50 Faces of SECC – Daniel

In Mexico, Daniel graduated with an Electrical Engineer degree and was a successful business owner of El Mago Clothing Store and Electrical Installation. In 2008, Daniel decided that he wanted to move to Canada and had a dream of working here as an Electrician. Unfortunately, his degree was not recognized in Canada so he needed to quickly shift gears and determine a suitable career option. It didn’t take long before Daniel was employed at a local greenhouse

where he was promoted from Harvester to Trainer to Supervisor.

Daniel worked hard to further his career and was very dedicated to bettering himself for his family and for his future here in Canada. Unfortunately, Daniel faced a devastating layoff due to a downsize and was offered another position; however, it felt like starting from the bottom again. Instead of letting this unplanned employment change bring him down, he grabbed the opportunity to work towards his goal of becoming a Canadian Electrician with stamina and excitement.

With the help of SECC’s Career Hub, Daniel focused on his job search, credential assessment, and apprenticeships; however, he always returned to his goal of being an electrician in Canada. Daniel decided he would go to college to become an electrician. For this to happen, he would need to improve his English before applying. Daniel enrolled in SECC’s Language Instruction for Newcomers to Canada program, where he greatly improved his English and gained the confidence to apply for further education to make his dream a reality.

Daniel was looking into college opportunities when his Employment Consultant at SECC presented information on the Power of Trades Program at the YMCA of Southwestern Ontario. This program, free of charge, is designed to help newcomers to Canada access jobs in the skilled trades in Ontario. Students receive 4-weeks of classroom training followed by a 3-week work placement. Daniel excitedly applied for the Electrician program and was accepted! Daniel stated, “I am very excited for this opportunity, as it will help me better my skills and abilities here in Canada and open up a lot more doors for me in the future.” Daniel began this program in January of 2023.