Namrata’s Story: Turning Hopes into a Career in Canada

A focused journey of a newcomer!

Hard work beats talent when talent doesn’t work hard!

Namrata Zagade arrived in Canada in 2023 from India with tons of hope and a Himalayan dream for her life in a new country. Her starting in Regina as a newcomer was no different from any other newcomers, as uncertainty was the biggest barrier she had to face with, especially around securing a job without any Canadian work experience. To navigate in this new environment of job market, she started volunteering, which helped her connect with the community and understand the local work culture.

Her breakthrough came through the support from Employment services at Regina Open Door Society (RODS). With their guidance she completed certifications in Excel Level 1 & 2, First Aid, and a few other job readiness courses which boosted her skills and helped her job application to stand out in the competitive job market. RODS also offered expert support in resume writing and job searching, which served a pivotal role in transition to work.

Initially, she was successful to secure a job as a Home Visitor at Regina Immigrant Women Centre (RIWC), which paved the way to her current role as a Program Coordinator. While this position isn’t directly related to her Master’s degree in Chemistry or her experience as a Laboratory Technician back home, still it has offered tremendous professional development and opened doors to new opportunities. She also benefitted from RODS Mentorship Program, which helped her further in shaping her career path in Canada.

Her advice to newcomer is “Embrace volunteering, keep learning and never hesitate to ask for help. Stay patient and persistent and make connections, which would definitely pay off to find a job”.

We extend our heartfelt thanks to RBC Future Launch for their kind and generous support for newcomer youth seeking employment and looking for avenues to improve their job readiness skills.