Lorenzo Conte works as a human resources information systems consultant for the City of Toronto. He graduated in computer science and worked in IT, human resources and education before moving to Canada from Italy in 2014. He enrolled as a mentee in TRIEC Mentoring Partnership in 2014 and made the decision to become a mentor last year.
When and How did you originally become involved in TRIEC Mentoring Partnership as a mentee? Which agency did you work with?
In 2014 I attended French classes for newcomers and I met a mentoring/Job coach from the TRIEC Mentoring Partnership program who suggested I participate. The agency I worked with was “JobStart”.
How did the agency support and help you in your career goals?
JobStart connected me with a mentor who helped me have a better understanding of my goals and my possibilities in the labor market. My mentor also connected me with other professionals with experience in my field.
Why did you become a mentor?
I came across the City of Toronto’s Mentoring Partnership Program in my corporate intranet and when I read I could make a lasting difference in the life of a new immigrant I felt the call – I received help when I arrived and I wanted to share my experience and challenges with others looking for their first job in Canada
How did mentoring help you with finding your first job in Canada?
Mentoring helped me understand where my skills would fit in Toronto’s labour market.
Can you give an example of how you’ve put your learning from the program into practice?
Even though my aspiration was to become an IT Manager, I leveraged my most recent experience as an adult’s educator to get my first job. I had the perception that Canadian experience was considered more than what I did in other countries, so I worked on my professional development, networking within my organization and obtained career advancements and a permanent position.
What advice would you give to a new mentee about how to make the most of the mentoring relationship?
Try to make sure the mentor knows what your goals and expectations are without losing focus on what your dreams are. Accept other opportunities that can lead you to your final goal.
What does being a mentor now mean to you?
A person who the mentee can trust, who understands their strengths, knowledge gaps, and objectives. And based on the current job opportunities, guide them making informed decisions
And lastly, could you please complete the following sentence…
“The future of mentoring is…to guide in making informed decisions.”