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Take a walk in the major Canadian cities and you will undoubtedly notice the burgeoning diversity. It is a trend that has been covered in the media, politics, and beyond. What is interesting is that this diversity is now increasing outside the traditional top destinations of Toronto, Montreal, and Vancouver, and into cities like Calgary, Winnipeg, Halifax, Saskatoon, and more. This makes sense, given the Canadian government’s successful economic policy to attract skilled immigrants. As well as supplementing the Canadian workforce, employee diversity can bring a myriad of experiences and ideas to create a more creative and competitive economic environment. Unfortunately, immigrants remain the largest group within Canada that experience unemployment or underemployment. There has been a focus in identifying the roadblocks that immigrant-workers face in not only transitioning into the workforce but in gaining positions congruent with their education level. What is not as discussed is how employers are acting to diversify and help immigrant-workers successfully transition into professionals in Canada.

Canada is well known throughout the world as a country of multiculturalism with a diverse population. Within the counselling context, it is important to explore and understand an individual’s unique cultural influences. A cultural lens is important for understanding people’s career development, including career planning and decision-making. Within an economically and status driven society, taking an inclusive perspective means gaining appreciation for the process of career decision-making that incorporates the experiences of Canada’s diverse working population. From an applied perspective, having a greater understanding of the influences on such a process may prove invaluable within the specific context of career counselling. From a personal perspective, the career decision-making process is one that has been central to my own life and has been often complicated and stressful, as there have been important influences that are embedded within my cultural milieu of being a Chinese-Canadian immigrant.

Four years of all-consuming post-secondary study, student debt, a baccalaureate degree in hand, and unemployment staring you in the face. Three years related experience needed to apply for work in ones field of study is a daunting reality for most new graduates. Having dedicated ones former years to earning good grades and working entry level, minimum wage, jobs to pay rent or ones cell phone bill just doesn’t cut it in the job market today. This puts our graduates in a very vulnerable state. In fact, a recent Statistic Canada report shows youth unemployment has increased to a 14.1 per cent high, double the unemployment rate of the general population, with more than 400,000 young adults (ages 19-30) unable to find work. Youth need organizations to take a chance on them, how can one gain professional experience otherwise? From my experience, I believe a need for mentors is the key to a successful career starting point, for youth as mentees.

“If you wish to achieve worthwhile things in your personal and career life, you must become a worthwhile person in your own self-development.” – Brian Tracy