Karin Wiebe, Early Childhood Educator

Need to bring documents

(TEXT FROM SOUND BITE)

"Paperwork is a big issue. It was really hard to come here and get the papers in the right order, because for everything you're required to have a few documents.

"It would really be helpful to have a full list, in which order, and what kind of papers are required. Sometimes they ask for a paper that, in Paraguay, for example, doesn't even exist."

Workplace images

English was fourth language

English is a fourth language for me. My first and second languages are Low German and German as I grew up in a Mennonite community in Paraguay. After that I had to learn Spanish as that is the main language of my country.

I mostly picked up English from television. We had English TV at home for five years.

English course full

When I arrived I really wanted to go to Red River College, but the English course* was full at that time and they told me I would have to wait for at least three months.

I was living with my family and they gave me as long as I needed to stay there, but I really didn't want to bother them that long. I decided to search for a job right away and try to learn English while I worked.

Now I wish I had taken that English course. My first job was very stressful without strong English.

*Note: Karin is referring to the Academic English Program for University and College Entry offered at Red River College. For more information about AEPUCE, see Red River College in USEFUL LINKS.

First job in English difficult

(TEXT FROM SOUND BITE)

"I felt so stressed with the other position.* I was full-time and caring for a whole group and that was somehow overwhelming because I needed more language to really understand the children. So many things that I had to absorb.

"When I took this other job, it was more relaxed, for 30 hours a week. It was a helper position. Slowly I glided more in."

*Note: Karin is referring to the first child care aide position she had when she came to Canada.

Talking with newcomers

The hardest part for me now is talking with other newcomers. If their pronunciation is different or if they understand very little English, then it is really hard to talk on the phone.

Talking face to face is better, but even then, sometimes I find it difficult to say what I really want to say and to be understood.

Extended education

(TEXT FROM SOUND BITE)

"I had three years of university for early childhood education and after that I had a course for two years that was a teacher's specialization.

"That was a German program that had recognition from the German government, not just held in Paraguay."

Not called a 'teacher' here

My job title in Paraguay was "teacher", so I thought it would be the same here. We didn't think that early childhood education would be a different field.*

I made the mistake of sending my documents to the teachers' certification unit to be evaluated. They told me that I would have to go back to university for at least one year or two to be a teacher here.

I didn't want to become a teacher here. I knew I wanted to work in child care.

*Note: Teachers in Manitoba teach in elementary and secondary schools and are certified by the Manitoba Education, Citizenship and Youth, Professional Certification Unit. ECE's work in registered child care centres and are certified by The Manitoba Child Care Program, Manitoba Family Services and Housing.

Similar qualifications

My new qualifications are just an adjustment to what I did in Paraguay - I have not started a new career. With the training that I took back home, I could teach from zero to seven years old in Paraguay. 

Here in Manitoba I have the ECE II that qualifies me for working with ages zero to six.

Short time to re-qualify

My re-certification process as an ECE here took only three months. A person from the Manitoba Child Care Program* came in to my workplace and supervised me to see that I could perform the tasks on her list. I had to describe a few areas a little bit more to her to prove that I could do the job.

*Note: Karin is referring to her competency-based assessment by the Manitoba Child Care Program of Manitoba Family Services and Housing. For more information, see Child Care Online - Manitoba Family Services and Housing in USEFUL LINKS.

Continue to train

I have taken seven courses to continue developing my skills here. I took the Positive Parenting Program that the Government of Manitoba offers.

These courses are really important to help you to learn about what Canadian day-care centres offer.

Government job bank

To look for work I went to a government employment centre to look at the Job Bank*. I would arrive at the Job Bank at nine o'clock and sit there for the whole day.

I found many organizations that were looking for early childhood educators. I sent my résumé to eight or nine places, and two weeks later I got a call to come for an interview.

*Note: The Job Bank is a job search site, run by Human Resources and Social Development Canada (HRSDC), a department of the federal government. For more information about job search help for newcomers, see Immigration and Settlement in USEFUL LINKS.

