Jenny found meaningful work
Jenny struggled with her language skills and being unemployed, but she persevered.
Jenny and her family fled from the war in Ukraine and moved to Revelstoke in April 2022. Jenny was the owner of a successful online shop in Ukraine. She sold nutritional supplements and cosmetics but when she came to Canada all that changed.
Everything was different and the culture shock and language barrier were significant. Jenny was less confident in her job search, not because of her lack of employment skills but because of her language skills. “It was shocking,” Jenny said, “I did not understand people. I thought maybe I had learned a different English in school than what people were speaking in Canada.”
Jenny began English classes at Okanagan College and one of her teachers told her about WorkBC services. WorkBC Centre Revelstoke provided Jenny with an Employment Consultant to help her find work. “My Employment Consultant helped me to create a resume that aligned with Canadian rules and expectations,” Jenny said, “Additionally, she helped me connect with the right employer to get the right job.”
WorkBC Centre Revelstoke set Jenny up with a wage subsidy which helped offset the cost of training while Jenny continued to improve her English language skills. The subsidy enabled a local jewellery store to hire Jenny full-time.
Jenny adds new online products, manages, markets, and organizes the store inventory. Her employer values her previous work experience and Jenny enjoys coming to work every day.
Jenny felt discouraged when she first arrived in Canada. She struggled with her language skills and being unemployed. “I had worked all my life. I felt I had lost all of my abilities when I arrived in Canada,” she said. WorkBC helped her find meaningful work that valued her skills and abilities. Being employed gives Jenny a sense of safety and peace of mind and allowed her to rebuild her life.
“All Ukrainians need to know you are not alone,” Jenny said. “Whenever someone asks how I found my job, I say I went to WorkBC. If you need help, people at WorkBC care about you.”
