Vancouver youth ‘experiences’ Canada here

Veronica Dejo is very much a city girl.
Born in Lima, Peru, raised in Vancouver, and educated for a year in Hong Kong, the 27-year-old thought she had experienced it all until she signed on with Experience Canada and was introduced to Fort Frances.
“When we arrived here, the first thing I said was ‘Where am I?’” said Dejo.
Dejo, who’s been in Fort Frances for six months, graduated with a degree of Applied Arts in Merchandising in 1995, spent a year taking Asian Studies in Hong Kong, and then returned to Vancouver to discover all her degree could get her was a low-paying desk job.
“It’s tough to find a job in Vancouver. I was working as a marketing assistant. I was pretty much doing a lot of clerical work, handling mail and changing addresses,” she noted.
Then Dejo was watching television one afternoon and spotted a commercial for Experience Canada–a program designed to overcome the hurdle of getting that first good reference on your résumé.
Experience Canada is a federal program set up to help young Canadian graduates aged 18-29 to acquire practical experience in their field–one of the most difficult steps for those trying to enter the workforce.
The program brings highly-qualified young people together from every province for a job-training session in Ottawa. Then they are sent to a province other than their home one to begin a job set up by Experience Canada.
The first Dejo heard of Fort Frances was when she was told she had a phone interview with Wayne Anderson, communications officer for the Seven Generations Educational Institute at the Nanicost building.
“I didn’t know where Fort Frances was. I tried to find it on the map or on the ’Net but it was nowhere. The first question Wayne asked me was ‘Do you know where Fort Frances is,’” she recalled.
Anderson still hired her and over the past six months, Dejo not only has built a portfolio that should help her get a job in her field, she’s discovered another great part of her country.
The Seven Generations Educational Institute offers post-secondary courses so residents in surrounding communities can earn degrees and diplomas without leaving the area. Dejo has been able to visit many of those communities while taking pictures and gathering information for brochures and booklets.
“The best part is you get to see lots of places. Working with Wayne, we got to go everywhere. I’ve realized this place is amazing,” said Dejo.
After the big city life, Dejo has enjoyed the people she’s met in a small town.
“It’s a very warm place, people are very warm. Wayne Anderson is a friend, not just a boss. In Vancouver, I’d never ask my boss ‘Hey can I have a ride home?’” she noted.
Dejo has turned down some invitations, including an invitation to go hunting within the first week of her placement and a chance to go winter camping.
“Who goes camping when it’s minus-20 degrees out,” she laughed.
Dejo spent her time in Fort Frances designing brochures, posters, pamphlets, and booklets for Seven Generations. She now has a portfolio she will confidently take with her to find a graphic design job back in the city.
Experience Canada handles all the paper work for the employer, and matches up an employee to suit their needs. The employer pays Experience Canada while Experience Canada divides it up to cover the employees costs and provide a small salary.
For Anderson, it was an excellent chance to get a hand in the office.
“It will be tough to say good-bye. She’ll say herself she’s amazed how much work there is for one person. We’re definitely going to miss her,” he said.
Graduates and employers interested in Experience Canada can call Pat Kozyra, the Northern Ontario co-ordinator for the non-profit program, at 1-807-767-6207.
The graduate will be provided with a place to stay, a flight to that location, a two-week training session in Ottawa, and the opportunity to put what they have learned to use in the industry.
“Experience Canada doesn’t try to find a career for you, they train you in your job skills,” said Dejo.
Dejo already has a job interview lined up in Thunder Bay. If she doesn’t get that, she will head to Toronto with her new portfolio.
”When I was in Vancouver and they offered me a job, I was scared I wouldn’t reach their expectations. I’ve reached them and done more,” she enthused.