Should have asked for help

At first I applied for work at one centre for a full-time position as child care aide. I worked there for three months, but it was too stressful for me with my level of English so I decided to switch jobs.

I didn't do this when I moved here, but I know now that I should have gone to an agency like Welcome Place* to ask for advice about looking for work. They could have told me which programs to apply for, to find the right place.

* Note: Welcome Place is a non-profit organization assisting refugee newcomers in Manitoba. For more information about services in Manitoba to help newcomers, see Immigration and Settlement in USEFUL LINKS.

Managing a day care

(TEXT FROM SOUND BITE)

"I'm working as an Early Childhood Educator II in the Family Community Centre. It's a drop in child care centre. I'm overlooking two staff and volunteers. I still have a supervisor, but I'm working together with them and really managing the day care.

"We can have 20 children - 4 infants and 16 preschoolers. Including me, it would be four staff. One of them is a volunteer."

Better English helps job hunt

If I had spoken more English when I came here, that would be a different story. It would have been easier to jump into the job market right away.

I know that many newcomers manage English very well because they studied it in school or it was their first or second language. They manage better than I did.

Different hours, rules

(TEXT FROM SOUND BITE)

"The behaviour rules, how to relate with the children and some of the activities are different. And the schedule is too. (In Paraguay) I would work for the mornings mostly.

"Now we stay at lunchtime with the children and naptime and everything, so that is quite different."

Multicultural workplace

Where I work is a multicultural workplace. I think we have had people from five or six different countries working there, so that makes a big difference.

It is really nice to see that there are other immigrants in the same position and trying to help each other out.

Getting to know co-workers

In the first few months at my first job it was not a warm environment. It was really hard for me to communicate on a personal level.

Back in Paraguay, most of the people that I worked with were people that I spent time with outside of work. People would always try to be a little bit more than just colleagues.

My job now is much warmer and we talk to each other in a personal way. It is very friendly; people are very welcoming and helping.

Let people help you

Try to be friendly, be open to things, and really just try to be yourself where you work. Try to do your best and if they try to help you, let them do it.

Even if you think that you already know, it's always better to let them help and be thankful for it.

Helpful and friendly

(TEXT FROM SOUND BITE)

"I came here a few times for a visit and I thought it was really true that it's ‘Friendly Manitoba'.*

"Manitobans, for me, were always really welcoming and trying to help, and don't put you down if you're different."

*Note: "Friendly Manitoba" is the motto on Manitoba vehicle licence plates.

Reasons for living here

I really wanted to come because I was a Canadian citizen* and I always wanted to get to know Canada better. My grandma told me so much about it because she was born here and lived here until she was 16.

I also wanted to move here because the cost of living in Manitoba is very good. You can actually work and purchase a house. Back home that was a very big challenge for most people.

*Note: Karin's grandmother was one of the "Kanadiers", Mennonites who moved form Canada to Paraguay in the early 1900's. Karen therefore already had Canadian citizenship when she moved to Canada.

Meeting other cultures

I have some family and a few friends in Manitoba I spend a lot of time with. There are lots of people here from Paraguay.

I have also spent time with young people from Brazil, Argentina and Germany who came here for studies and volunteering. We went fishing with them and had them over at our place for meals, to get know each other and learn about their cultures.

Sunny days, even in cold

The sunny days here are very nice. Even when it's very, very cold in winter, it's mostly sunny outside. Sometimes you even think, "Okay today is a warm day", but when you get outside you're holding your breath because it's so cold.

But at least our house is warm. If you're cold being outside you can go inside and then you're fine. Back home it was not like that. If it was cold outside, it was cold inside too.

More people, less contact

Back in Paraguay, I lived in a little town or village; not like the city of Winnipeg. We had a modern house there but it was surrounded by bushes and we had dirt roads. The people knew each other.

Here, I'm sorry to say that in the apartment we first lived in, I didn't get to know my neighbours very well. People were moving in and moving out all of the time and we really didn't have much contact.

