Each year ACCES Employment honours individuals who have made an impact within our job seeker community through our Walk of Fame program. Recipients range from ACCES alum who are give back to the community, corporate employees who take an active role for our clients, to whole companies who have stepped up to make a difference.
The 2019 Walk of Fame Awards honoured individuals and businesses that have made a contribution to our community as we faced 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.
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 Inc. 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 Inc.
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