Hello, my name is Sy. I am a 28-year-old single male from Eritrea, a government-assisted refugee in Canada. When I opened my file with WorkBC, I struggled with communication and finding employment. This is where my employment counselor made a significant difference. She helped me craft a professional resume and connected me with several construction employers. Through her efforts, I secured a job as a construction worker.

My name is John. Life hasn't always been easy for me. I didn’t have much education other than grade 12, and I faced substance use disorder, incarceration, and a back injury that kept me out of work for nearly a decade, reducing my chances of finding my way back into the workforce. In June 2024, everything changed when I discovered WorkBC. Initially, I lacked a resume and had weak computer skills. I was more familiar with in-person job searches and didn’t know how to navigate online job searches. Being an Indigenous Person with only a high school education and a significant gap in my work history, the prospects seemed overwhelming.

They embraced my individual strengths and limitations, while facilitated a functional capacity assessment, enabling a better understanding of my physical capabilities... Today I’m employed part-time and embracing newfound opportunities for personal and professional growth. Reflecting on the journey, I acknowledge the pivotal role played by WorkBC.

Determined to provide for my family, I embraced WorkBC's support. Stepping into their offices felt like a lifeline. My case manager, Kevin, became my hero, offering invaluable guidance on resumes and interviews. But WorkBC didn't stop there, with WorkBC's Job Starts support, I smoothly transitioned into my new role, landing a job as bookkeeper on April 8, 2024.

As an immigrant and refugee, I faced many challenges... Today, I am proud to say that I am employed. I feel proud of myself and my motivation to not give up until I was accepted and offered a job.

And then, after much hard work and the amazing support, I achieved a milestone: I secured a supervisor position in my industry, drawing on my 20 years of experience.

I was unemployed and searching for a job in my neighborhood close to me so that I could still take care of my kids. I graduated from Langara College with certificates in ECE. My only problem was finding a work environment that I was happy and wanted to work in.

I was unemployed for 4 years due to drug addiction. I have a criminal record and the major challenges which I faced in keeping my job were owing to my addiction.

I was unemployed and on disability.  It had been several years since I had a sustainable employment. I was facing financial hardships which was a big reason for my unemployment, as I was unable to arrange for the required work gear. Addiction prevented me from finding work, along with cognitive and learning issues as well.

The major challenge I faced was the recession in 2023, which resulted in limited job opportunities and company layoffs. There was intense competition for available jobs, and opportunities were scarce.

I was unemployed. I used to struggle with getting call back after my interviews. I came to WorkBC Centre Guildford to look for possible employment profiles.

I was unemployed for the last 2 years. I was struggling with my communication skills as I realized I was not vocal enough to describe my strengths to the employers.  

I faced many challenges to find a full-time job because of my age, lack of training and language barrier.

I migrated to Canada and was unemployed for more than 6 months when I got to know about employment services offered by WorkBC.

I had been laid off after working for over 10 years and was unsure about my future career. The biggest challenge I had faced was my hearing problem along with lack of work experience/ education if I wanted to change my career.

I moved to Coquitlam in September, 2022, being unemployed for two months until I visited WorkBC Centre Guilford. I was new to the city, having no acquaintance to help me find a job. In addition, the position I held before was not decent enough to survive in Lower Mainland area due to such a high cost of living. So, I decided to start a new career; however, I didn't know where to begin.

I was unemployed for approximately 10 months. I didn’t have a marketable resume and needed guidance to brush up my Interview skills. I was unsuccessful in finding a sustainable employment for a long time.

I was unemployed before I came to WorkBC. I tried several ways to find a job on my own, but I failed to find any. Then, I decided register at WorkBC Centre Guildford. I had physical and educational barriers.

I had been unemployed for six months before coming to WorkBC Centre Guildford. Most of my experience was in construction, but due to personal reasons, it wasn’t feasible for me to continue working in that industry.

I had a contractual job in a family owned business and had no formal qualifications or training for the job. After the contract period got over, it was not renewed. Therefore, I became unemployed from August 31, 2022. I got in touch with WorkBC Centre Guildford in September, 2022. I was continuously applying for various jobs but there was no response.