Work Insights with Hyundai Canada

By Danielle Levitt, Manager, Employer Engagement & Partnerships

Skills for Change is well known for its many programs that support its clients as it aims to remove barriers to employment, promote inclusion in workforce development initiatives and increase economic outcomes for equity seeking groups. One such approach is through participating in meaningful dialogue with Best In Class Employer Partners: companies that foster inclusive hiring practices, promote psychologically safe workplace cultures, support employees in their learning and development goals, and promote from within across the ranks.

In highlighting success stories of organizations that champion inclusive hiring and employee development programs in the marketplace, Skills for Change recently partnered with Hyundai Automotive Canada for its September Work Insights Event. Moderated by Skills for Change CEO, Surranna Sandy – the panel of Hyundai executives insightfully shared their personal stories and lived experiences, reflecting on their own careers. The stories demonstrate a common theme – the challenges and substantial barriers newcomers face when coming to Canada, in hopes of attaining meaningful employment. Despite their previous education and extensive work experience the requirement to gain necessary Canadian work experience upon entry creates exceptional barriers to entry, forcing them to re-skill, upskill or apply transferable skills in other industries, just to increase their chances of employability and advance their careers in the local labour market.

Listed as one of the best places to work in Canada, Hyundai Executives Kirk Merrett, Kristina Covello-Garcia and Vishnu Rajasingham hold a shared belief that employee engagement is fundamental to the development of its employees and their success. Kirk enthusiastically promotes the many open roles at Hyundai and encourages people to apply: “More than ever, this is a great opportunity for those who are new to Canada as companies look to hire more diverse talent.” Hyundai continually nurtures the culture it has so intricately fostered, and is transparent through it’s stakeholder communication messaging. Not only do employees and executives share the same values, but it’s values are openly shared on the organization’s corporate website:

At Hyundai Canada we believe our people are the driving force helping to bring our business and culture to the next level. That’s why we are dedicated to creating a culture that fosters personal and career development, respect, trust and inclusion, all while having fun! We encourage a culture where innovating, sharing new ideas and pushing the limits of what we can accomplish together is a daily activity. We are a fast paced environment, where each day brings new and exciting opportunities and challenges and by working together we are able to bring a first-class product and experience to our customers.

We are grateful for the opportunity to speak with Hyundai and share their inspiring story. We’re thrilled to see these best practices in action and look forward to hearing about Hyundai’s continued success as it looks to expand, and hire diverse talent for hundreds of roles across the organizational landscape. On behalf of Skills for Change, let’s continue to work together to remove barriers for those who are new to Canada’s labour market by connecting them to companies, like Hyundai, who champion best practices in diversity and inclusion and promote positive economic outcomes for equity seeking groups.

For over 38 years, Skills for Change has supported the integration and well-being of immigrants and refugees in Canada. For more information, please visit our website, LinkedIn, Twitter and Facebook.