The transition from school to work is a stepping-stone every university and college student must experience. This shift often presents specific challenges, with each individual facing issues unique to their own situation. The National Educational Association of Disabled Students (NEADS) Toronto Job Search Strategies Forum, held this past October in Toronto, helped to enlighten students with disabilities about what they can do to maximize the effectiveness of their job hunt.

The event marks the first time NEADS has presented such a “hands-on” workshop that recruited people with disabilities to lead breakout groups. The Toronto event is also the first of eight being held across Canada.

Delegates represented colleges and universities throughout the city, with students attending from schools across Ontario including Brock University, Centennial College, George Brown College, Humber College, Ryerson University, Seneca College, University of Toronto, University of Western Ontario, Queen's University, York University, and Wilfrid Laurier University.

The forum included two workshop panels, an exhibit area, and one-on-one sessions with career counselors and job developers. Exhibitors included representatives from BMO Financial Group, IBM Canada, Canadian Paraplegic Association, Entry Point, YouthAbilities - Maze Master and the Canadian Council on Rehabilitation and Work.

Message

“Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed people can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has.”

Margaret Mead, Anthropologist

Setting the tone for the event, this was the opening statement Filip Papich, Chair, Diversity Council, BMO Nesbitt Burns used to welcome everyone.

BMO and NEADS have maintained an ongoing relationship for several years. Their relationship is significant because in 2004, BMO Nesbitt Burns created “Equity Through Education” to address external barriers to employment. The company donated a full day of institutional trading commissions earned in Canada and the United States to organizations providing educational activities or support to “bright, deserving individuals.”

This diversity council, in conjunction with senior management, chose to support seven organizations, one being NEADS, because of its success in articulating the real voices of students with disabilities. It is because of this relationship that this event, and events like this, are made possible.

At BMO Papich is Chairman of the Investment Banking Diversity Council, a committee of about 20 people who meet once a month and hold events throughout the year focusing on education, awareness and becoming more sensitive to issues. “We are going to judge ourselves on how our firm recruits, retains and promotes diverse people. At the end of the day investment banking in actual fact is probably the weakest in terms of how sensitive it is towards diversity issues. We thought it was important to change the way people approach hiring. Historically we went to the same schools, hired the same people -  white, Anglo Saxon guys. Our client base doesn’t look like that. There is a business case for this but there is also a moral obligation to do the right thing and to try to populate your self accordingly.”

Which is why he is so supportive of events like the Job Search Strategies Forum, which helps participants gain concrete value about how to market themselves in the workplace. “Events like this also give awareness to the cause and that’s a very good thing because a lot of people are oblivious to this issue. Holding events like this creates coverage. People observe the information coming across, form opinions and change the way they look at things. So I think it has many different upsides,” he comments.

The day consisted of several workshops with a variety of speakers from the