Alumni

AUGUST

Career Edge Internship: Customer Service Representative, Apotex
Now: International Sample Coordinator, Apotex

“Landing a job to kick-start my career was truly very challenging. As a new grad with a disability, my lack of experience coupled with physical limitations did not prove too favorable for the job hunt. Gratefully, I discovered Career Edge through a local employment centre. Turns out, this was the chance I have long been waiting for.

I was relieved, excited and highly motivated when I landed an internship with Apotex Inc. through the help of Career Edge. This role as Customer Service Representative intern allowed me to apply my knowledge and skills, as well as pushed me to continually learn and improve. To top it all off, I was also surrounded by an excellent mentor, a supportive team, and a company culture that nurtured professional growth and career development.

I have now transitioned to a full-time position with Apotex Inc. as International Sample Coordinator. Now, I am able to enjoy a job that not only provides compensation and benefits, but also supports affordable healthcare for patients worldwide. What a great opportunity and learning experience Career Edge has opened for me! I encourage alike new graduates with a disability to keep pursuing their goals and to seek support and available resources such as Career Edge.”

JULY

Career Edge Internship: Research Analyst, Russell Reynolds Associates
Now: Research Associate, Russell Reynolds Associates

“I moved permanently to Canada in 2017 after having worked approximately 10 years in market research and strategy consulting roles in India. Finding a job in my field (without having Canadian experience) was a herculean task. I applied for hundreds of jobs, had several dozen informational interviews, networked at various events and attended numerous career fairs in my endeavor to fetch the ideal job for myself. While this resulted in approximately 15 to 20 job interviews over a period of four to six months, I consistently struggled to clear the final round of interviews. When I asked for feedback from my interviewer(s), the usual response was, “We really liked you and we feel that you could be a strong asset to our team. However, we have opted for somebody who has the local experience.”

After several months of disappointment of not being able to land a promising opportunity for myself, I was lucky to be introduced to Career Edge. A former neighbor of mine from India, who is currently a senior director at a prominent government institution in British Columbia, suggested to me Career Edge.

He had started his professional journey in Canada through an internship that he fetched through Career Edge and went on to build a successful career for himself. He advised me to apply for internship opportunities on Career Edge. He felt that an internship could possibly open the door for me to showcase my knowledge, work ethic and experience to the employers.

I immediately created an account on Career Edge and gave my video interview. I kept an eye on the internship opportunities catering to my profile and periodically applied for the right opportunities. Within a couple of weeks, I got a call from Career Edge regarding an interview with executive search firm Russell Reynolds Associates. I cleared the interview(s) and since the internship matched my profile, I agreed to join it. The six-month internship was well-structured and gave me adequate time to contribute and showcase the skills that I possess. I was offered a full-time role in the organization upon the completion of the internship and I joined full-time as a Research Associate.

Career Edge has played an instrumental role in helping me kick-start my career in Canada. It opens doors for not only fresh graduates but also for professionals who have non-Canadian experience in building a strong foundation for themselves in Canada.”

JUNE

Career Edge Internship: HR Project Manager, Bell
Now: HR Consultant (Graduate Leadership Program), Bell

“The team at Bell was welcoming and supportive from day one, allowing me to build my confidence as I transitioned from the academic world to the working world. The team treated me with all of the same respect as a permanent employee; offering mentorship, research projects that I could own from end-to-end, and exposure to directors and VPs within the company.

I was fortunate to be part of a team with a broad mandate that worked closely with multiple HR functions. This allowed me to continue learning about the different areas of HR and explore the many opportunities offered by a career in HR.

My Career Edge internship was the perfect transition from my degree in management and organizational studies to a job in human resources. I am pleased to share that I now work full-time at Bell as an HR Consultant.”

MAY

Career Edge Internship: Corporate Intelligence Consultant, KPMG

“Before Career Edge, I felt that I was really having a hard time getting my foot in the door in the private sector, as I did not previously have any meaningful corporate employment. Career Edge changed this by providing a platform for young military reservists to get direct exposure to top tier companies (like KPMG).

In my four years of service with the Canadian Armed Forces, I have not seen a better program to assist young members with their non-military careers and aspirations than the Career Edge-CAF collaboration.

When I got the call back with an internship offer from KPMG, I was nothing less than ecstatic. I had finally been given a high-growth opportunity at one of the top consulting firms in the world, and I was ready to make the most of it. Fast-forward through the first six months of internship and my contract has been extended with the intention to become permanent upon completion.

