We featured Shaunelle Valley before her internship started. Now that it’s over, read what she had to say:
…it is an enormous undertaking moving from one country to another. That process seems even more daunting when you’re moving from the small island of Trinidad and Tobago to a thriving metropolis such as Toronto. In preparation for my move, Planning for Canada provided me with multiple resources to aid in finding a job opportunity and Career Edge stood out to me. As a biomedical scientist, with several years of work experience at managerial level in the field of laboratory and healthcare quality, the dream would have been for me to land a job to meet my career goals.
Often, people view an internship as a step back, possibly having already completed several internships on the road to professional growth, however I viewed an internship as an opportunity to get my foot in the door while gaining much needed Canadian work experience. I was pleased to discover that the internships provided via Career Edge were for various employment levels, from junior staff to senior management, and I was happy to come across an internship role for Quality Assurance Manager at Raz Design Inc, a leading manufacturer of rehab shower chairs (class 1 medical device).
After receiving word that Raz was interested in a Skype interview with me, Career Edge once again came to my aid with interview preparatory tools and knowledge of the Canadian work environment, for which I was grateful. Career Edge was quick to respond to me regarding feedback on my interview performance from Raz and I was pleased to learn I secured an internship – before arriving in Canada – which I started just one week after my arrival. The Raz family kindly welcomed me and eased my transition as a newcomer, to not only the company, but also the country.
I moved to Canada in pursuit of better employment opportunities within a thriving economy, but without adequate preparation the transition would have been arduous at best – instead Career Edge provided me with an opportunity to gain knowledge, work experience and feel a sense of security during a time of uncertainty.
I can happily say that upon completion of my internship, I was offered a full-time position with Raz Design Inc. and I can only thank Career Edge for providing an avenue for success.
Shaunelle Valley BSc. MSc.
Quality Assurance Manager
Raz Design Inc.