Please forward this to ONE Canadian immigrant today and tell them to subscribe here.
Abu Hafejee runs a carpentry business in Toronto, teaches the carpentry apprenticeship program at George Brown College, while supporting the Toronto Business Development Centre (TBDC) Explore Skilled Trades program.
He’s also a passionate community builder, educator, and youth advocate dedicated to making sports, education, and leadership development more accessible. Committed to fostering diversity and inclusion, I work to introduce first-generation Canadians to hockey and create opportunities for underrepresented communities.
Chapters
0:00 The easiest entry point
0:39 Intro
1:32 On teaching
5:04 Is it hard to find talent in construction?
9:09 Nobody's hoarding skills
15:13 How newcomers get into the trades without a resume
17:30 Why general labour is the best way in
21:58 The three skills you need
26:24 What TBDC does
29:36 Salaries
35:29 The Book of Questions
39:27 Outro
Takeaways
Abu's list of things that folks who progress fast do are show up on time, take initiative, and don't kill yourself. Notice there's nothing about skill in it. I mean, this doesn't mean that you don't need some training or coaching on how to hammer a nail in or stuff like that. But don't let your inability to do so hold you back.
Links
Where to find Abu:
Abu Hafejee; LinkedIn
The Newcomers resources
Read the guide on breaking into Ontario's skilled trades industry
Want to work with us? Check out The Newcomers Media Kit.
Want more immigrant interviews? Listen to The Newcomers Podcast.
Looking to find out what Canadian immigration program you’re eligible for? Check out our Who’s Eligible For series.
Do you know anyone who would find this information useful? Please forward it.
Was this email forwarded to you? Join our mailing list.