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The mentorship program offered Edgar practical assistance on many topics from job search techniques to information about office culture.

Annette Bilawchuk chuckles now when she thinks of her initial reluctance in agreeing to mentor a foreign-trained professional. She was in for a happy surprise, however, when she began to realize the difference she could make in a newcomer’s life.

Armed with enthusiasm and excellent professional credentials, Fen Li (Vivian Lee) and her husband arrived in Edmonton in October 2008, ready to offer their considerable professional skills to Canada.

Tilahun Bogale expected challenges when he emigrated from Ethiopia to Edmonton to pursue his mechanical engineering career. He didn’t expect, however, to be paired with a Canadian business mentor who is giving him very useful, very practical help he can use to get an engineering job in Canada.

“Learning about soft skills like effective communication is so important. The way new residents view things is very different from the way most Canadians would view the same thing. You can’t make judgments about people without understanding their perspective.”