Our Story
Beginning of Success Skills Centre
Humble Beginnings Success Skills Centre started with ten immigrant women professionals in 1985, under the federal Canada Employment and Immigration Commission (CEIC), delivering a seven-month full-time gap training program (four months in-class, and three months with employers), combining occupational language, individually purchased related external courses, job search skills training and work experience placement.
Market Demand The program was in such demand that in 1990, the Centre was expanded to taking in 50 participants, for both men and women.
Program Delivery To make best use of the federal government funding, we started to deliver in-house courses such as Word Perfect (later Word), AutoCAD, accounting and spreadsheet applications, and the Business Development Bank of Canada’s Starting a Business.
Milestones Achieved Success rate for permanent work placements was at 96%, with several participants establishing private businesses as well.
Received Funding From Government.
When the federal government devolved its funding to the Province of Manitoba in 1998, our Centre’s funding moved from the federal department of Human Resources and Skills Development Canada (HRSDC) to the provincial Department of Education and Training for 100 program participants per year.In 2000
the Centre was additionally funded for more participants and staff, by Manitoba Labour (and Immigration)In 2010
the Centre took on 1100 participants in its pre-employment and training programsSince 2013
With the return of settlement funding to the federal government’s Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC), Success Skills Centre takes on 318 participants a yearSuccess rates for participants’ return to their related occupations in most recent years range from 86% to 92%. We measure our results only on participants actually returning to their related occupations, rather than obtaining any jobs. We take pride in our track record.
Recognitions to Our Staff
Our staff has received a variety of recognitions, including the Citizenship and Immigration Canada’s “Citation of Citizenship Award” and other dedication awards from various government and community organizations for staff’s leadership role in promoting the utilization of the talents of professionals and skilled workers, and providing input into government immigrant policy, programming and credential recognition development. Numerous courses initially delivered at Success Skills Centre, e.g., Communications for Immigrant Accounting Professionals, English for Immigrant Engineers, Technical Writing for Immigrant Engineers and Technologists, were picked up by the Province, and now delivered by several universities and college, when the number of immigrants increased rapidly through the Provincial Nominee Program.
Success Skills Training Centre
In 2016, Success Skills Centre incorporated separately its training centre to a not-for-profit social enterprise to accommodate the growing demand for its fast-track, career-specific gap training, and to meet the varying time need and price affordability of learners and employers than is generally available. The ‘just-in-time’ skill-based courses are designed to address the needs of today’s labour market, and is delivered by contracted qualified professionals in the field. The practical courses can be completed in days, weeks to months, depending on what is selected and the efforts of the learner.