2012 was a truly momentous year for Career Edge Organization. We forged a number of innovative partnerships with organizations that share our commitment to advancing employability. These partnerships have supported and advanced our programs and initiatives, further adding to over 11,000 careers launched through the unique Career Edge Organization internship onboarding model.
In the spirit of the New Year, we would like to take this opportunity to highlight some of our newsmakers, share a few success stories from 2012, and also address a few challenges that we see as opportunities in 2013.
NEWSMAKERS
HRPA + CEO = HRPA Edge
Partnering with the Human Resources Professionals Association (HRPA), Career Edge Organization (CEO) proudly supported the launch of the HRPA Edge paid internship program in February 2012 offering employers easy access to knowledgeable, recent HR graduates. Read more…
Career Bridge is an award-winning program!
At the 6th Annual TRIEC IS Awards, we were honoured to have the Career Bridge program recognized as the winner of the CBC Toronto Vision Award for Immigrant Inclusion. Since 2003, over 1,700 internationally qualified professionals have secured paid internships with more than 200 employers. Read more…
Partnerships for immigrant success
2012 saw the fruition of a partnership many years in the making. Along with Skills International, we are proud to support an exclusive partnership with the Canadian Immigrant Integration Program (CIIP) that is helping prepare immigrants for economic success in Canada through the unique Career Bridge internship program. Read more…
Career Edge welcomes new President
On Monday, December 17th we welcomed our new President, Naguib Gouda.
Meet Naguib…
SUCCESS STORIES
Vadym Kononenko, Career Edge Intern at GE Capital – Working Capital Solutions
“Since day one, Vadym reached above and beyond by consistently delivering at every turn, surprising us along the way.” David Mawhinney, Commercial Underwriting Team Leader at GE Capital – Working Capital Solutions
See Vadym’s story…
Nicola Chivers, Ability Edge Intern at TD Bank Group
“Nicola learned quickly and always looks for the best possible solution to any problem. Not only did she excel at her work tasks but she took on other tasks and took the time to share and help others learn from her technical abilities.” – Daniela De Cotis, Senior Manager Strategic Planning at TD Bank Group
See Nicola’s story…
Jeremy Pompey, Career Bridge Intern at the City of Toronto
“Since day one, Jeremy took on his assignments, went through the learning curve for a short period of time, and started cruising on his own with his tasks… Everywhere Jeremy has worked he has always left a very good impression and is well respected.” – Dharmen Dhaliah, Senior Engineer at City ofToronto
See Jeremy’s story…
Heldelita Espinoza, Mentor at the Ontario Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care
“She was extremely supportive to me during my onboarding, providing me with valuable information about the organization and the work culture at the Ontario Public Service. She constantly challenged me to excel in my role as an intern, raising the bar as we went on with various projects.” – Rakesh Calton,Former Career Bridge Intern
See Heldy’s story…
RESOLUTIONS
Defining “internship”
in·tern·ship /ˈɪn tɜrnˌʃɪp/
For us, internships represent an optimum path to rewarding careers for recent grads, graduates with disabilities, and internationally qualified professionals. They enable employer partners to cost effectively attract diverse, qualified talent in return for providing a supportive and professional work environment that allows the intern to learn, thrive and contribute.
Despite being in the internship business for over 16 years, we continue to face challenges related to the common perceptions associated with the term “internship”.
In 2013, we’re resolving to continue busting the following “internship” myths:
- Interns should be assigned low value tasks.
One of the key benefits of hiring interns is the opportunity to assess a candidate’s skills, qualifications, and fit in a temporary, low-risk context. We believe that interns should be given meaningful projects that are consistent with their education and skill set. By leveraging an intern’s abilities, the intern can put their knowledge to work while contributing to the organization’s business goals. - Internship candidates are under-qualified.
There’s a common belief that internship candidates – or people who face barriers to employment – are less qualified than candidates for traditional roles. Having launched the careers of over 11,000 interns, we can confidently say that the quality of talent is not an issue. The candidates in our talent pools are highly qualified and motivated to succeed in their chosen careers. All they need is the opportunity to demonstrate their worth by gaining on-the-job experience. - Interns are free.
The paid versus unpaid internship debate waged on in 2012 and Career Edge Organization remains committed to the value of paid internships for both candidates and employers. See why it makes good business sense to pay your intern.
2012 was certainly a big year for Career Edge Organization, and we are well-positioned for 2013. We wish you all the best in the year ahead, and look forward to working together to put diverse, qualified talent to work.