Desi News Corp - Index

Desi News Corp - Desi News - June 2009 - Index

mulated a full year of work
experience as a draftsman. It’s an
attractive addition to any
resumé, which he says is critical
in today’s competitive environment.
“That’s a big problem for a
new immigrant: having a local
reference to give to an employer
when you’re looking for work,”
he points out.
After three successful years
at Centennial, Selvarajah is
poised to graduate in June and
will begin his permanent job
with Toronto Hydro, which he
won after applying for a design
technician vacancy that had
come up. He’s delighted that the
company recognized his work
and his Centennial College
diploma.
“I took a gamble by starting
all over again when I arrived in
Canada – against the advice of
many of my friends,” says Selvarajah.
“Now, with my success,
I have been a good influence
for the simple reason that the
program was starting immediately,
rather than requiring
him to wait nine more months
for a traditional start in autumn.
He was also pleased to qualify
for an Ontario Student Assistance
Program (OSAP) loan.
“When I decided to go to
college, nobody felt I had made
a good decision. They warned
me that I was going to end up
in big debt. But I don’t mind
getting a loan for school if it
means I’ll be paid $20 per hour
after I graduate, rather than $10
per hour for general labour.
“Because of the loan, I put
my full concentration in the
program. There was no time for
fooling around or working parttime,”
Selvarajah says. He had
to tutor his children at home in
the evenings in addition to
completing his own homework.
Selvarajah found his fellow
students at Centennial were
very diverse, which made him
feel comfortable surrounded by
so many people from his
homeland and from other
nations. At the age of 41, he
was neither the youngest nor
the oldest student in his class,
although he did find some
younger colleagues liked to
come to him for help and advice.
One feature of his program
was co-op education, whereby
he spent three semesters with
an employer in the field for pay.
He chose to work in the planning
department at Toronto
Hydro, helping to draft electrical
distribution systems, such
as the one required when the
utility converted St. Clair Avenue
West from overhead wires
to an underground system.
“Toronto Hydro senior staff
were very helpful and patient
with us,” says Selvarajah, referring
to the handful of college
and university students
hired by the company as co-op
protégés.
After three semesters in the
workplace, Selvarajah had accuon
my family and friends.
“At least two of them have
gone on to college because of
my experience!”
– MARK T OLJAGIC
Ask us!
For more information
about Centennial College’s
Engineering Technology
programs, visit www.centennial
college.ca/ SET AS.