Immigrants’ Views

Immigrants’ ViewsImmigrants’ Views

BC Internationally Trained BC Internationally Trained Professionals NetworkProfessionals Network

http://bcitp.net/downloads/site2/http://bcitp.net/downloads/site2/BCITPNET_Surrey_summary.pBCITPNET_Surrey_summary.pdfdf

Look at what they perceive to be Look at what they perceive to be the barriers to the right the barriers to the right employment:employment:

Immigrants’ ViewsImmigrants’ Views

Poor info in home Poor info in home country: country: “misleading”“misleading”

Not the right Not the right Canadian Canadian experienceexperience

Perception that Perception that credentials were credentials were “fake”“fake”

English and English and communicationscommunications

CostsCosts Time, incomeTime, income DiscriminationDiscrimination References not References not

recognizedrecognized Long wait Long wait

periodsperiods Changing Changing

requirementsrequirements Poor feedbackPoor feedback

Pathways 1: Regulated Pathways 1: Regulated Professions : CSMLSProfessions : CSMLS

Issues include time, costs and fees, Issues include time, costs and fees, complexitycomplexity

How much cost should the profession How much cost should the profession itself bear?itself bear?

Link language assessment to the Link language assessment to the professionprofession

Link to colleges and universities for Link to colleges and universities for bridging programs and PT studiesbridging programs and PT studies

Liability?Liability? http://www.csmls.orghttp://www.csmls.org

Pathways 1: Regulated Pathways 1: Regulated Professions: U of T PharmacistsProfessions: U of T Pharmacists

Pharm Ed, June 2003, Vol3(2) pp87-Pharm Ed, June 2003, Vol3(2) pp87-9696

50% of those licensed in ON are 50% of those licensed in ON are ITI’sITI’s

Go beyond credential-based Go beyond credential-based evaluation and paper exams and evaluation and paper exams and portfoliosportfolios

PLA is more holistic and robust for PLA is more holistic and robust for skill trades where “knowledge in skill trades where “knowledge in action” is the key.action” is the key.

Pathways 1: Regulated Pathways 1: Regulated Professions : U of T PharmacistsProfessions : U of T Pharmacists

Developed a direct assessment, Developed a direct assessment, competency based PLA programcompetency based PLA program

Identified competency standards, Identified competency standards, developed the model, designed test developed the model, designed test stations, then measured stations, then measured competencies against the standards.competencies against the standards.

““Communicative competency formed Communicative competency formed an overarching superordinate an overarching superordinate category for assessment”category for assessment”

Pathways 1: Regulated Pathways 1: Regulated Professions : U of T PharmacistsProfessions : U of T Pharmacists

Logistics and costs were daunting Logistics and costs were daunting ($1800 per candidate)($1800 per candidate)

Inadequacy of TOEFL: need “pharmacy-Inadequacy of TOEFL: need “pharmacy-specific linguistic, communicative and specific linguistic, communicative and cultural competency assessment...”cultural competency assessment...”

Quickly identified gaps in procedural Quickly identified gaps in procedural knowledge expected in a Canadian knowledge expected in a Canadian pharmacypharmacy

(B.C. process: 1,000 hours needed in (B.C. process: 1,000 hours needed in Canadian/US setting).Canadian/US setting).

Pathways 1: Regulated Pathways 1: Regulated ProfessionsProfessions

Solution: build networks to help each Solution: build networks to help each otherother

Citizens who immigrated must help Citizens who immigrated must help the newcomers along: give them the newcomers along: give them experience, allow them to volunteerexperience, allow them to volunteer

Lobby for a minimum wage while Lobby for a minimum wage while they are going through the processthey are going through the process

Professional specific ESL, plus Professional specific ESL, plus bridging programsbridging programs

Pathways 2: non-regulated Pathways 2: non-regulated professions: Tourismprofessions: Tourism

Canadian Tourism Human Resource Canadian Tourism Human Resource Council: a national sector council:Council: a national sector council:

http://www.cthrc.cahttp://www.cthrc.ca Uses a comprehensive system of Uses a comprehensive system of

competencies based on occupational competencies based on occupational standards, and common benchmarks standards, and common benchmarks to assess skills and abilities:to assess skills and abilities:

http://www.emerit.cahttp://www.emerit.ca Model for other sectors?Model for other sectors?

Recognizing the BestWhat employers expect, need, and look for...

K E PKnowledge Experience Performance

Multiple-choice exam



30%

=


Evidence of practical experience



=TCPTCSTCM


Evidence of relevant experience

Practical assessment of performance


Needs to map onto the educational Needs to map onto the educational system: we need a system: we need a national credit national credit transfer systemtransfer system among colleges to among colleges to link with the employer driven systemlink with the employer driven system

Skills gaps: how do you handle the Skills gaps: how do you handle the gaps? Colleges vary in how they can gaps? Colleges vary in how they can handle the gaps and provide PT handle the gaps and provide PT learning.learning.


