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Foundation Program

This program helps you as a newcomer to Canada get ready for the Canadian workplace. We will help you improve your language and professional communication skills. You will also pick up important knowledge and key connections to transition effectively into the Canadian workplace.

To get more details, come to our info sessions and connect with our staff.

Program Structure

If admitted, you will complete an orientation session and the one month eight-session workplace language preparation program. You will be evaluated on English language skills and commitment to the program (attendance, participation, completion and adherence to assignment deadlines, etc.) Performance in this Jumpstart to Success course will determine if you will continue in our Bridging Program Foundation skills courses.

If you successfully complete the course, you will be invited to the Foundations and specialized skills courses.

Upon successfully completing the Jumpstart to Success phase, you can take Canadian Workplace Foundations courses focused on the Canadian business and workplace environment. These university level courses help you gain knowledge and skills in professional workplace communication, leadership, management, law and IT skills within the Canadian context.

This program is part-time, and courses are offered during evening hours. For each 3-hour class, the anticipated homework, group work, and general class preparation workload outside of school is an additional 3 - 9 hours per week.

All IEP Foundations students are pre-registered for their first course:

  • ADMS 3015 | Professional Communication in the Canadian Context 
    This course increases the communicative competence of Internationally Educated Professionals (IEP) in both business writing and presentation skills, while increasing their ability to analyze and negotiate the Canadian landscape of their chosen profession. Direct instruction is combined with simulations, discussions, and group activities to develop clear, accurate, effective oral and written communication.

You then need to enrol into one additional foundation course of your choice. We will provide more information after you have been admitted to the program.

Business professionals must choose one of the following two courses:

  • ADMS 3020 | Canadian Business Culture & Management Skills
    Provides an overview of the Canadian business environment and focuses on the development of management skills for Internationally Educated Professionals (IEP). Theoretical instruction is combined with case analyses and teamwork exercises to develop a comprehensive understanding of the course material.
  • ADMS 3060 | Fundamentals of Canadian Business Law & Ethics
    Examines the background and nature of business law and ethics in Canada. Explains the foundations of Canadian business law and the essential legal elements key to business success in Canada. Analyzes stakeholder-support of corporate and professional accountability and governance. Provides insights into the development of decision processes based on socially responsible and sound ethical decision-making frameworks

Students with an information technology background will take this course:

  • ITEC 2615 | Object Oriented Programming for IEPs
    Provides the fundamental Java programming skills to Internationally Educated Professionals who already have some computer programming training in other programming languages. Java programming is today the most utilized software development tool in the Canadian industry. Presents an overview of Java-based object-oriented programming and covers class implementation, object-oriented design (with UML), graphics user interfaces, event programming and data structures.

After the completion of the required Foundations courses in the Fall Term, students can choose to either complete the program or request the option of taking one specialized course in the Winter Term. These courses vary based on your academic backgrounds.  When accepted into the program, we can provide more information and assist you in selecting courses related to your area of focus. If you want to take a specialized course you will need to meet with IEP staff to review your specialized course choices, get an approved IEP pre-requisite waiver form and register for your course.

I truly appreciate that along with learning English, the program often provides students many webinars with different organizations, and that students can have access to the Career Centre and other resources at YorkU with no additional charges.

— Min-Hsuan Lin
Customer Service Representative, RBC

Read more of Min-Hsuan's success story

Min-Hsuan Lin profile photo

Questions?

Contact us at IEP@yorku.ca for more information.

Pour des services d’établissement et emploi en français et/ou la formation linguistique en français, veuillez contacter:  https://www.centrefranco.org/ Tel:416-922-2672 ou Services Emploi 416-962-4600.

Got to: Find free newcomer services near you (canada.ca) to search and connect to the available Francophone providers in your area.

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