Canadian Newcomers in a New World of Work

CANNEXUS 2007National Career Development Conference

April 16 - 18, 2007 Toronto, Ontario.

Khaled A. IslaihSettlement Worker

Brampton Multicultural Centre Brampton – Ontario

Introduction

• Old Economy/ New Economy

• New World of Work

• Newcomer Challenges

• Transformational Approach

• Conclusion

Old Economy (Industrial Economy )

PRODUCTION MANAGMENT MARKET

Physical assets / laborIndustrial firmsStandard skillsDegreesSlow changesStable job

Resource management Hierarchies Command and control Conflict of interest Long life-cycles

Manufactured productsLocal /national Price / quality

New Economy (Knowledge Economy)

PRODUCTION MANAGMENT MARKET

Knowledge and ideasKnowledge firmsKnowledge workersFast changesUnpredictable jobsLife long-learning

Process management Network structures Shared authorities

Teamwork Short life-cycles

Fast changes

Knowledge productsGlobal

Innovation

New World of Work• Work is more fluid focused on sharing knowledge

and information (intangible)

• Work can be done from anywhere and anytime

• Short term contracts and consulting assignments

• No job security and no benefits

• Employment success requires life-long learning

• Work smarter

• Job shifts

• Work is offered in an increasingly globalized job market

Newcomers Challenges in the New World

• Interconnected settlement challenges (jobs, family, housing, school, language, credential recognition….etc)

• Disoriented (new country, different economy and new culture)

• Fragmented support and guidance

• Frustration (family issues, survival jobs, physical health, mental health)

• Cognitive gap (low self-esteem and negative attitudes and worldview)

• Isolation (no community participation or civic engagement)

Transformational Approach• Traditional settlement programs and initiatives are not

responsive to the needs and challenges of newcomers in the 21st century.

• Design holistic integration approach to address settlement interconnected challenges including job search and employment facilitation

• Networked approach to use newcomers' collective knowledge to connect with them the Canadian networked economy.

• Build learning communities to connect newcomers to long-term personal and professional support networks.

Why Transformational Approach?

• Productive conversations and group discussions will help newcomer participants to reframe their challenges through collective reflections.

• Collective interactions empower newcomers to take actions to enhance their community participation and civic engagement including labor market integration.

• New mindset

Successful Transformation Needs

• New vision for settlement sector (integrate global knowledge in the Canadian economy)

• New language (human capital, social capital, global experience, global economy/society, cultural integration, civic participation…etc)

• New actors: competent settlement workers

• New structures: flexible network structures

Benefits of Transformation • Newcomers: engaged citizens, productive workers

and future leaders in their communities

• Businesses: expand global business opportunities, better relationships with customers and investors, retain newcomers talents.

• Canadian communities: stronger communities with stronger families

• Canadian economy: better competitive position in the global economy.

Conclusion

We are all newcomers in the new global knowledge economy/society