Sweta Joshi - Software Developer, KUBRA
When did you move to Canada & where are you from?
I moved to Canada from India in April 2016.
Did you experience difficulties adjusting to life in Canada?
When you have friends who are like family, you don’t have too many difficulties. I am lucky enough to have very good friends here. So, I would say, apart from adjusting to weather, I did not have much difficulties to adjusting to a new life in Canada.
What was your experiences with the .NET program?
I started my job-search a year and a half after arriving in Canada. Upon looking at the course structure of the .Net Bridging Program at Humber, I was convinced it would help me to secure a career in my field. The course is designed in such a good way that it covers the basics as well as advanced topics that are currently required in industry. I must admit that it requires strong efforts and dedication to get your first job in Canada. I have been very lucky to have that motivation and complete support from my family throughout the course. Without the encouragement and the belief from my family, especially my husband, I would not have joined the .NET Bridging Program and the story could be something else. I truly thank my family for my success today.
How did the program help you to get your job at KUBRA?
A couple of weeks into the .NET Bridging Program, I started gaining self-confidence by attending the technical and career connections classes. The course has a great combination in the curriculum to enhance your technical and job development skills. The instructors are very experienced and are always willing to help everyone in the best way they can. By working on the technical assignments, I became more confident to explain my technical skills and to talk about the project I had developed during the course. Moreover, the career connections classes helped me improve my presentation, communication and behavioural skills during the interview process. As for my job at KUBRA, I would surely give the credit to the program, which helped me introduce myself with great confidence in the Tech-Event organised by KUBRA. By then I was at my best to introduce myself as an IT Professional, and following a couple of round of interviews, I was hired at KUBRA.
Are there any memorable moments from the program or a memorable project that you worked on?
The course has given me very good memories for life. I particularly enjoyed the TechTO event with friends and our program Co-Ordinator which was the first networking event in Canada for me. The project I developed helped me getting the knowledge of latest technologies and trends currently used. There were also presentations and discussions in class which helped me a lot for my job-search.
What advice do you have for future newcomers?
Stay positive and focus on improving your soft skills. You need strong interpersonal skills to convince someone that you have the required technical skills to do your job. By networking, you can observe and understand various accents, expressions and workplace culture. Get out of your comfort zone and focus on the position where you want to be. Don’t be negative at any step and you will definitely reach your goal one day. Don’t be hesitant, be confident!
What are your future plans?
I want to be a technical lead/manager where I can spend more time on researching and learning new technologies. I am confident that my attitude of learning and my communication skills will help me to achieve this in the near future.
About the .NET Bridging Program:
Humber offers a 21-week bridging program for internationally trained IT professionals with education and experience in computer programming. This program is designed to provide participants with the advanced concepts, skills and knowledge required to work as .NET Solutions Developers. Our graduates are now employed as .NET Developers, Software Developers and Systems Developers within six months of graduation. The .NET bridging program is generously funded by the Government of Ontario.
