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Sydney Helland

Congratulations to Canada’s Best Employers for New Canadians!

By Press release

Yesterday, Canada’s Top 100 Employers announced the 2012 winners of the Best Employers for New Canadians competition in a special editorial feature in the Globe and Mail. This competition recognizes the employers with the best initiatives and programs that support newcomers entering the Canadian workforce. In part of this recognition, we were very pleased to see that 30% of the winners listed were selected partly due to their participation in the Career Bridge paid internship program.

Career Edge Organization (CEO) would like to take this opportunity to congratulate and commend these Canadian employers who have provided leadership in recognizing and valuing the skills, credentials, and global perspectives that internationally qualified professionals bring to the workplace.

We would also like to offer special thanks and congratulations to the employers that have either expressed an interest in connecting with CEO to fulfill talent strategies for internationally qualified professionals, or have formally partnered with the Career Bridge program to support the onboarding of new Canadians through paid internships, while maintaining a strong commitment to an inclusive and welcoming corporate culture:

BMO Financial Group
Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce (CIBC)
Deloitte & Touche LLP
Humber College Institute of Technology and Advanced Learning
KPMG LLP
Loblaw Companies Ltd.
Mississauga, City of
Mount Sinai Hospital
Ontario Public Service
Royal Bank of Canada (RBC)
St. Michael’s Hospital
Toronto-Dominion Bank (TD)
Telus Corp.
Xerox Canada Inc.
York, Regional Municipality of

Mentoring & Managing Multi-Generations: 5 tips for employers

By Uncategorized

Last month, our own VP, Donna Smith, was joined by Lauren Friese, Founder of TalentEgg.ca, and Mandy Sutherland, Senior Consultant, Applied Research and Consulting at Steelcase to share insights and best practices around leveraging the strengths of multiple generations in the workplace.

The “Mentoring & Managing Multi-Generations” workshop took place at the Economic Developers Council of Ontario (EDCO)’s 55th Annual Conference and Showcase where members and other engaged professionals gathered to exchange information and learn from informative and forward-thinking presentations that are transferable to their respective communities and workplaces.

During her segment of the workshop, Donna offered five tips to employers looking to develop collaborative, complementary, and sustainable multi-generational workplaces:

  1. Find the “lost” generation: Gen X is often overlooked as a result of being sandwiched between the persistent presence of Baby Boomers and the impatient motivations of Gen Y. Leverage the knowledge and experience of Gen X workers by encouraging them to coach Gen Y workers. It’s a win-win situation: Gen Y get the support and guidance they need to develop professionally, while Gen X gain leadership and mentoring skills.
  2. Establish semi-formal task forces: Bridge generational gaps and impart knowledge by encouraging ongoing networking and professional development opportunities.
  3. Compensation packages based on generational priorities: Opt for flexible compensation/benefit packages that suit the needs of each generation. For example, Gen Y look for dental coverage for themselves, whereas Gen X prefer flex hours or child care for their kids, and Baby Boomers appreciate elder care for their parents.
  4. Understand what drives your employees and meet those needs both individually and as a group: Celebrate the different approaches of each generation, while staying focused on company objectives and project goals.
  5. Manage demographics – don’t just play to the biggest audience: Encourage projects that involve employees from different demographics. This goes beyond generational diversity; recognizing and celebrating differences in culture, gender, and ability all play into a healthy and productive workplace.

Addressing the needs of multiple generations

Furthermore, Donna suggests that the key to successfully implementing all of the above tips is having a clear and mutual understanding of how each generation – and their inherent diversity of culture, gender, and abilities – contribute to the overall business strategies and organizational fit.

We want to know what you’re doing to leverage the potential of each generation in the workplace! Share your tips with us by leaving a comment!

5 Tips to Set Your Intern Up for Success (From an Intern’s Perspective)

By Employer

Career Edge Organization has connected thousands of prospective interns with host employers for over a decade. I am delighted to be one of these fortunate job seekers to land a role that has allowed me to make leaps and bounds in my professional development after only a few months.

What constitutes a successful internship?

In contrast to my fellow 500-odd interns currently filling positions at host organizations across Canada, I believe I have a unique perspective by working with an intern’s success story from my role at Career Edge Organization itself. In my role as Project Coordinator and Sales Support Assistant, I interact with interns enrolled within the three different internship programs  and at all levels of participation. I assist initial job seekers with the registration process and the completion of their internship documents prior to their start date. I provide them with resources throughout their internship and continue communication once they have achieved alumni status.

Considering the extensive amount of Career Edge internships I witness on a habitual basis, I have been able to make a fair assessment of what an intern requires from their employer to succeed in their role, all while growing professionally toward the objective of a rewarding and progressive career.

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