At KPMG, I really enjoy working with some of the most talented and intellectual young people in the country. KPMG is one of the “Big 4″ and I can say that it definitely lives up to its reputation, as everyone carries out a high-degree of excellency and professionalism with their work. My favourite work event thus far has been our group trip to Mont Tremblant, Quebec. The entire KPMG Forensic national practice congregated in Mont Tremblant for our bi-annual conference with all of our expenses covered. We spent two days learning from other groups across the country, while networking with them and participating in team trade shows.

The highlight of my internship has been getting the chance to participate in organizing the annual United Way KPMG Risk Consulting charity event. This was my first time in years that I had the opportunity to volunteer, and it was incredibly rewarding being part of an event that gave back and supported the local community. At the end of it, I also gained a new appreciation for frequent organizer volunteers for charitable causes because I did not realize the immense amount of work that they are involved in to make it successful.”

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April

Career Edge Internship: Communications Intern, Ontario Chamber of Commerce
Now: Communications Coordinator, Ontario Chamber of Commerce

“As a recent graduate, I was so excited to begin my career in marketing. However, although I had a great degree and had been through several interviews, I was struggling to find a job opportunity suited to my skillset and interests. That was until I found Career Edge.

Career Edge allowed me to identify as a post-secondary graduate and provided me with opportunities tailored to my experience. It was through Career Edge that I was able to land a fantastic opportunity – working in communications/marketing just as I’d always hoped.

I was supported throughout my internship and was able to secure a full-time position. The experience I have gained has been invaluable and I can honestly say that Career Edge has helped me to jump-start my career.”

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MARCH

Career Edge Internship: Senior Account Manager, COMMERX
Now: Engagement Manager, Google

“Moving to Canada was exciting and nerve-wracking both personally and professionally. One of my biggest concerns was that the move could negatively impact the progress of my career.

I had created my Career Edge profile before we arrived in Canada but frankly, I was not thrilled at the concept of taking an internship after 10 years into my professional career. I started applying to roles weeks before we arrived in Canada but weeks post arrival and several interviews later, I still hadn’t landed a job.

I decided to take a second look at Career Edge because it offered internships in my field and in two weeks, I was offered an internship in a similar role to the position I left back home. I started in my new role another two weeks later and I cannot describe how excited I was. I finally felt like we were settling in.

The Career Edge team was so helpful in getting me all set up, the team checked in on me from time to time and I was really impressed by the genuine desire demonstrated to see me succeed as a new migrant in a strange, new country.

All in all, I strongly recommend Career Edge to new migrants, the team is great, and it is an awesome way to get started with your new life in Canada.”

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FEBRUARY

Career Edge Internship: Loan Servicing Analyst, RBC
Now: Loan Servicing Analyst, RBC

“Being an international student who had no working experience put me in a disadvantage compared to other graduates who did co-ops and internships. After several months of stress and uneasiness searching for jobs I was very excited and relieved when I got the call from RBC to start my new position. I was able to secure a job as an Analyst, Loan Servicing in the Global Loan Administration department. And after a few months from starting the internship I was offered a full-time permanent position. Working at RBC gave me the opportunity to expand my connections, further develop my skills and gain more knowledge in the finance industry.

Career Edge gave the opportunity to showcase my skills and connected me directly to employers who were interested to see what I had to bring to the role. I can proudly say that Career Edge helped launch my career.”

Go back to the 12 Days of Success

To celebrate 2018, we’re counting down to the holidays with 12 Days of Success!

Featuring Career Edge’s most wonderful success stories from this year — straight from our interns and mentors! Meet 24 mentors and interns, read their stories, and learn how our paid internship program made a difference for them.

JANUARY – Victoria Akpore

Career Edge Internship: Desktop Deployment Specialist, City of Markham
Now: Premier Field Engineer, Microsoft

Here is what Victoria said about her experience with Career Edge and what made her such a success story.

“I got to know about Career Edge during the second semester of my post-graduate studies at the University of Ottawa. As an international student who just arrived to Canada from Nigeria, I wanted to get into the Canadian labour force to start building some Canadian work experience which I knew would be a crucial factor in my career launch.

After applying to several companies with no results, I finally registered on Career Edge’s website. My profile was quickly evaluated with a follow-up email from an employee who assisted with matching my skills with available opportunities. The job notifications sent directly to my email was also of immense benefit.

I finally secured an opportunity with the City of Markham as a Desktop Deployment Specialist, which would have been a difficult job position to secure without the relevant Canadian work experience but Career Edge looked at my skills and work experience from Nigeria and contacted me to apply for the role.

It was an amazing experience. Working with the City of Markham on their Migration Project Windows 10 gave me the visibility I needed. Close to the end of my internship, I was contacted on LinkedIn to apply for a similar position with Microsoft. I am grateful for the platform Career Edge gave me and the continuous support I received throughout my internship.”

Go back to the 12 Days of Success