On March 28, 2025, we celebrated the graduation ceremony of the eighth cohort of our Pathways to Childcare Careers program. The event recognized the hard work, dedication and achievements of the incredible women who completed 200 hours of English-language training tailored to the early learning and child care sector, 80 hours of paid work experience, certifications in Responsible Adult, First Aid, and FoodSafe and trauma-informed approaches to early learning, over the course of three months.

As our programs are intended to break down barriers to integration, the program is entirely free to participants who were supported with transit tickets and childminding. These accommodations make the program more accessible to immigrant and refugee women of all walks of life, many of whom left behind their careers in their country of origin, and are looking to make worthy contributions in the early learning and child care sector. The program is instrumental to equip the women with the confidence, essential skills, and meaningful connections to set them up for success.

Sakina Mokhtari, a graduate of this cohort, remarked:

“The Pathways to Childcare Careers program was a valuable experience that helped me build confidence, improve my communication skills, and better understand child care in the Canadian context. The workshops, practicum, and supportive environment gave me a clearer sense of direction in this field. One of the most important outcomes of this program for me was learning that it was being offered in partnership with Vancouver Community College (VCC). Through this connection, I was able to apply for the Early Childhood Educator Educator Assistant (ECEA) program at VCC with more confidence and preparation. I’m happy to share that I’ve been accepted and will begin my studies soon. I’m truly grateful to PIRS and the whole Pathways team for supporting me on this journey and helping me take the next step in my career in early childhood education.”

Mehrnoosh Amin Aghaee, who was the Program Operations Coordinator, reflected on her work:

“Since I started working at PIRS, this was the fourth graduation I attended…. At almost every graduation, I feel incredibly grateful for the opportunity to have held this role. I find it so meaningful to work in this job—especially when I hear from so many of the women, like me, who came to Canada as immigrants, that this program has empowered them and helped them gain the self-confidence to enter the job market. Many mention that they are no longer afraid of speaking in English or expressing themselves, and that they now believe in their own abilities—which I think is the most valuable thing someone can gain: believing in themselves.

I’m proud of what we’ve achieved together, and I’m hopeful that the next phase of the program will continue to make an even greater impact.”

We are incredibly proud of the achievements of the eighth cohort of this program and are excited to see their next steps.