Labour Shortage - Immigrants to the Rescue!
We've all heard it before, "baby boomers" are leaving a lot of empty shoes to fill as they retire. There simply are not enough Canadian born workers to service the labour shortage that we are experiencing in Canada. In response, the Canadian government has opened the flood gates of immigration and newcomers have landed on our soil, especially of note, Internationally Trained Professionals (IEPs).
What are Internationally Trained Professionals (IEPs)?
IEPs are exactly what the government is looking for to fill the labour gap with. University educated, mostly already with professional experience in their home country - many leaving a decade or more of their career behind to come to Canada. Their education and experience is different from what Canadians learn and practice in business. A lot of the time, the education and experience of IEPs are not aligned with those who are educated and employed in Canada.
The Dilemma
Language and soft skills(interpersonal communication, people managing skills) of IEPs are not what Canadian employers are used to. IEPs may have highly technical skill sets but accents, cultural differences and language barriers keep IEPs from landing the jobs they want. This results in companies still crying for help, and IEPs loudly complaining as they work less desirable jobs to pay the rent.
The Solution - Canadian Soft Skills Training
While to some it comes naturally, Soft skills/interpersonal communications, can be taught. This type of training is beyond basic ESL. Soft skills are more how the language is used rather than just vocabulary. Getting along with others, dealing with coworkers with tact and compassion, interacting with customers in a friendly, diplomatic way are all extremely important to employers while they are seeking new employees.
Employers into Action
There is no doubt that international talent can help any company as business becomes increasingly globalized. Taking advantage of IEPs backgrounds have myriad benefits if one could just get past the hurdle of a lack of soft skills. Employers have to face the obvious reality that new employees are not coming from the same pool they there ten years ago, so why keep holding onto the same hiring and training practices?
Employers who integrate soft skills training into their overall HR strategy will be able to take advantage of the influx of IEPs searching for work.
Soft Skills Training
Language Education for Accounting Professionals (LEAP) is a language and soft skills training solutions provider for a wide variety of Canadian organizations - Not just accounting!
Specializing in everything from online tutorials, to assesments and classroom workshops (including curriculum design) LEAP can help.
Please contact LEAP in Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
