Jun. 18, 2018 The Ladder: Piyush Ghandi: Today I found this article by Cynthia Nixon in the Globe and Mail:
Piyush Gandhi, 47, is vice president of flight operations for Sunwing Airlines, based out of Ontario. Until November 2017, he was Porter Airlines’ vice president of flight operations.
As a very young boy I wanted to be a pilot. I was interested in mechanical things and spent a lot of time building, tinkering – looking upward.
High school is such an uncertain time; I had an advantage knowing exactly what I wanted to do. Being a pilot is a great career, so fulfilling. I speak at graduation ceremonies at colleges and universities, public schools; you name it.
One thing that makes me love the work? Every day is different, guaranteed. A pilot shortage has been looming for years, baby boomers hitting a retirement bubble. In Canada, flight schools only produce [approximately] 250 commercial pilots per year, instructors are also being scooped up.
I was born in Toronto, grew up in North York in a middle-class family. I still have the same friends I had in public school. I wanted a university degree, my parents didn’t say I had to. I was accepted, but turned down Seneca College’s Aviation and Flight Technology program. I spent the summer travelling with friends.
In Jasper, I came down the mountain, got in the van and drove back without even going home, went to Seneca saying, ‘I made a terrible mistake.’ That was the first year they accepted 121 people into that wonderful, grueling, intense program.
I had just started as an instructor with Flight Safety Canada in Toronto. The general manager said, “I shouldn’t do this. They’re looking for a pilot at Bombardier; I think you’re the right personality.” He literally walked me across the street.
Two days later, Bombardier offered me a job. I was chief pilot/customer liaison pilot with three hats: a test pilot in a fireproof suit doing things you wouldn’t ever imagine; marketing, taking airplanes around the world to sell; and training, helping an airline get started, then go to the next country. It kept me very busy. I loved the job, the people, everything.
Two days later, Bombardier offered me a job. I was chief pilot/customer liaison pilot with three hats: a test pilot in a fireproof suit doing things you wouldn’t ever imagine; marketing, taking airplanes around the world to sell; and training, helping an airline get started, then go to the next country. It kept me very busy. I loved the job, the people, everything.
I was 36 years old, 10 years into the company, on the team trying to sell Bob Deluce airplanes. He asked if I wanted to be chief pilot, help start Porter; it took him three months to convince me.
We built Porter from scratch, 15 of us. I flew – (HM) Queen Elizabeth II, definitely a career highlight.
Bob wanted me to get an MBA. It was fantastic, one of the most rewarding, awakening experiences in my life. I was in a classroom with 65 other accomplished professionals. I was a sponge. It allowed me to make more informed decisions. A week before I graduated, sure enough, Porter promoted me.
Leaving was one of my most difficult career decisions. I feel really proud of what we did – that will always stay with me. I wasn’t looking – I got a call from a recruiting firm; I liked the opportunity Sunwing presented, a new opportunity flying larger airplanes and being part of a large complex organization.
You don’t find mentors, mentors find you. They’re attracted to some quality, think highly of you and want to help guide you. People were very helpful in my career. I feel strongly I have to give back, have a few people I guide.
In my MBA, I sat next to a guy who said, “Let’s buy a race car.” We stripped it down, [worked on it with others], put it in a roll cage and put it on the racetrack. We’ve raced the Chump Car series for three seasons. It’s exhilarating.
My wife calls it my mid-life crisis. My mother wrote a letter begging me not to do it, saying, “You have two kids, it’s not okay to be doing this anymore.” She said she’d never come to see me, but, of course, the first race she came and loved it. That’s a mother.
My wife calls it my mid-life crisis. My mother wrote a letter begging me not to do it, saying, “You have two kids, it’s not okay to be doing this anymore.” She said she’d never come to see me, but, of course, the first race she came and loved it. That’s a mother.
I’m a closet Grateful Dead Head, Been to 55 shows [before Jerry Garcia’s death in 1995]. Pictures of me with long hair were all over Porter, people saying, “This is our vice president.”
On my goodbye cake, a beautiful contrast, me in my hippie days imprinted next to an elegant picture in my uniform. Often, I’m the stuffy suit guy in meetings, but I carry that picture with my long hair to remind me who I really am.
On my goodbye cake, a beautiful contrast, me in my hippie days imprinted next to an elegant picture in my uniform. Often, I’m the stuffy suit guy in meetings, but I carry that picture with my long hair to remind me who I really am.
