Summer Experience at Skills for Change

Summer Experience at Skills for Change

By Danielle Liao, Events and Digital Marketing Assistant (Summer Student)

Danielle Liao was a summer student part of the Canada Summer Jobs Student program, working as an Events and Digital Marketing Assistant at Skills for Change for Summer 2018. . She is currently a third year student at McMaster University pursuing and Honours Bachelor of Science in Biology and Environmental Science with a minor in Geography and hopes to one day work at National Geographic.

Over the past 2 months, I had the opportunity to intern as an Events and Digital Marketing Assistant at Skills for Change. This position challenged me and resulted in my growth and the gaining of new skills that I will take with me, in not only my professional career, but in my personal life as well. I was involved in various projects and assignments that revolved around the promotion of Skills for Change’s mentorship program, events, workshops, research as well as other outreach activities.

One of my main responsibilities was assisting with digital marketing for Skills for Change’s programs, and specifically focused on website management. I was involved in creating eventbrite links for our “Skills for Employment” programs and then importing them into the events calendar. Skills for Employment programs are weekly workshops that support newcomers and immigrants with different resources to support their career and job growth.

Another responsibility that I had that included being a part of a new online portal launch, a job board launch for the organization. As an employer-service provider organization, I worked on a website management platform in which I would post available jobs from our partnerships with businesses on our job boards to market and advertise these to our clients. The job board had a very successful launch and I was part of managing all the job posts.

Another task that worked on closely is the women’s programs and updating their weekly events on the website. The Women Connecting with Women program is for newcomer immigrant and refugee women to help them transition to Canada. The program hosts different workshops and I ensured that all workshops were available easily on our digital platforms.

Communication was also a key component of my position. I used a platform called “Constant Contact”, an e-mail marketing portal to manage and create e-blasts that are sent to SfC’s large database, detailing the events that SfC will be hosting. This is an initiative that is meant to reach audiences regarding upcoming events at Skills for Change. This responsibility included being especially being detailed-oriented and accurate.

Throughout my time at SfC, my favourite activity was making the postcards for our employment programs which included the “Employing Youth Talent Incentive” and the “Career Institute Training” programs which I did using an online platform on Canva. I enjoyed this because it allowed me to be creative and be able to put my ideas into something that will be posted and distributed.

Another task that I really enjoyed was the fundraising that I did with a few other colleagues to raise funds and donations for annual summer appreciation event. I was also able to come to two events which included the Pioneers for Change gala as well as the CivicAction event for youths. The Gala was an event showcasing and honouring immigrants who have done community work for others and the CivicAction event was a workshop to teach youths how to connect and their online presence.

Finally, I helped the Lead On summer camp make bath bombs as well as go to a financial literacy workshop with them. At the end of the program, I was able to come to their graduation and hear them speak about their experiences and hardships in being a newcomer immigrant. I truly related to them as I moved here to Canada when I was 10. I knew the hardships that they faced through assimilating into Canadian culture and leaving your family and friends behind.

I truly enjoyed my time here at Skills for Change. I am extremely grateful that I got an opportunity to work at an organization whose values coincide with mine. I would like to thank the various the individuals that help mentor me throughout my time here including Tenzin, Josh, Iman and Rosaline.