Program Description

When is the program offered?

CRTP has 3 regular intakes per year that coincide with the Bow Valley College Trimester System.

Every year there is a course offering in Fall, Winter and Spring.

For exact start dates please consult the Bow Valley College Course Guide or our calendar.

If you need more information please contact us.

How does it work?

The Corporate Readiness Training Program is a 16 week program that consists of:

10 weeks of full-time employment-related training for skilled immigrants who have English as a Second Language
6 weeks of professional work experience that can lead to a Canadian reference
An additional 6 months of follow-up support, including continued job search assistance and membership in a weekly job club.

Graduates of CRTP have the opportunity to be referred to our Mentorship program to continue to build their professional networks.

Your path to the future!

The program is designed to introduce all of the steps needed for finding immigrants jobs and keeping that job in the corporate environment.

You will be working in partnership with the CRTP Team to evaluate your own job readiness through a series of assessments and activities that will make you ready to go to work. These include assessing if you are knowledgeable about the marketplace, your skills and your fit with the organizations in Calgary. When skills gaps are identified in your Essential Skills levels you will be able to target and develop those skills so you are job ready.

At the end of the program, you will be able to:

write an effective professional cover letter and resume
successfully interview for a job
work as a member of a team to complete various projects
network to find job leads, meet people, and further your career
better understand Calgary's corporate culture
make presentations to colleagues and clients effectively
communicate clearly and accurately with colleagues and clients
understand and use a variety of Canadian expressions and idioms
set short and long term career goals
conduct and participate in business meetings
multi-task in a stressful environment meet deadlines and manage time effectively
research the labour market for future opportunities
evaluate and improve your Workplace Essential Skills using the TOWES (Test of Workplace Essential Skills)
evaluate your computer skills through CBSA testing
improve your English language skills in reading, writing, listening and speaking

What do you need to know about the work placement?

This is what you have all been waiting for....

The work experience component is the time when you take all the skills you have learned in class, combine them with all the education and experience you bring from your past and put them to work in the Calgary workplace. This placement is for 6 weeks and is your best chance to network in your field, see how the corporate workplace functions up close, and get a Canadian reference.

This placement will be arranged by CRTP with lots of input and research done by you! In no way are you a passive participant in this process. You will be working hard to find companies who would use your skills and discussing with your facilitator the next steps.

You will not be paid for this on-the-job experience, but you will be able to include it on your resume. You may also be able to secure a Canadian reference that will be useful in other job searches. The hours you will work in this position will depend on the host company’s normal work hours.

Although we will make every effort to find a placement for you, we cannot guarantee one. Nor can we promise that your host company will hire you once the six-week placement is complete.

This program is made possible by funding from the Alberta Government and the Government of Canada.

What we expect of you!

CRTP Class of January 2012

The goal of the CRTP program is to prepare its participants to enter the Calgary corporate workplace. In order to do this, the training is designed to refect the expectations and values of the workplace.

The following are the minimum standards of behaviour requried to be successful in this program:

full attendance and punctuality
meeting all deadlines
completing the tasks and deliverables to the standard set by the program
being proactive and taking initiative in your own learning
working with the others in the class to complete team projects and network
being prepared and ready to learn
communicating your questions to the CRTP Team in a timely manner
to work in partnership with the CRTP Team to network, research labor market conditions, and target host companies
understand that finding a job is your full time job