Meet Jill. She is the Career Counselor and Job Coach for the Food Service Training Program at CIWA.

Jill joined CIWA in 2013 after a friend connected her to the organization. She immigrated to Calgary with her husband, who was assigned to a project in Canada. She has now been working as a CIWA staff for over 8 years!

Jill enjoys being a part of the Food Service Training team, where they have served more than 400 clients and have helped approximately 350 clients find successful employment over the course of her 8.5 years. She feels that she has a deep understanding her clients’ needs, having experienced a similar pathway in life as an immigrant woman.

“Having been working at CIWA for more than 8 years, I am very happy that I have the opportunity to help many clients reach their career goals. What I like most about my job is working directly with clients to provide the help they need.”

Jill believes that there are many barriers immigrant women are still facing. Language barriers, cultural barriers, employment barriers and being able to connect with the community and other resources they need are some of the biggest challenges new immigrants face. She believes that CIWA has coordinated all their programs to holistically meet the needs of new immigrant women, and to empower them to be a part of Canadian society.

“Helping people and serving my community have been the passion which drives me through all my careers. I worked at SAIT as a Program Advisor and Sessional Online Instructor for five years before joining CIWA, and I have been volunteering in schools, communities and associations for 16 years. My passion will continue to lead me to the path that I have dedicated to over the years.”

Outside of work, Jill enjoys reading, travelling, hiking, cooking, and volunteering.

To learn more about the services we provide to support immigrant women find successful employment, click here.