Danby Appliances has had a long history of supporting refugees both in and out of the workforce, and this month they’re encouraging other businesses to do the same.
Launched at the beginning of June and supported by 80 partner organizations across Canada, their #WelcomingEconomy for Refugees campaign aims to show businesses how they can address labour shortages with refugee talent, by sharing inspiring stories of refugee accomplishments and highlighting the benefits of refugees based on their qualifications.
It also provides practical assistance and resources to “ensure successful recruitment and retention of refugee employees,” the press release states.
Why? Because it’s the right thing to do, Danby CEO Jim Estill said.
“And as Canadians, we need people to do the jobs,” he said.
Since 2016, Danby has been running its Ease into Canada program, where they hire refugees on a temporary basis to help them settle in before helping them find more permanent employment elsewhere.
In total, he said they’ve hired more than 200 on a temporary basis, with about 30 having stayed on permanently. During their temporary contract, he said the company is flexible with hours because their first three months are typically filled with appointments at immigration services and Service Ontario, for example.
There’s also a focus on learning English through ESL classes; they have an English word of the day, English lunch buddies and English homework.
“And then towards the end of the 90 days, we assign a job coach, we do resume writing, and basically teach them how to go on to indeed and work with them on what would be an appropriate job, because the jobs we have are not appropriate for everybody,” Estill said.
Estill also co-chairs the Refugee Jobs Agenda Roundtable with the Honourable Ratna Omidvar and Rashmi Vohra of TD Bank Group, which is sponsoring the campaign.
The release points to the labour shortage Canada is facing, with around one million job vacancies, and the need for embracing the skills and experiences of refugees to address it.
The campaign challenges the perception of refugees as individuals solely in need of humanitarian assistance, instead showcasing the diverse skills, talents and experiences they offer.
"Welcoming refugees is a humanitarian investment that can yield huge economic dividends for Canadians. Refugees bring education, experience, and talent – along with initiative and determination – at a time when businesses are struggling to find and keep workers,” Estill said in the release.
“The #WelcomingEconomy for Refugees campaign helps employers connect with resources they need to capitalize on the skills and talents of Canada's refugees."