Engineers Canada CEO appointed to the Expert Panel on Employment Challenges of New Canadians

OTTAWA, Oct. 27, 2014 /CNW/ - Mr. Kim Allen, FEC, P.Eng., the Chief Executive Officer of Engineers Canada, has been appointed by the Honourable Jason Kenney, Minister of Employment and Social Development Canada, to join a panel of experts to consider the barriers to the labour market integration of new Canadians. 

Chaired by Nick Noorani, Canada's leading immigration champion, the Panel will speak to a variety of stakeholders over the coming weeks including employers, regulators and immigrant-serving organizations.  It will identify and report on successes, best practices and other innovative approaches on licensing, hiring and retention.

"Under the current system, many new Canadians are not contributing their full potential to their adopted country," said Mr. Allen. "The work of this panel will help provide essential data for decision-makers to make informed choices on complex issues affecting Canada's economic productivity."

The other members of the Panel are:

• Mr. Nick Noorani, Panel Chair, Immigrant Champion and Social Entrepreneur
• Ms. Margaret Eaton, Executive Director, Toronto Region Immigrant Employment Council
• Mr. Rob Henderson, President and Chief Executive Officer, BioTalent Canada
• Dr. Lori Campbell, Manager of Diversity, Enbridge
• Ms. Christine Nielsen, Chief Executive Officer of Canadian Society of Medical Laboratory Scientists and Chair of the Canadian Network of National Associations of Regulators
• Ms. Wafa Berny, Consultant, Lecturer, Université du Québec à Montréal

"I am pleased to be a part of this group of experts, and look forward to hearing more from people across Canada on what is working and what needs to be improved to give new Canadians the best chance at success," said Mr. Allen.  "Given the anticipated regional labour shortages in engineering over the coming decade, getting the right person in the right job at the right place and keeping them there is imperative."

Visit www.engineerscanada.ca for more information on what the engineering profession is doing to help engineers succeed.

For more information on the Panel on Employment Challenges of New Canadians, please visit http://news.gc.ca/web/article-en.do?nid=896849.

Engineers Canada is the national organization of the 12 provincial and territorial regulatory bodies that regulate the practice of engineering in Canada and license the country's 270,000 members of the engineering profession. Together, we advance the profession in the public interest.

SOURCE: Engineers Canada

William Meyer, Practice Lead, Communications, Engineers Canada, 613-232-2474, ext. 249, [email protected]