As a first generation immigrant to Canada, my experiences navigating a new environment and country are both unique and common. Moving alone to Canada to study Chemical Engineering at Toronto Metropolitan University, I had to take my educational and professional success before, during and after graduation into my own hands. There is a lot lost in translation for international students who come here to study, especially in regards to how to start setting themselves up for professional success from Day 1. Through my experience, I found that I had to go searching for tools and resources on how best to navigate my new environment and ensure I succeeded professionally in a foreign place.

My experiences led me to become passionate about sharing all the useful tools I learned with every international student I came across. I launched my YouTube channel, Enem’s Engineering Envelope to share useful information on navigating engineering as a degree and a profession, and this allowed me interact with students all over the world. From this, I learned that there is a need for information sharing to help demystify engineering as a discipline as well as providing insight on the journey from student to working professional as an immigrant. Now being a licensed chemical engineer, I have another layer of information to add to the conversation.

My passion for setting up students for success led me to work with different STEM Outreach organizations aimed at empowering communities with STEM knowledge. Some of them include herVolution, STEMHub Foundation and Rise in STEM. I have been invited to speak on several panels to discuss issues facing STEM students and professionals. In Jan 2020, I held our first STEM Internship/Co-op Readiness workshop which focused on empowering international students with tools that can help them succeed at getting co-op placements and internships. Further understanding the needs students and young professionals, in 2021, I launched professional services under Head Start 4 All which provides career development services to improve Resumes, Cover Letters, LinkedIn profiles and Interview skills.

There is still a lot of work to be done to empower international students and young professional immigrants with the tools to succeed in a new country, and Head Start 4 All and I are passionate about being part of the solution.

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Vanessa Takim-Ndifon
Founder, Head Start 4 All