Hanan Fadhel has over 20 years of experience, delivering large-scale tech solutions across software engineering, cloud computing, AI, and digital transformation for global tech and telecommunication companies.
Since moving to Canada, she has led technical teams across banking, healthcare, and fintech organizations. She also teaches programming languages at Humber Polytechnic, helping career changers and newcomers prepare for successful careers in Canada’s technology sector.
At the TRIEC Mentoring Partnership (TMP) Impact Awards 2026, co-hosted by TD, we were proud to recognize Papiya as a mentee turned mentor. She explains how benefiting from mentoring inspired her to give back as a mentor.
When you first arrived in Canada, what were some of the biggest challenges you faced as you navigated your career journey?
Although I wasn’t starting my career from zero, I was starting my network from zero. One of the biggest challenges was learning how to connect my international experience to what Canadian employers were looking for. Understanding the market, building relationships, and earning trust took time and effort.
How did the TRIEC Mentoring Partnership help you gain confidence and direction as you established yourself professionally in Canada?
What stayed with me most was realizing that having experience is not enough if people don’t know you. My mentor helped me understand that building relationships, communicating your value, and showing confidence are just as important as technical skills. That shifted my mindset from simply looking for opportunities, to actively creating them.
How did the TRIEC Mentoring Partnership help you get a job in your field in Canada?
The TRIEC Mentoring Partnership helped me understand how to present my experience effectively, improve my networking approach, and prepare for opportunities. The advice and insights I received played an important role in helping me establish my career in Canada.
What inspired you to transition from mentee to mentor, and what motivates you to continue supporting others today?
I wanted to transition from mentee to mentor, because I know how much mentorship helped me when I was new to Canada. Becoming a mentor felt like a natural way to give back and help others navigate challenges that I once faced myself.
Is there a piece of advice, conversation, or moment from your experience as a mentee that has stayed with you over the years?
One piece of advice that has stayed with me is that success is not just about technical skills: building relationships, communicating with confidence, staying open to learning, and being able to demonstrate your impact are equally important. That mindset changed how I approached my career, and it continues to guide me today.
What advice would you give to a newcomer when it comes to navigating Canada’s labour market?
Be patient, keep learning, and don’t be afraid to ask for help. Build your network, find a mentor, and be confident in the value you bring. Success may take time, but persistence makes a difference.
There are many who say they are unsure about becoming a mentor. What would you say to them?
Many people think they need to be experts to become mentors, but that is simply not true. If you have learned something through your own journey, you already have something valuable to share. Mentoring is simply helping someone move forward a little faster than you did.