Graduate prospects

Christy92

I've finished an Arts degree and I'm doin a Postgrad conversion course in Computer Science at the moment. Have my heart set on goin in 2014 once I'm done and have been hearing that the IT industry is booming in Canada at the moment and that a graduate with little experience would still be in demand. Anyone care to shed some light on this?

fergusb

IT is definitely booming in Canada at the moment, and there are plenty of opportunities. However I'm not sure how easy it would be without a experience. I've heard (anecdotal evidence only!) that it can be difficult to get IT jobs in Canada without good industry experience.

I'll ask a IT recruiter I know what they think and get back to you.

fergusb

I should have asked what area of IT you are in?

Christy92

I'm mainly studying programming in Java, VB, C++, html and also doing database management. Thanks for the help

retalivity

Euroopean qualifications mean next to nothing over here, it's all about experience. If you could get into a graduate program in Ireland and work a few years youd be better set.
Don't think it's possible (or if it is, it's not cheap) to do the same thing over here as an immigrant.

fergusb

Just heard back from the recruiter I know, so he was saying that it could be tough without experience. There are a lot of Computer Science graduates in Vancouver so a lot of competition for graduate level positions. I guess its probably similar enough to other countries except as retalivity pointed out your qualification won't stand for as much.

Getting experience before coming over would definitely be beneficial!

Christy92

Thanks for the advice guys, I'll definitely take this into consideration. IT graduates in Ireland are extremely in demand so was hoping it might be similar in Canada. Either way I will eventually go over :P

NewsMeQuick

I can't believe people still say that... get a few years experience in Ireland before coming over...have people forgotten why people are fleeing Ireland? Many of us can't get ANY experience, paid or unpaid. If you could get experience, what would be the point of leaving?



I see the Canadian govt. has lots of paid internships and mentorships in every area of the economy designed specifically for immigrants and help integrate immigrants. The employment prospects after that are well-supported by their own stats. Maybe the point is getting Canadian work experience so start anywhere and build is the best advice I've been given.

fergusb

There are plenty of IT positions in Ireland at the moment from what I've heard and I know a good few companies actively recruiting, and not everyone leaving Ireland is leaving because they cannot get work. As Christy92 said he has his heart set on Canada so don't think its due to difficulty in getting experience that is why he wants to leave.

Canada isn't cheap (well Vancouver definitely isn't!). and I don't doubt that you will get a IT job over here if you can sell yourself well, but it could take a long time and the pay could be quite low initially, so you would have to have a lot of savings to pay for general living and relocation expenses.

Where as in Ireland you can apply and use contacts to get a position, you have no relocation expenses, companies won't be scared of you VISA status (assuming its a Working Holiday IEC visa). Then after a year or 2 of experience, you will have good experience, can save money for the initial relocation and then then get a job much easier over here.

retalivity

I see the Canadian govt. has lots of paid internships and mentorships in every area of the economy designed specifically for immigrants and help integrate immigrants

Where have you seen this? The Canadian govt are getting a lot of stick about immigrants coming into the country to fill jobs when there are a ton of canadians out of work, particularly in unskilled/labour/trade jobs. I've not heard of any internships run by anyone that caters solely for immigrants.
There are plenty of govt-run agencies that set up networking groups & workshops to assist immigrants with getting job e.g. Resume writing, interview techniques, talks from business leaders, networking etc. but thats about it. I have never heard anything about the government giving newcomers paid internships and if there was, there would be uproar. Any co-op or internship schemes run by major businesses that I have heard about (including my current employer) would accept only canadian applicants.

Maybe the point is getting Canadian work experience so start anywhere and build is the best advice I've been given.

I'd agree with this. Having no experience will make it harder, but it doesn't make it impossible. It's all about selling yourself, and once you get a foot in the door somewhere, then you can start looking upwards.

NewsMeQuick

Just trying to get through all the points...

1. I think it's safe to say that during the roughest economic period for 100 years and with all 6,350 Canadian IEC visas assigned in record time, few are 'going on holiday' or 'shooting the breeze'. Most of them are looking for work. (Jebus you must be doing well to have such an ivory-tower view)
http://www.irishtimes.com/blogs/generationemigration/2013/02/04/canadian-visa-quota-filled-in-record-time/

2. As for experience, the Canadian immigration Minister Jason Kenny also visited London last Autumn, in addition to Ireland. He specifically singled out that there is a lot of unemployed recent (I don't think he used a specific number) graduates without jobs that can find them in Canada, so he identified inexperienced recent graduates. Here is his London visit:
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/personalfinance/expat-money/9583522/Canada-woos-unemployed-British-graduates.html

3. 'Using one's contact's' sounds like a more established career move, not an entry-level one for a graduate. (again ivory tower)

4. The internships and mentorships:

The government internship for immigrants
http://alliescanada.ca/how-we-can-help/mentoring/

Accenture study of internships/mentorships for immigrants
http://canadianimmigrant.ca/news-and-views/mentoring-reduces-immigrant-unemployment-boosts-earnings-study

Other networking in Vancouver resource
http://www.networkinginvan.com/technology/

fergusb

NewsMeQuick wrote: »

Just trying to get through all the points...

1. I think it's safe to say that during the roughest economic period for 100 years and with all 6,350 Canadian IEC visas assigned in record time, few are 'going on holiday' or 'shooting the breeze'. Most of them are looking for work. (Jebus you must be doing well to have such an ivory-tower view)
http://www.irishtimes.com/blogs/generationemigration/2013/02/04/canadian-visa-quota-filled-in-record-time/

Just because the quota goes in record time doesn't mean people are forced to go, in a recent survey almost half of people left full time jobs,
http://www.irishtimes.com/news/social-affairs/educated-irish-leaving-for-new-life-abroad-1.1541741

NewsMeQuick wrote: »

2. As for experience, the Canadian immigration Minister Jason Kenny also visited London last Autumn, in addition to Ireland. He specifically singled out that there is a lot of unemployed recent (I don't think he used a specific number) graduates without jobs that can find them in Canada, so he identified inexperienced recent graduates. Here is his London visit:
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/personalfinance/expat-money/9583522/Canada-woos-unemployed-British-graduates.html

Sure there are loads of jobs in Canada, If you want to work in the Oil Sands or mining in Saskatchewan (which is very well paid from what I've heard!), but if you want to work in one of the big cities doing what your trained in, its not going to be as easy.

Sure in the article you posed he says "It is hoped this will encourage young people who go to Canada to work in gap year jobs in bars or ski resorts, but then find more skilled work, to settle in Canada in the longer term.". The OP explicitly said he was looking for IT not jobs in bars or ski resorts.

NewsMeQuick wrote: »

3. 'Using one's contact's' sounds like a more established career move, not an entry-level one for a graduate. (again ivory tower)

Seriously? Colleges/lecturers often have contacts with companies and agreed internship programs, friends might work in companies who can refer you. Having some contact in a company is going to make getting a job much easier regardless of your level. My first IT job after college was because I (barely) knew someone who referred me and got my foot in the door.