Equity, Diversity and Inclusion. This is reflected in the wide range of services we offer to help racialized newcomers to Canada overcome barriers and succeed in the labour market. During the past year, tragedies such as the murder of George Floyd, the discovery of unmarked graves of Indigenous children at residential school sites, and hate-motivated attacks against Muslims and Asians, have made it clear that much more needs to be done. ACCES has renewed and enhanced our commitment to Equity, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) through a new EDI Action Plan which includes the following:
Internally, we have embarked on comprehensive EDI training for our staff, including Unconscious Bias, The History of Racism and Colonization, How to be an Ally to Racialized People, Microaggressions and more. Achieving our EDI goals will require continued hard work, action, and reflection; but we will not waver on our commitment.
The Black Action Coalition for Change (BACC) is a network of Black ACCES employees who are working together to provide leadership and insight in addressing racism and Anti-Black racism. BACC has led on providing Black ACCES employees and clients with tailored support, including training, coaching, mentoring and support. BACC has worked closely with the ACCES leadership team to champion our renewed commitment to EDI and has played an instrumental role in the development and roll-out of various EDI (Equity, Diversity and Inclusion) initiatives at ACCES.
ACCES’s Diversity in Canadian Workplaces Initiative, funded by Canadian Heritage, is an innovative project that examines barriers and challenges faced by racialized individuals in Canadian workplaces as they move through various phases of employment, including hiring, retention and career mobility. The project identifies and delivers strategies for addressing these barriers and challenges by working collaboratively with employers to develop solutions that will help their workplaces and teams to strengthen their diversity and inclusion practices. The project aligns with ACCES’s vision of achieving a fully inclusive labour force that reflects the diversity, skills and experiences of Canada’s population.
The financial statements also include other schedules and footnotes that are integral to the report as a whole.
