“Either I will find the way, or I will make one”. Philip Sydney’s quote resonates in my story. My name is Hector, and I am a Mexican graduate in Information Technology. I started working as a System Administrator after my graduation in 2013. I wanted to be a successful professional, but good English communication skills were considered a must in the corporate world. Therefore, I came to Canada in 2014 as an International student. Later on, I decided to stay here to follow my dreams.

I remember my first days! I was really excited about being in a new country, in a different culture, living in a big metropolitan city like Toronto. I was meeting new people, making new friends at school who helped me a lot to improve my English skills. My biggest challenges were definitely language and finding a job in my area of expertise. Lack of “Canadian Experience” was a contributing factor in getting the job in my field.

I was referred to CultureLink by a friend who works in a community center and knew about the Cybersecurity program for newcomers with IT backgrounds. I immediately got in touch to inquire more about the program. They were very helpful and explained to me what the program is all about. I also attended the Information Session to know if this program was a good fit for me. I joined the Cybersecurity Training program in October 2020. During the training, the facilitator was very supportive during different stages of the program, including my job search, making me feel more confident when applying for jobs or attending interviews. After attending training, I got a job in the cybersecurity field.

I would highly recommend others to come to CultureLink- especially newcomers. They will not only get support for their settlement needs, but they will also get an opportunity to interact with other newcomers who are facing the same issues. Now I confidently call Canada my new home. I want to gain more experience and continue studying new technologies to stay up-to-date in terms of designation in cybersecurity.