Celine Hu: Daycare

Experience Dept: It was the classic newcomer dilemma. She needed experience here to get a job, and she needed a job to get experience here. She also needed daycare for her 2-year-old daughter so she could look for work, but she needed work to pay for the daycare. Her husband s income was not stable, and it would take two salaries to start building a life in their new country, according to The Star. I wanted to improve my English and understand the culture here, says Hu, 34. I went to the website and registered and when Celine Hu arrived in Toronto 18 months ago with her husband and toddler, she left behind a successful career in Shanghai as a financial analyst. But everywhere she looked for a job she heard the same refrain: Sorry, you have no Canadian work experience. Then Hu spotted a poster for CultureLink at her local library in Scarborough. The non-profit is devoted to helping newcomers find work, friends and connections in their communities through an assortment of free programs. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.