Skilled Trades Exploration for Newcomers Hi Tracy, I hope you’re doing well. I wanted to reach out and stay in touch, and also to say thank you for the Business English portion of the Machining for Newcomers program at the Centre for Skills Development. You did an amazing job teaching the course, and I truly appreciate the time, patience, and effort you put into helping us improve our communication skills, especially in a professional and technical environment. Your lessons on…

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Raghav Burlington, ON

The part of the program I found most helpful and engaging was the combination of online workplace language training and the in-person hands-on workshops. The language classes with Natalie were incredibly well-structured—she made every session interactive, informative, and encouraging. Natalie not only taught us industry-specific language, but also created a supportive learning environment where we felt comfortable asking questions and practicing our communication skills. The in-person workshop was another highlight for me. Getting the chance to work with real tools,…

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Aziz Burlington, ON

As an immigrant writer, arriving in Canada was both exciting and overwhelming. While I had a decent foundation in English, I often hesitated to speak up in groups, worried about making mistakes or sounding “different.” This shyness became a barrier not just to expressing myself, but also to building the connections I deeply craved in a new country. Taking the ELT course was truly a turning point. It wasn’t just about grammar, pronunciation, or my accent; it was about confidence.…

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Archana Kotwal Burlington, ON