Overcoming Challenges

When David Sun got off his flight to study in Canada, he could speak one sentence in English. “‘How are you?’ That’s all,” he says with a laugh.

Support from other students, teachers, and the community helped him learn English and settle into his new home in Newfoundland. Then, looking for work, he faced new challenges. How could he find a job when he felt so shy to introduce himself to employers? Again, he received support, this time from the newcomers’ association.“

Being a newcomer myself, I’m understanding the challenge of transitioning to a new country,” says David, who now manages TD Bank in Summerside. “I would like to improve that experience for other newcomers coming to Canada.”

Giving Back to the Community

David, who moved to PEI in 2018, has made it a priority to help newcomers here by volunteering as a PEI Connector. As a guest speaker, he provides guidance by sharing his own experience as a Chinese immigrant making a career in Canada. He also provides a hand to newcomers seeking work.

In a new culture, newcomers can face barriers even understanding job descriptions — as cultural differences may mean jobs have different names. “They have to understand ‘what do you do’ for this job description exactly,” David says. People in industry, like David, can help newcomers understand what jobs might make a good fit for them.

David sees volunteering with PEI Connectors as a way to build the province and its economy. “We want to increase our retention rate to keep our newcomer to settle on this Island,” he says.He also sees benefits for himself and his business. By volunteering, he meets more and more people — helping him source new talent for his branch. All of that networking also helps boost his bank’s brand.