Pratyusa arrived in Canada in September 2018 with a Bachelor in Computer Science and is currently pursuing a Master’s in Electronic Business Technologies from the University of Ottawa. Before coming to Canada, she worked for 3 years in Software Development at Capgemini India Pvt. Ltd.
Pratyusa heard about the program through social media. Since she was a newcomer to Canada, she wanted to learn about Canadian work culture. This program was a good fit because it was focused on women in STEM and was specially tailored towards newcomers.
“Dr. Sawsan Abdul-Majid has been an immense help and was a constant support throughout the program,” Pratyusa says, “She is always inspiring us. As an immigrant herself, she understands the challenges that women face, and so she formed this powerful program to help newcomers. This program has boosted my confidence and has motivated me to face all my challenges boldly.”
According to Pratyusa, the life coaching and resume-building sessions were particularly effective. “They have helped me to properly shape my resume, while being interactive and interesting.”
Pratsuya especially appreciated the mentorship of Dr. Ahmed Ali, a certified Life Coach and systems engineer with more than 20 years’ experience in the Canadian Telecoms industry, who arrived in Canada in 1998 and is originally from Iraq. “He was always motivating us,” Pratsuya says, “he encouraged us to believe in our dreams, because they would become reality.”
Thanks in part to her experience in the program, which helped her to refine her professional skillset and gain interview skills, Pratsuya began an internship in Data Forensics at Entrust Datacard in Kanata this past May.