Having the drive,a plan,education,persistence,=reward
"Two would -be immigrants wonder: How can I get a job in Canada?": Today I found this article in the Globe and Mail:
The Questions
I am a Kenyan citizen, 25, an accounting student at Kenyatta University. Since I was a kid, I have been dreaming to work in Canada as an accountant. I love my profession. But the only people getting chances outside of Africa are children of powerful politicians. “Maybe they deserve it more than I do” – that’s how I have been consoling myself all along.
My name is Farid, I am 19, live in Azerbaijan, and studying in the National Aviation Academy. Is it even possible for me to continue studying in Canada for my speciality so that one day I may work there?
The First Answer
Doug Ewen
Certified Human Resources Executive, Midland, Ont.
First and foremost, I want to say that I am glad you are considering Canada in your career search. With our changing demographics and very low unemployment rate, it will be important for Canadian companies to tap into international sources to fill key roles.
Apart from the government requirements and red tape around international hiring, there are a number of reasons why Canadian companies will increasingly look to international recruiting. From a positional standpoint, skilled trades and other technical roles are increasingly difficult to fill as fewer people pursue those fields of study.
In the manufacturing sector, there is a huge push to greater automation to be able to remain globally competitive. However, workforce skills have not kept pace with the need to build, program and maintain that equipment.
In the manufacturing sector, there is a huge push to greater automation to be able to remain globally competitive. However, workforce skills have not kept pace with the need to build, program and maintain that equipment.
Companies are continuing to expand their footprint in a global marketplace. Building a multicultural work force to reflect a global customer base can be a strategic objective to foster a better understanding of the markets in which they compete.
International hiring in various professional, technical and skilled positions will support that objective.
International hiring in various professional, technical and skilled positions will support that objective.
For international applicants, patience and perseverance are going to be important, as this will be a new frontier for many companies.
The Second Answer
Peter Caven
Individuals seeking employment in Canada with degrees or accreditations from institutions outside of Canada, and no experience living in Canada, face several challenges, even though the institution may offer programs of a very high calibre that are well regarded in their home country.
Firstly, it is not common that Canadian organizations have extensive experience with people from offshore institutions. They likely do not have employees from that institute and therefore do not have any points of reference for the skills and knowledge of graduates.
In addition, they may have concerns about the cultural fit of people who have lived in Canada and acquired an understanding of Canadian culture.
Perhaps most importantly, graduates of offshore institutions do not have any networks in Canada. Research has proven that 80 per cent of jobs that are filled are done so by networking and referrals.
One of the global management consultancies studied the success of new hires from a variety of sources and found that employee referrals resulted in the best hires.
Employees know the organization and its culture and therefore refer those who they think will fit the environment. In addition, when someone makes a referral into their organization, they are taking a risk – by putting their reputation on the line – and will refer only high-quality candidates.
One of the global management consultancies studied the success of new hires from a variety of sources and found that employee referrals resulted in the best hires.
Employees know the organization and its culture and therefore refer those who they think will fit the environment. In addition, when someone makes a referral into their organization, they are taking a risk – by putting their reputation on the line – and will refer only high-quality candidates.
A degree or accreditation from a Canadian program goes a long way to alleviating the foregoing concerns. Graduates will already have experience with the Canadian culture and a group of alumni with whom to network.
Research will identify appropriate Canadian institutes and provide information on programs, tuition, financial aid, application processes and so forth. Although it will be challenging and potentially expensive, graduation from a Canadian program will pay off in the long term for those seeking to launch a career in Canada.
The problems with degrees from third world countries is 1 the standard and 2 you can often pass by bribing the professors. Better get immigrants from Germany or France, a few of my Jewish friends no longer feel safe there.
Why do people always want to leave their own country? Why not build it up with your knowledge and skills? Too much talent has left places like Kenya and Azerbaijan, and it will never improve if bright, educated people continue to leave
Immigrants seeking financial support to 'canadianize' their work skill credentials may want to look at http://www.iafcanada.org/
Oct. 28, 2018 My opinion: I agree with all these opinions.
However, when I clicked on iafcanada.org, it lead me to:
https://windmillmicrolending.org/
However, when I clicked on iafcanada.org, it lead me to:
https://windmillmicrolending.org/
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