For immigrants we then add the For immigrants we then add the language and cultural issueslanguage and cultural issues

CTHRC has a successful bridging CTHRC has a successful bridging program: Read-to-Work to support program: Read-to-Work to support immigrantsimmigrants

Mis-match of skills levels required by Mis-match of skills levels required by immigration and those needed by the immigration and those needed by the industryindustry

Pathways 3: Community CollegesPathways 3: Community Colleges

Colleges are particularly well placed to Colleges are particularly well placed to help ITIhelp ITI

They are focused on education that They are focused on education that leads to workleads to work

They often have strong ESL offeringsThey often have strong ESL offerings They do PLARThey do PLAR They have strong links with many They have strong links with many

other community agencies: settlement other community agencies: settlement agencies, governments, other agencies, governments, other providers etc.providers etc.

So, they are positioned to play a So, they are positioned to play a central role…central role…

Big Issue: ITIs are peopleBig Issue: ITIs are people

ComplexComplex UniqueUnique Have diverse backgrounds and Have diverse backgrounds and

experiencesexperiences Have diverse needsHave diverse needs Each has the ability to succeed and Each has the ability to succeed and

prosperprosper Each has the right to tryEach has the right to try

Colleges are not……Colleges are not……

We are not organized around a “whole We are not organized around a “whole student” of any sort:student” of any sort:

Program/ESL/Admissions/PLAR/Program/ESL/Admissions/PLAR/Registration/Financial Aid/Counseling are Registration/Financial Aid/Counseling are all separateall separate

Externally, 3 levels of government/ Externally, 3 levels of government/ occupational and regulatory occupational and regulatory bodies/employers/advocates/settlement bodies/employers/advocates/settlement agenciesagencies

Each ITI needs a unique integration of a Each ITI needs a unique integration of a multitude of unitsmultitude of units

Examples?Examples?

Not easy to find examples , Not easy to find examples , even in colleges, of where even in colleges, of where immigrants have received immigrants have received recognition for experiential recognition for experiential learninglearning

VCC: Provincial Instructor VCC: Provincial Instructor DiplomaDiploma

Provincial Instructor DiplomaProvincial Instructor Diploma

Each PID course has a description Each PID course has a description of the elements that a person has of the elements that a person has to submit as proof of equivalent to submit as proof of equivalent competency: he/she submits competency: he/she submits documents that give evidence documents that give evidence that they have, for example, that they have, for example, developed a curriculum or actual developed a curriculum or actual teaching tools and instruments teaching tools and instruments as evidence that they have the as evidence that they have the skill sets that are provided in the skill sets that are provided in the course. course.

Provincial Instructor DiplomaProvincial Instructor Diploma But, few come with their course But, few come with their course

materials, and corroboration is materials, and corroboration is needed to of the documents and needed to of the documents and tools that are submitted.tools that are submitted.

Many such educators enjoy taking Many such educators enjoy taking the courses because they provide a the courses because they provide a window into the culture of education window into the culture of education here; and they are not overly here; and they are not overly concerned about getting recognition concerned about getting recognition for their past experience. Instead, for their past experience. Instead, they enjoy the comparisons our they enjoy the comparisons our courses provide into what and how courses provide into what and how they did the job in their homelands.they did the job in their homelands.

GOLETA program at UNLGOLETA program at UNL

http://www.ulster.ac.uk/lll/researhttp://www.ulster.ac.uk/lll/researchcentre/publications/pdf/apel_achcentre/publications/pdf/apel_and_ll.pdfnd_ll.pdf

Section 2.3: Helen PetersSection 2.3: Helen Peters Portfolio building for APELPortfolio building for APEL An 8 week program for those with An 8 week program for those with

higher level English levelshigher level English levels Obtain a Certificate in PDObtain a Certificate in PD

GOLETA program at UNLGOLETA program at UNL Personal development and Personal development and

Communication sessionsCommunication sessions Weekly portfolio building sessionsWeekly portfolio building sessions Group interaction very importantGroup interaction very important Each participant considered all aspects Each participant considered all aspects

of their lives: skills, abilities and of their lives: skills, abilities and knowledge gainedknowledge gained

Principle benefit was self confidence Principle benefit was self confidence and self knowledge, and “the ability to and self knowledge, and “the ability to analyze and describe gains form analyze and describe gains form experience”experience”

GOLETA program at UNLGOLETA program at UNL

This article is a good source of This article is a good source of discussion about the challenges of discussion about the challenges of the portfolio process for the the portfolio process for the immigrantimmigrant

Role of the tutor/counsellor is crucialRole of the tutor/counsellor is crucial Integration of theory/practice and Integration of theory/practice and

personal experience is hard: the personal experience is hard: the process of deriving the learning is as process of deriving the learning is as valuable as the learning itself: both valuable as the learning itself: both parts should be valued formally in parts should be valued formally in the portfolio processthe portfolio process

ContactContact

Alan DavisAlan Davis

VP EducationVP Education

Vancouver Community Vancouver Community CollegeCollege

[email protected]@vcc.ca

Documents

Immigrants’ Views