CIBC
Peter Krivel
Intern Sunday Asha helped save the Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce more than $500,000.
Of course, he received recognition for his efforts, but more important, the 46-year-old native of Nigeria was offered a full-time job.
Asha, who now works with a team to ensure that CIBC complies with various rules and regulations covering financial institutions, joined the bank last year through Career Bridge (careerbridge.ca), which arranges internships for immigrants that are designed to break through that "no Canadian experience" barrier.
While interning, Asha helped with a money-saving project to adjust regulatory and accounting procedures at the bank. Asha was a very big part of that success because of his strong audit background, a CIBC spokesperson says.
"I'm an accountant and I worked with banks in Nigeria and West Africa for 15 years doing financial controls, audits and risk management," Asha says. "When I arrived here [in 2005], I sent out over 50 resumes, but it was frustrating because they always required a resumes of Canadian experience and better communication skills."
CIBC has many programs to attract and develop the talents of immigrants. The bank has hired 18 interns from Career Bridge, an agency that links immigrants with employers, and 13 have found jobs, seven of them in senior financial analyst roles.
"We're an organization that puts great effort into making sure we employ individuals from all backgrounds, skills and cultures," says Sharon Wingfelder, the bank's vice-president of resourcing.
"We feel it makes good business sense and, from an employment angle, it brings fresh, new ideas to the table."
The bank trains recruiters to be aware of the advantages of hiring people with international credentials and it provides cultural training for managers. "It's embedded within our learning for managers," Wingfelder says.
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