Nael Zubaidi came to Canada in August 2020. He previously worked in Dubai for nearly 15 years as an M&E manager for a large general contractor. He become a mentee with the TRIEC Mentoring Partnership through the program at Sheridan College.
Like many immigrants who came to Canada during the global pandemic, I was faced with many challenges finding a job in my industry, in a tough market.
I approached the nearest employment centre seeking advice on job prospects. I got information on services provided by multiple centres across the Greater Toronto Area and specifically in Peel. I still recall the advisor emphasizing the importance of mentoring programs. Her recommendation at the time was to apply for the TRIEC Mentoring Partnership program at Sheridan College. She told me to seek Janet Gaffney’s help (as she heard Janet is one of the best mentoring coaches in the mentoring partnership).
I did not hesitate to contact Janet to enroll in the TRIEC Mentoring Partnership. Janet was prompt and shortly after scheduled a conference call with me to understand my career goals, experience and educational background. What I admired in Janet was her hard work to find a mentor from within my industry that could meet my expectations.
While I have many years of experience and qualifications, not having Canadian experience was important and a challenge I felt I needed to overcome. The mentor Janet recommended was a professional with extensive years of experience in the M&E industry. Moving forward, I had periodic conference calls with my mentor to ask industry related questions and seek guidance in my job hunt. My mentor provided me with valuable information and direction aiding me in my job search. He also connected me to his network, this helped me get an interview and a job offer. In the interim, Janet would periodically check in with us to make sure that the mentoring partnership was a success. Her continued follow up to make sure that the process was successful exhibited utmost loyalty and devotion to what she does. Janet has contributed significantly to my success story.
My mentor arranged an interview for me at the company where he works. The interview resulted in a full-time position as a project manager for one of the company’s largest projects. Getting this position has been my career goal since I left Dubai. I cannot say it enough, Janet’s hard work and my mentor’s help resulted in ending my four-month job hunt and starting a new year with a job in my industry.
Thank you, Janet, for all the devotion and excellent service you have provided. You have made my journey a successful one in a very short time.
Have you been inspired by Nael’s story and interested in becoming a mentee, you can find out more information on our Find a mentor page.