Written by Negar Noroozi
Workplace Preparation Program (WPP) graduate
I started my career in Canada as a postdoctoral researcher in electrical engineering, specifically in power electronics. After two years of working as a postdoc, I was extremely eager to continue my job in the electric vehicle industry and follow my dreams. When I went into the job search process, I noticed that companies require more than technical skills. They wanted to make sure that their new employees would be able to build a good connection with other employees in their multicultural work environment.
Despite my solid technical background, I didn’t have adequate evidence validating my soft skills. Most of my Canadian work experience was working remotely as an independent researcher with minimum interactions with others. Therefore, I decided to fill this gap in my resume by joining the Workplace Preparation Program (WPP) at Mohawk College. Honestly, I gained much more than I expected. I met Aida, the WPP instructor, an exceptionally kind and supportive mentor who fostered confidence in her students, including me. Additionally, I met amazing international professionals through those courses, and I am still in touch with them.
The WPP courses cover a vast area of work-related aspects, for instance:
- Communicating properly in the workplace through email, phone, etc.
- Getting well-informed about the Canadian culture, such as ways of initiating conversations using small talk and understanding the workplace language codes while getting feedback from the others
- Dealing with work related dilemmas
- A deep understanding of the job market in Canada
- Giving well-structured presentations using Piktochart software
- Displaying a professional appearance on LinkedIn
In short, WPP courses changed the game for me, and I successfully started a new chapter in my life by joining one of the largest electric vehicle companies in Ontario. I strongly recommend others participate in WPP courses and not miss this opportunity.