More goals to achieve

(TEXT FROM SOUND BITE)

"One of the goals was settled really, and it was achieved, that I would get my ECE II here.

"We're planning on having a family, and then I will try to be with them as long as possible. If that doesn't happen, then I might go for an ECE III."

Continue with teaching

If we start a family, maybe I would do some volunteering or just try to help in the schools, but I would not work in a full-time job. If I don't have children then I could imagine myself trying to direct a day-care centre.

What I really like is teaching parenting courses. I really enjoyed it when I began doing that here and I might switch to that in the future.

Seeing more of the world

One of my goals is to explore Canada a little bit more. I really like to travel, not the flying, but being somewhere else. My dream was always to go to Europe and see a few places over there.

Also I would like to volunteer in another country, especially in the Spanish speaking countries in Central America or somewhere in South America.

For my spare time

I like going fishing or hanging out at the lake because I'm attracted to water.

I also just enjoy having a meal together with my family and being in gatherings with a huge barbecue.

Immigration and Settlement

Immigrating to Manitoba

Welcome to Manitoba
Government web site with information on moving to Manitoba, the Provincial Nominee Program, newcomer services, learning English and Manitoba's multicultural mosaic, including links to all the pages below

Manitoba Provincial Nominee Program
Guidelines that explain how you can apply to the Manitoba Provincial Nominee Program (MPNP) to be nominated for Permanent Resident Status in Canada

After You Arrive

What to do when you arrive in Manitoba
Guide to newcomer settlement services in Manitoba

Learn English
Guide to language assessment services and English as an Additional Language classes in Manitoba

Work in Manitoba
Information about looking for jobs, licensing and certification, employment standards, Employment Insurance, income assistance, business resources and child day care

Financial help with licensing - Credentials Recognition Program
Financial assistance for having your qualifications recognized in Manitoba, including licensing fees, courses, books and wage subsidy

Labour Market Info

The links below take you to federal and regional government information on employment, education, salary ranges, and long range prospects for this career.

The official title for Karin's occupation is ‘Early Childhood Educator' and its NOC* code is 4214.

Manitoba Job Futures: Early Childhood Educators and Assistants
Local information on employment requirements, skills, education and training, wages, employment outlook and other labour market information for specific occupations

Working in Canada Career Research Tool

*Each occupation has an official name and unique number called the 'National Occupation Classification' code or 'NOC'.

Professional Resources

Manitoba Child Care Association
Advocates for quality child care and advances early childhood education as a profession

Child Care Online - Manitoba Family Services and Housing
Home page of Manitoba Child Care Program

Canadian Child Care Federation
National organization of child care practitioners, parents, academics and policy-makers

Education

Red River College

Early Childhood Education
Academic English Program for University and College Entry
International Education
Prior Learning Assessment and Recognition

Assiniboine Community College - Brandon

Early Childhood Education
International Students
English Language Requirements
Prior Learning Assessment and Recognition

University College of the North - The Pas/Thompson

All programs - PDF
Early Childhood Education - p 39
International Students - p 10
Prior Learning Assessment and Recognition - p 10

Some high schools in Manitoba offer a program in Child Care Occupations:

Maples Collegiate, Winnipeg 632-6641
Miles MacDonnell Collegiate, Winnipeg 667-1103
R.B. Russell High School, Winnipeg 589-5301
Sturgeon Creek Collegiate, Winnipeg 888-0684
Tec Voc High School, Winnipeg 786-1401
West Kildonan Collegiate, Winnipeg 339-6959
Steinbach Regional Secondary School, Steinbach 326-6426
Crocus Plains Regional Secondary School, Brandon 729-3900
Norway House High School, Norway House 359-6761
Roseau Valley School, Dominion City 427-2143

Related careers

Elementary School and Kindergarten Teachers (NOC 4142)

Teacher Aides (NOC 6472)

Babysitters, Nannies, Parents' Helpers (NOC 6474)