Syanne came to Spark Employment Services after leaving her previous role in the retail industry. She expressed a strong interest in transitioning into an office-based position; however, due to limited experience, she faced challenges securing opportunities in administrative or receptionist roles.

At Spark, Syanne participated in our workshops and training sessions, where she worked closely with our Job Coaches to strengthen her skills, build confidence, and present her best self to employers. Together, they enhanced her résumé and cover letter, and completed thorough interview preparation.

Following this, her Job Developer assisted her in finding a suitable placement that would allow her to gain hands-on experience through a job trial. During the trial, Syanne excelled and demonstrated strong commitment and capability. Her employer was highly impressed, and what began as a temporary opportunity resulted in Syanne being hired permanently.

We are proud of Syanne’s growth and success, and we are thrilled to have supported her in achieving her career goals. Her journey reflects the power of dedication, skill-building, and the right support system—core values we uphold at Spark Employment Services.

We were facing ongoing labour shortages and challenges finding reliable workers for a physically demanding industry. Recruiting was difficult, and we struggled to find the right place to look for employees.

After connecting with Spark Employment Services, things changed significantly. Their team took the time to understand our needs and matched us with candidates who were well-suited for our work. The process has become much smoother, and both our productivity and morale have improved. The financial supports available through Spark’s programs have also been a great benefit to our company.

What I appreciate most is the communication. The staff are cooperative, outgoing, and truly respectful of our time — they only send candidates who are a genuine fit, and they work with us collaboratively to make sure placements are successful.

Working with Spark has been a very positive experience, and I look forward to continuing our partnership.

Participating in the EDGE+ program has truly changed my life. I feel more confident, hopeful, and accomplished because of the support I received. The program helped me build self-awareness, recognize what I was doing well, and understand where I could improve in my employment journey.

Through the workshops and guidance from the team, I gained strength, confidence, and a renewed sense of excitement for my future. The compassion, empathy, and genuine care shown by the staff made a tremendous difference. They created a supportive, family-like environment where I always felt heard and encouraged.

I am so grateful for this experience and highly recommend the EDGE+ program to others in the community. This program gave me the tools, clarity, and confidence I needed — and I know it will continue making a positive difference in many other lives as well.

I came to Spark Employment because I needed assistance, and they truly delivered. I first attended their Summer Spark event, which was welcoming and made me feel part of the community. From there, Spark helped me with my resume and provided continuous support, which boosted my confidence and helped me secure a successful job.
Moving to a new community isn’t easy, but Spark was there for me every step of the way. Their team was supportive, responsive, and always available when I needed help. I’m grateful for everything they’ve done, and I plan to continue working with them for ongoing support even after employment. They make you feel like you’re never alone.

Dora Birago is a newcomer who moved to Sudbury in September 2023. Here is here testimonial / success story from the Conversational English for Newcomers Course which she just completed:

“I signed up for the Conversational English for Newcomers course to improve my confidence in having conversations during job interviews and ultimately to prepare myself for the Canadian workforce. I was worried that I might not understand what people were saying and they also may not understand me because of my accent. I wanted to learn how to mingle with others as well.

When I joined the class, one of the first topics the facilitator (Dokun) dealt with in detail was the subject of accent. I learnt that everyone has a distinctive accent and it is nothing to be nervous about. Dokun taught me how to navigate my accent, be proud of it and even use it to my advantage. I didn’t even realise I could make my accent my advantage!  She also covered many issues that affect Newcomers in their conversations with people. I felt like she really understood my challenges and could relate with all the things I was contending with as a newcomer. The examples she gave during the class were highly relatable and I felt comfortable asking questions in class as well.

Before I started the Conversational English for Newcomers Course, I wasn’t very patient in listening to others, I also couldn’t really hear them or understand them in spite of the fact that we were all speaking the same language – English.

This course has taught me how to listen, understand and gain knowledge during conversations. Immediately after the first class, I could feel my confidence rising, I finally felt like I was beginning to figure out this ‘settling into Sudbury” thing. I excitedly shared my learnings with my husband every time at home. I looked forward to subsequent classes with much anticipation because I was getting more tools to navigate my new life here with every lesson.

I now understand cultural diversity and how it impacts our conversations, I got my confidence back and even improved it! This course helped me understand the Canadian culture in many ways. I now know how to navigate workplace issues in an emotionally intelligent and culturally sensitive manner. I wish I had taken this course the very first week I moved to Canada because I truly needed it.

I enjoyed my training with spark employment services. I recently enrolled for my Personal Support Worker Training, Thanks to this course, I feel well prepared for school and work. I highly recommend Spark Employment Services to all newcomers in Canada who wish to improve their conversational English and adapt to their new life her. I have told my friends that they really need this course, it is very impactful Thank you so much Dokun. This course was completely worth my while.”