KELLY YUAN

Immigrating to Canada in the year 2020 was uncertain and tough. I had originally planned to leave my job in China in February and move to Calgary in April 2020. But the pandemic broke out in China in January, and lockdowns and travel restrictions meant I had to delay my travel several times. After being unemployed for 2 months, I finally made the difficult decision to buy a plane ticket which cost 5 times more than usual to land in Canada last July. While I lay in a quarantine hotel bed on my first day in Canada, after more than 20 hours in flight, I realized that the challenges had just begun for a single immigrant woman with no relatives and friends in a strange new country, during a pandemic. 

I learned about Making Changes’ Women in Technology (WIT) Program from a consultant at the Settlement Online Pre-Arrival Program offered by CCIS. The WIT program was listed in their resources and my counselor sent me information after I expressed interest in the IT field. I had previously worked as an automotive engineer and had learned a bit about programming and data. I knew I wanted to work in IT and believed this is where I would have a bright future. 

Transitioning to the IT sector during a pandemic was going to be challenging especially without any Canadian work experience. So, I decided to equip myself with the skills to switch careers and applied to the WIT program. In this program, I knew I would receive the technical training and a work placement to gain the skills and experience I needed. I was accepted to the Fall 2020 cohort. 

The program was very intense, but I found I was so interested that I was able to study for hours and hours with unbelievable passion and energy. During the first couple of months, I worked part-time as a waitress in a local restaurant, which allowed me to take courses during the day. Sometimes I felt exhausted walking home alone at midnight on snow-covered roads to the bus station after cleaning toilets and mopping floors at the restaurant, but I would quickly regain my energy to do my IT homework when I arrived at my apartment. My love of problem-solving, the encouragement from classmates and the program manager, and the inspiration from guest speakers during Employment and Power skills all helped me to carry on through the program. 

I feel so lucky to have taken the WIT program, not only because I achieved my goal and gained my first IT job working at AltaGas, but because I was able to improve my soft skills and gain the confidence I needed. Through the WIT program, Canada became my home, with achievable dreams, and backed by a community of supportive women and friends.

Kelly started her practicum placement at AltaGas Ltd as a Data Analyst in March 2021 and was hired full-time upon completion.