TORONTO, November 12, 2014 – Hungary native Reka Tokes was sure to pack all her professional education and work experience certificates in her suitcase when moving to Canada with her husband and young daughter in 2012. However, she was also mindful that it could take a very long time to get employed in her field, if she relied only on those certificates and her career back home, lacking Canadian experience.
But thanks to her efforts including participation in York University’s Bridging Program for Internationally Educated Professionals (IEPs), the master’s degree holder in human resources and adult education got hired as a learning consultant for the Ministry of Government Services within two years.
Tokes will be sharing her experiences as an IEP, at York University’s Celebrate Success event on November 13 at 7:00pm, where she and 40 other program graduates will receive their certificates.
The current graduating class includes professionals from around the world whose specialties are in the areas of human resources, information technology, management, marketing, public policy, accounting and finance.
“People like Reka bring with them incredible skills, abilities and a desire to be successful and it’s highly rewarding to help them with filling in gaps, getting professional designations, and in building networks to be better prepared for finding fulfilling careers in Ontario,” says Program Manager Nora Priestly.
The keynote address will be offered by Meleni David, also an internationally trained professional who is a successful lawyer and alumna of York’s Osgoode Hall Law School.
Funded by the provincial and federal governments, the program at York U has assisted IEPs from more than 35 countries to break the barriers to employment in Ontario and land positions that best match their foreign education, credentials and work experience.
“The program helped me to see my background from the Canadian perspective and provided me information about networking opportunities and career options that are relevant to my previous experiences,” says Tokes adding, “Simply put, it helped me build a bridge between my past and my future.”
Note: Graduates and the program manager are available for media interviews
York University is helping to shape the global thinkers and thinking that will define tomorrow. York U’s unwavering commitment to excellence reflects a rich diversity of perspectives and a strong sense of social responsibility that sets us apart. A York U degree empowers graduates to thrive in the world and achieve their life goals through a rigorous academic foundation balanced by real-world experiential education. As a globally recognized research centre, York U is fully engaged in the critical discussions that lead to innovative solutions to the most pressing local and global social challenges. York U’s 11 faculties and 28 research centres are thinking bigger, broader and more globally, partnering with 288 leading universities worldwide. York U's community is strong − 55,000 students, 7,000 faculty and staff, and more than 250,000 alumni.
Media Contacts:
Gloria Suhasini, York University Media Relations, 416 736 2100 ext. 22094, suhasini@yorku.ca
