Although many newcomers to Canada have a high level of English proficiency and extensive professional experience, they face barriers in finding suitable employment and adapting to a new life in general. The evidence shows that a newcomer’s “cultural fluency” has a greater impact on the individual’s transition and adaption to a new country. In this session, the presenter will provide insightful observations and clear analysis on how cultural values and assumptions influence people’s perspectives, communication and behaviour. The presenter will also share strategies on how to improve your cultural fluency in Canada so you can communicate and work more effectively in the Canadian context.
Presenter:
Ben Yang came to Canada from Beijing China as a graduate student at OISE/UT over 20 years ago, and has had first-hand experience of adapting to a different cultural and academic environment. Currently, he is the Executive Director, International Education and Training at Georgian College in Barrie, Ontario.
He is a frequent presenter on globalization, cross-cultural communication and career development, and has been teaching as an instructor for the International Educator Training Program (IETP) at Queens’ University for the past 10 years.