Living the Canadian Dream

During their honeymoon in Winnipeg in 2002, Gustavo Naigeboren and his wife fell in love with the city and its people. They decided that this was where they wanted to start their family. Shortly after their trip, they returned to Winnipeg as immigrants.

Gustavo had been a computer engineer in Argentina. When he first arrived in Canada, however, he did not have the Canadian experience or credentials necessary to work in his field of expertise, so he had to work in a job for which he was overqualified. “It wasn’t a very pleasant experience,” says Gustavo. After a few months in Canada, he contacted the Association of Professional Engineers and Geoscientists of the Province of Manitoba. This was when he found out about the Internationally Educated Engineers Qualification program that helped transform his life.

The program, funded in part by Human Resources and Skills Development Canada’s Foreign Credential Recognition Program, takes a holistic approach to credential recognition. It consists of eight months of courses, followed by a four-month engineering co-op term. The program also includes a cultural training component to help participants improve their language skills and gain an understanding of Canadian workplaces.

Eight months after enrolling in the program, Gustavo started a co-op job as a qualified engineer at Conviron. Four months later, he was hired for a full-time position.

When asked if he would recommend the program, Gustavo responded “Definitely! This is the way to go. The program goes beyond education; they help you to understand Canadian society, culture and rules.”

“Gustavo is a brilliant engineer with extreme passion for what he does,” said Marcelo Lubocki, Gustavo’s former manager at Conviron. “His level of knowledge is above and beyond the standard. Gustavo strives to be up to date in an area characterized by continuous changes. He is devoted to his career and has made huge contributions to our group and the organization as a whole.”

Gustavo has accomplished a lot since coming to Canada. After working at Conviron, Gustavo decided to take on new challenges and is now studying for his Master of Science in Computer Engineering at the University of Manitoba. He is also president of his own successful business: GN Technology Solutions.

“This is an incredible country,” Gustavo says. “The opportunities are all over the place. I thought I was living the Canadian dream, but every day it gets better!”