Canada is a multicultural country. Due to the international airport being close to Brampton and Mississauga, many people choose to make their homes in these cities. Highly educated, talented people with lots of ideas land here from all around the globe. But several have a common drawback: we often see they’re not fluent in spoken English language skills.
The lack of spoken English skills can prove a handicap. Due to this drawback, it’s hard for them to find the right job in the right field.
And so, when they land here, many ask themselves: what is the right career path they should follow in their new home?
Indeed, choosing the right career path can be a daunting task, even for the experienced. And there are many things to consider as you chart your career path — but perhaps the best way to assess your future is after you come to the realization that your strength will still be in your earlier core competence… provided you improve your language speaking skills. Which may be tough, but certainly not impossible.
Consider: you were earlier a skilled professional after having educated yourself up to a certain level — and you want to throw all this away just because you’re unsure of your English speaking skills?
Don’t misunderstand me here: Canada is a land of opportunity, and offers everyone a fresh start. So if you’ve set your heart on changing careers midway, by all means, go for it. But if you want to continue with your core competence and it’s only your spoken English skills that are making you lose confidence in yourself — think again!
Start with a self-assessment. Ask yourself what skills you have, what holds your interests, what values you hold dear and what personal qualities you possess. And the main thing is: work on your speaking skills.
Start with ESL classes. Once you feel more comfortable interacting with people and with your own speaking skills, then assess your degree or diploma, and their equivalence here in Canada. If you need to upgrade, there are countless tertiary institutions that offer a variety of programs to suit nearly every need. Some institutions even offer night-time and online classes.
As you look around, ensure you enroll for courses that are marketable and relevant to your career goals. Moreover, in today’s fast-changing world, you must realize that there are no credentials that will serve you forever, and a continuous plan of self-improvement is mandatory to stay ahead.
Yes, everyone desires career success — but don’t short-change yourself through a lack of self-confidence. And don’t be overconfident either — keep working at improving your skills.
Proper credentials are an indispensable asset for your career. Besides the underlying knowledge, qualified people possess greater self-esteem, confidence and a readiness to learn and adapt at work, a fact that makes them more attractive to employers.
Credentials are also a great tool for professional mobility.
And above all — maintain a positive attitude. It will help you tide over any minor issues, and keep you on the road to success.
— Surjit Singh Flora is a Brampton-based journalist.
