How Moncton Helps International Students Build A Life There After Graduation
MONCTON – Being far from home in pursuit of your education can be a solitary, intimidating and isolating experience. But some international graduates who have now made Greater Moncton home are sharing their experience with current students. The region and province is providing support, too.
Didier Germain, who came from Haiti with a bachelor’s degree in finance and experience working in banks, is one of those graduates who have benefited from programs that support international students.
He completed his two-year financial planning program at CCNB in Dieppe this summer, and is now working as a personal banking advisor for TD Bank. Now that he has a job in his field, he plans to stay for a long time.
“New Brunswick is an amazing place. They try to put everything for international students. I think after all that we received, we have something to give in return, we have to do our part because they need newcomers,” he said.
Germain shared his story as a panelist at the Get Connected welcome event for international students in October, which included a networking session with organizations like Venn Innovation and 3+, settlement agencies, language schools and others.
The event has taken place once a year since 2015 and is part of Greater Moncton’s efforts to retain students, in partnership with the province’s Post-Secondary Education, Training and Labour (PETL) department, academic institutions and other stakeholders. They hope the community will become more used to welcoming international students.
“Our goal is really to connect with students in their first or second year of them moving to our community. We feel the more that we can connect students to available services, such as how to get your bus pass with Codiac, the Moncton public library, and volunteer opportunities, the more likely they are to find professional success in the region after their studies,” said Angelique Reddy-Kalala, immigration strategy officer for the City of Moncton.
“During this event, we’re encouraging them to work part-time throughout their studies, focus on their second language, and then hopefully, over the summer also work full-time to get some extra money and to really help integrate into the community, with the end result of helping to retain them.”
The city also organizes job fairs targeted at international students, and supports post-secondary institutions in the area that host their own networking events for students.
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For Greater Moncton and New Brunswick, attracting and retaining international students is a key part of the immigration and population growth strategy and action plan.
“We know that we have a shrinking labour market and our international students are already here in our community and a great way for us to help grow our economy, but also they add so much vitality and excitement to our community,” Reddy-Kalala said.
Not only do these students bring in revenue into New Brunswick’s universities and colleges, but by the time they graduate, they’re also familiar with Canadian culture, speak either one or both official languages, and have likely experienced a Canadian workplace through part-time work.
“The government recognizes the importance of international students to the province’s cultural diversity and economic growth,” said PETL Communications Officer Leigh Watson said in an e-mail to Huddle. “Government is focusing on increasing the number of international students studying in New Brunswick and choosing to live and work here after graduation.”
In addition to municipal programs, the province also conducts the Study and Stay initiative in partnership with the federal government. Germain is one of dozens of students who were in the first cohort of the program.
The initiative aims to raise awareness about Atlantic Canada as an educational destination and to provide support to internationals students attending post-secondary institutions in New Brunswick. It focuses on boosting students’ employability, integrating them into the workplace and increasing retention.
The various programs in place since 2015 seem to have worked.
PETL’s data shows that between 2015 and 2019, the number of international students nominated through New Brunswick immigration programs has nearly tripled.
Those going through the Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) Skilled Worker stream, the PNP Express Entry, and Atlantic Immigration Pilot Project grew from 67 in 2015 to 198 as of October this year.
There are also federal immigration streams through which the students can apply, but PETL doesn’t have data on how many of them use those streams. There’s also no retention data focused only on international students.
Germain said the Study and Stay program allowed him to see various parts of New Brunswick and meet people. He also had help building his CV, preparing for interviews and polishing his LinkedIn profile.
“That program helped me feel confident to pass interviews, doing volunteering and networking,” he said. “They helped us develop the skills employers are looking for, like good communications skills, people who understand Canadian culture, how to show up in an interview and how to develop your professional social media.”
Germain is an outgoing person and an active learner, though.
He built on his basic English skills by helping customers find produce at Walmart and as a dishwasher at Osaka Hibachi restaurant. He actively sought out networking opportunities because he realizes that’s the best way to learn and meet his future employer, he said.
But, he said programs like Study and Stay, also helps those who are shy.
“They create activities that will show your potential. They will not let you stay in your corner alone, even if you’re shy,” he said.
For Futong Kang, who moved to Moncton from Beijing, China, three years ago, the Get Connected event inspired her. In October, she shared her own story – the stumbles she had learning Canadian culture and English, the confusion of moving from a fast life in a metropolis to a small city, and a tough first year.
But she also shared her successes. Soon after graduating from Crandall University, the artist with a teaching background landed a job as an instructor for the graphic design program at NBCC.
“Last year I was sitting under the stage and listening to others’ successful stories, and I got really inspired by their stories. I told myself I wish one day I could do that and inspire others as well,” she said.
“[This event] will set up a good mindset for their future and [students] won’t feel really intimidated the first year they were here because they can see the direction. So that probably would reduce a lot of anxiety and unnecessary worries,” she said.
Her tip for those who are still studying is to get out there.
“Just get out of your comfort zone and go to volunteer, go to those networking events and meet new people, and you will find friends here. And you won’t feel it’s really tough,” she said.