Celebrating success
At Palette Skills, we love to celebrate the success of others. After all, as a national nonprofit dedicated to connecting great talent with growing companies, we’ve helped hundreds of Canadians transition into new careers. On top of that, we’ve assisted employers and innovative industries find the skilled people they need.
Of course, we’re happy to celebrate our successes as well. In April of this year, we were thrilled to be named as a partner with Innovation, Science and Economic Development (ISED) Canada’s $250 million Upskilling for Industry Initiative fund. We celebrated this incredible achievement with François-Philippe Champagne, Minister of Innovation, Science and Industry, who helped us announce the launch of Upskill Canada. Upskill Canada is a national talent platform designed to help fast-growing companies access the talent they need to succeed while creating new career pathways for Canada’s workers.
Upskill Canada’s first hire
In the wake of these achievements, there is nothing quite as gratifying as celebrating the successful career transition of one of our program participants. While we have celebrated hundreds of similar career outcomes, this one is particularly special; Martha—that’s how she’d like to be known—is the first person to be hired by one of our employer partners through Upskill Canada, just three months after the launch of the national talent platform.
Martha’s story is unique, of course. But in a way, her journey is similar to many of our other program participants. We asked her about her background, and about the challenges she faced before taking on her new career.
Martha’s journey to upskilling success
Martha immigrated to Canada from Nigeria less than five years ago. As a new arrival, she faced many challenges, including learning how to adapt to the expectations of the Canadian job market. She was confident in her skills, and in her ability to work hard to achieve goals. As she began to research opportunities, she learned about SalesCamp, the successful business-to-business (B2B) tech sales bootcamp from Palette Skills and Upskill Canada.
Martha already possessed a wealth of great skills from her previous roles in retail and B2B sales in Nigeria. What she needed was a way to connect with Canadian employers, as well as an opportunity to learn about the different expectations of the Canadian workplace. She knew she had the drive and ambition to make a successful career transition, so she decided to take a chance and enroll in SalesCamp.
Unlocking job opportunities with SalesCamp
Throughout the course of her time at SalesCamp, Martha proved to be an incredibly hard worker, an active participant, and an engaged learner. It was a perfect match, because like all of Upskill Canada’s programs, SalesCamp is an industry-led upskilling experience that owes its success to the close participation of business throughout the program, all the way from design to delivery.
One of the key facets of SalesCamp is its many industry-led networking events, which bring ambitious candidates together with employers looking to tap into new talent pipelines. Martha took full advantage of these events, and made strong connections with employers by showcasing her skills and expertise.
In addition, Martha benefitted from the program’s mentorship and coaching, as well as from the job search assistance that sets SalesCamp apart. She learned valuable skills and insights that she was able to apply directly to her job search. Despite facing challenges, Martha was committed to her job search and diligently put in the work.
The opportunity: TIGER coatings
After fielding multiple offers, Martha accepted a B2B sales role with the Canadian branch of global manufacturing company Tiger Drylac North America, based in Guelph, Ontario. When asked how she felt about the job offer, she told us: “It feels really exciting to be given an opportunity. I am also glad to be a part of SalesCamp, because I was able to apply what I learned in my interview questions.”
TIGER Drylac Canada is part of the international group of TIGER companies. Together, the family-owned business is one of the leading manufacturers of coating systems technology in the world. What is exciting about TIGER is their commitment to producing a wide range of thermoset powder coatings that are both environmentally friendly and economical to use.
The inspiration of success
We believe that Martha’s success can be a source of inspiration for other mid-career newcomers wanting to break into the Canadian job market. Her story is a great example of how effective upskilling programs can transform people’s lives, and help them break down barriers to employment and career opportunity. Through Upskill Canada, Palette Skills is excited to share their model to help launch more successful training programs, networking events, and resources to help jobseekers transition into roles where they will thrive.
You can find out more about the Upskill Canada platform and how to get involved by checking out the Upskill Canada webpage. And don’t forget to find out about SalesCamp, the flagship B2B tech sales program from Palette Skills!
