Lily Gao, Technical Architect

Upgrade while working

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"To other newcomers I say just do a labour job part-time, because if you do those kind of jobs daily - eight or ten hours - you do not have enough time to update your skills and to learn. Even though you can save some money, it's not very good for your future. But if you have another five or six hours (a day) you can work on your resumé.

"For computer work it's easy - it's an international language. For other areas, they may have to learn a lot to adapt to life in Canada."

Workplace images

Speaking more difficult

I think English speaking is more difficult than writing for Chinese immigrants because in our schools we do lots of English writing and reading, but not listening and speaking.

English was a very important thing in university in China, although it is still mostly writing. We had to pass a written English exam to get our diploma.

Using English in China

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"I did several jobs in China. For the first two, all the markets were local in China so we did not use English. But to get those jobs they still needed to know how fluent my English was (and) how it was written.

"English is a very important entry to get any job now. . In Shanghai, I worked in Java Centre, which belongs to Sun Microsystems in the U.S.A. . At that point, English was very important because we had to talk to foreign people. I learned lots of English from that job."

International Language

After I arrived in Canada, I took an English course for immigrants in Vancouver. I also took a course when I worked in Fort McMurray called English Through Engineering. Since then, I haven't formally done anything to improve my English.

I manage in my job because computer language is an international language. I can easily translate from Chinese to English because in China we often use the same technical terms. When I have trouble writing reports or understanding something, my colleagues help me.

Face-to-face best

In my job we mostly talk face-to-face. We have MSN* where I send my co-workers messages to ask questions, but often they walk over from their office to my office to talk. It's much easier for me to understand what they're saying when we can see each other.

Over the phone it's more difficult. When I can't see their faces, it's harder to know what they mean.

*Note: MSN Messenger is an instant messaging system on the computer.

Learning on the job

I wanted be a senior programmer at my current job because that is what I did in China, but my employer said I have to learn more English to be a manager.

Protegra has a communication group that meets every week for an hour to talk about our jobs and other things to improve our English. We have other opportunities, like "lunch and learn" sessions, where we talk about our projects and share our knowledge with each other.

Manager in China

I graduated from university in China with a master's degree and worked in the IT industry there for five years.

In my last job there, I worked as a research and development manager in a company called Java Centre, which is owned by an American company.

No job right away

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"When I first came to Canada* in 2004, the IT industry was very low. After five or six months I didn't find a job and I was thinking, ‘What should I do?'

"In Vancouver, there were not very many IT jobs. I didn't go to other places at that time because I thought they have lots of Chinese people there, so I could very easily find a job. But that is not correct. In eastern Canada, and here - (Winnipeg), Calgary and Saskatchewan - they have lots of IT jobs because they have industry. In Vancouver, I think, it is mostly tourism."

*Note: Lily lived in Vancouver when she arrived in Canada in 2004.

Volunteered for experience

When I couldn't find a job in Vancouver, I decided to volunteer to get some Canadian experience. I think this is very important. Employers want to see that you can do the work.

I volunteered as a senior programmer at a company that made software applications for alarm systems. I had to learn VB.NET (a computer language) because we didn't use that in China, but I'm a fast learner. And it was very easy for me because I used a lot of the same computer languages and development tools before.

First job in North

While I was in Vancouver, I was offered a job in Fort McMurray in Northern Alberta. I found it by posting my resumé to the Monster.ca* website. . This company called Acrodex contacted me because they were looking for someone with my skills to do technical support.

I had never heard of Fort McMurray but I decided to go because I thought it would help me to improve my communication skills. I would have to deal with customers every day. I worked there for about a year and a half.

*Note: Monster.ca is a career information website that advertises Canadian job listings and allows users to post their resumé online.

Offer from Winnipeg

After I was in Fort McMurray for about a year and a half, I modified my resumé and posted it to Monster.ca again. After several months, I received an email from Protegra saying, "We want to hire people, we saw your resumé on Monster. If you are interested in this job, send us your resumé again."

The manager did the first interview by telephone and then I flew to Winnipeg, where two people interviewed me.

Several roles

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"Protegra is a software company. They do lots of projects in areas like finance, agriculture and government.

"There are 10 technical architects, because they have lots of projects. On one project I am a technical architect, but another project, I am a senior developer because my background is Java*. It's a different role, but my title is still technical architect."

*Note: Java is a computer language used for programming.
 

Leading, not managing

My job is to do the coding and set up the development environment for the team of software designers I work with. I also ensure all those codes can be used very successfully and clearly.

I have to be able to explain the development environment such as VB.NET and Java. I have to know the logic of the architect's business flow and I explain that to the team. It is kind of a leadership position, but I am not a manager.

Newcomer challenges

Language is the biggest challenge for immigrants when looking for a job in IT in Canada. You may know how to use technology, but if you can't speak English and you can't present your ideas and you will have a hard time working here.

Canadians have more presentation skills than Chinese because of their educational background. In China, we do a lot of writing, but we don't talk a lot. I want to learn more of these kinds of skills.

Have confidence

I feel I have succeeded because I have confidence. I don't think my English is any better than other Chinese newcomers. But sometimes in our culture, especially for girls, we are very shy and we don't talk to people. I like to talk, even if I don't speak very clearly, and this helps me to improve my English.

Some Chinese newcomers do not have this confidence so they have to learn it.

More time, higher quality

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"In China, everything is faster than here. There's lots of pressure. If your company wants you to do something, you do not have enough time to prepare it. But here, they give us enough time. We have lots of meetings. After we're done, the project is very reliable.

" In China, we are rushed, so after we give them the product there may be lots of problems with the coding. . We have to do lots of support - three or four more times than here."

