Top HR gurus to speak at employment conference

Diario Filipino No. 27 Aug/Sep 2004

Is 'NZ Experience' a challenge or a barrier to employment for new migrants? This is the theme of a Migrant Employment conference to be held from 23-24 October at the Alexandra Park Function Centre in Greenlane.

Organised by Migrant News, the purpose of the conference is "to enhance the skills of unemployed and under-employed migrants and refugees through work-shopping with NZ's leading HR, Recruitment and Job Training professionals and Employers."

Some topics to be discussed at the conference include:

• NZ Experience: The Employer's Perspective
• NZ Job Market Reality Check
• Recruitment Agencies: Mentors or Gatekeepers?
• CV Makeovers
• Gearing Up for Interview
• Hyped Up Networking
• Job Surfing
• Mentoring - The Way of the Future?
  (some topics may vary slightly).

"The program focuses on practical solutions and innovative methods that migrants with no NZ experience can utilise to meet the challenges of the workplace," says M. Fernandez, an employment strategist and a presenter at the conference.

"Migrants will tap into and cultivate the gifts that are in them. Their self-esteem will be lifted, they will have a better sense of direction, a sense of pride and hope for the future," he added.

"We want our migrants to be educated, inspired, challenged and supported by this conference and the Migrant Expo, which runs concurrently," says the organizer.

"The purpose of this event is to help bring awareness to the community of the resources available to them, so that they can settle well by starting a career, or by becoming a business owner or industry professional.

"Our mission is to help build a better migrant community."