One of Paradigm’s Talent Acquisition Specialists, Prince Francis, joined the Paradigm Shift Blog this week to chat about the wonderful relationship we have developed with the Regina Open Door Society (RODS)!
Engagement with the Regina Open Door Society
My engagement with the Regina Open Door Society (RODS) started as an employee with the Employment Services Team, helping newcomers to Regina, Immigrants and Refugees settle down in the city and province by helping them find employment and training necessary to find the right employment. Upon joining Paradigm Consulting, I could see the immense possibilities of engagement at various levels which would benefit both Paradigm and the Regina Open Door clients.
Volunteer Work Placements and Employment Opportunities
Paradigm’s engagement with the Employment Services Team at the Regina Open Door started by onboarding Volunteer Work Placements from various ongoing Job Preparedness Programs. Paradigm hired multiple individuals who worked with our Technical and Talent Acquisition Teams on 8-week project-based terms. These talented individuals were able to showcase their technical and business-skills and learn from senior consultants, while obtaining relevant work experience for their desired jobs.
Paradigm was so impressed with our experience with these clients that we hired two of our wonderful now-Paradigmers after their work experience terms were completed! Michael Akindele-Obe is a strong Business Analyst/Project Manager who has been working on multiple internal projects and team-based projects for our customers. Michael has contributed to the team internally by conducting training sessions and helping the organization in its Salesforce implementation and various support initiatives. Olamide Abbas has been a strong addition to our Talent Acquisition Team – connecting us with wonderful talent across the country.
Tech Skills Showcase
RODS has been hosting the Tech Skills Showcase in partnership with Innovation Saskatchewan for a number of years. This Tech event brings together newcomers with a background in IT with local IT companies. Our COO, Ken Howell and our Director of Talent Operations, Christelle O’Connor have participated in these events as Judges, which has helped highlight Paradigm Consulting as a potential employer of choice for Tech job seekers in Saskatchewan and showcased impressive talent among local job seekers! Just last week we attended our fourth Tech Skills Showcase, and as always, we were blown away by the level of professionalism and tech knowledge these job seekers held!
Christelle and I have been conducting a workshop to the participants prior to the event each year, helping them to design their resumes in a way that will optimize their chances of employment, and shared various ways to seek employment in the province.
Career Fairs
The Annual Career Connections Job Fair hosted by RODS has been one of the biggest Career Fairs in the province, highlighting excellent local tech talent! We are excited each year to take part in this event.
Resume Writing and Job Preparedness Workshops
Christelle and I have been invited to present to various teams within RODS to help the participants learn various aspects of employment, job search, hiring trends and resume/cover letter writing skills. We have been giving presentations to the Career Bridging Program, Youth Skills and Strategy (YESS) participants thus helping them through mentorship, job application process and continuous learning.
The Regina Open Door continues to send across resumes of professionals who are available for work placement opportunities, which has helped us hire experienced and job-ready candidates. This partnership has helped bring unique perspectives to solve business challenges by employing candidates with international experience making it a win-win for Paradigm and the Regina Open Door Society. Paradigm continues to engage with RODS through various initiatives and helping to develop a professional network in Regina and across the province.