Talk more freely

The workplace here is better than in China. Chinese companies could learn from this example. In Canada, we talk about our projects in meetings and learn from other peoples' ideas. Everybody can talk freely. Here, even the programmer can say, "This is not correct, you should do this instead."

When I was in China, only one or two people made the decisions and others had to follow them.

Socializing at work

We have lots of social events at the company where I work. Every month, we have outdoor activities like barbecues and golfing. I like this. We also have ping pong tables at work so we can play there during the day.

In China, we did not have very many non-work activities at our workplace. Some of us might go out together for dinner after because we liked eating together, but it wasn't organized like it is here.

More prepared

At my work, we prepare all the documents for our projects. We write them step-by-step, and then the developer follows the steps. If they do not understand something, they come to me and say, "You didn't set up this correctly", and I just make the corrections.

In China, the documents are not as well prepared. This can cause a lot of problems for the people who have to use them.

Balance life and work

I like to finish my work during work time. After I leave, I don't work. I like cooking and playing ping pong in my off hours.

I don't find it difficult to balance my work with the rest of my life. My company gives us enough time to do the work so I can manage my time very well.

Cheaper housing

It was not very hard to find a place to live in Winnipeg. Before I came here, I searched on the Internet. Rent here is much cheaper than Fort McMurray, where I lived before. Even a very small basement room is $800 in Fort McMurray. I was able to buy my own condo here because the housing prices are very low.

It is very cheap here compared with China. There are more apartment buildings in China, but not many houses. The housing in China is really expensive because we do not have enough land.

Some prejudice

Wherever I've worked in Canada - here or in Alberta or Vancouver - I- I did not feel that people were prejudiced against me. I never felt that at my workplace.

But sometimes when I am shopping or out doing something else I feel some people are thinking, ‘Oh, you are Chinese'. I don't know if what I feel is accurate, but I think the people who do that are not highly educated.

Other Chinese

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"I socialize mostly with Chinese people because I live at the University of Manitoba and there are lots of Chinese students there. Sometimes I also socialize with immigrants from other countries or Canadians."

Culture and food

I can find almost everything I need for cooking at the grocery stores, but if I cannot find something I go to Chinatown in downtown Winnipeg. There is also a Chinese store close to where I live.

I don't like the Chinese restaurants here. The food is not the same as in China. I think it is because the spices are different.

I first came to Manitoba just before Chinese New Year. Since it was the year of the pig*, I brought some dumplings to work. They all liked that.

*Note: Each Chinese New Year is represented by one of 12 animals.

An individual

I like Winnipeg because the size is good and the people are friendly. Fort McMurray is too small and Vancouver is too big. Winnipeg is not big, but you still can find everything you want and you can get around easily. The transportation system is good.

Also, in a very large city you feel you're not special. You're just one of many faces. You can get lost in all the people. Here you feel like an individual.

Staying here for now

I plan to stay here because I bought a condo and I am building my place in the community.

Whether I move somewhere else depends on whether I am offered a more attractive salary. . I probably wouldn't go unless it was a lot more. Something like $10,000 more wouldn't make much difference because I have to pay tax and I'm single.

Professional plans

I am happy doing my job, but I want to learn more English because I want to be a manager.

Somebody told me that to do the manager job your vocabulary should be 80,000 English words. I hope I can get to that level. Right now, I think I have about 10,000 words.

I would like to do a PhD too, but I do not have enough time for those studies right now.

Passion for golfing

I enjoy playing golf. Right now I'm just learning. I think it's a very interesting activity. I'm working on my swing. Half of it is good, but the full swing is really hard for me.

I like being out on the golf course where it's green and you can meet people. It's a good place to make more friends.

May sponsor father

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"My dad and mom and sister are all in China and I miss them very much. My sister does not want to come here because her boyfriend is there and they are about to get married. My dad wants to come here, but my mom does not.

"My dad and my mom are divorced, so I grew up with my dad. If my dad wants to come here, maybe I can sponsor him. This is one plan, but the immigrant sponsorship for the mom and dad -I think - takes longer than before."

Visiting China

I am going on a trip this spring to China for about three weeks on my holiday. The most important part of this trip is visiting with my family. I will also go shopping. You can buy some of the same brands you get here but they are cheaper in China because they are made there.

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 Lily's occupation is ‘Technical Architect - Software' and its NOC* code is 2173.

Manitoba Job Futures - Technical Architect - Software
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

Information and Communication Technologies Association of Manitoba
Professional association representing the Information and Communication Technology (ICT) industry in Manitoba

Canadian Information Processing Society
Professional association for Information Technology (IT) practitioners in Canada

Education

University of Manitoba

Department of Computer Science
International Students
English Language Centre

University of Winnipeg

Department of Applied Computer Science
International Students
English Language Programs
Prior Learning Assessment and Recognition

Red River College

Information Systems Technology
International Education
English as a Second Language Programs
Prior Learning Assessment and Recognition

Collège universitaire de Saint Boniface

Informatique
La reconnaissance des acquis

Winnipeg Technical College

Network Support Technician
International Students (scroll down)

Brandon University - Brandon

Department of Mathematics and Computer Science
International Students
English For Academic Purposes Program
Prior Learning Assessment and Recognition

Assiniboine Community College - Brandon

Computer Systems Technology
International Students
English Language Requirements
Prior Learning Assessment and Recognition

University College of the North –The Pas/Thompson

All programs - PDF
Computer Systems Technology - page 36
International Students - p 10
Prior Learning Assessment and Recognition - p 10

Related Careers

Computer and Information Systems Managers (NOC 0213)

Computer Engineers (Except Software Engineers) (NOC 2147)

Computer Programmers and Interactive Media Developers (NOC 2174)

Database Analysts and Data Administrators (NOC 2172)

Information Systems Analysts and Consultants (NOC 2171)