Sunday, February 9, 1992 — North Shore News - 37

i

| New program breaks down the barriers

First Iranian students to graduate in March

AN IRANIAN revolution :
of sorts is taking place at
the Lucas Continuing
Education Centre in North
Vancouver.

64 A lot of Iranian women
were applying for (business-
related) jobs, but English was
a barrier to them. 9

— Judy Turner,
Lucas Continuing Education Centre

By Surj Rattan
News Reporter

Fifteen tranian women are sit-
ting in front of computer termi-
nals punching in business com-
mands with the help of textbooks
and guidance from teachers.

They are all enrolled in the
English as a Second Language,
Accounting, Clerical program, a

course funded by the Canada
Employment and Immigration
Ministry under its Canadian Jobs

Strategy program.

The program started last July
and the students will graduate this

March.

“The emphasis of the program
is on English skills and learning
manual and computerized accoun-
ting,’’ says Judy Turner, program
administrator of career and con-

tract services.

She adds that the students at-
tend the program every day from
9 a.m. to 4 p.m.; they spend 23
weeks in a classroom facility and
an additional 10 weeks with a host

company doing practicums.

The program, which is taught
by 14 instructors, includes an
English component plus life and

job skills.

Turner says it is the first Cana-

or be on social assistance,”’ says
Turner. ‘‘The reason we started
the program was because there is
a large Iranian population on the
North Shore. A lot of Iranian
women were applying for
(business-related) jobs, but
English was a barrier to them.”’
She adds that several of the
students had previously held
book-keeping jobs in Iran and
possessed good mathematical
skills. Turner says the program
has been a learning experience for
both instructors and students.
“This was a surprise for us
because this group is a core group
of Iranians as opposed to a mixed
multicultural group, where they
would just blend in. We've learn-
ed a lot about them, about how
their culture differs from ours.”*
Student Narges Alberni says she

is glad she enrolled in the pro-
gram. .

“I was doing hair ‘dressing be-
fore this, and I heard there was
this course. I was willing to
change my career,” says Alberni.
“Ym really learning right now.
Hopefully, [ can find a good
company. Hopefully, I can get
hired.’’

Another student, Shahnaz
Beschart, says that while all of the
students in the program are Ira-
nian, they all come from different
backgrounds.

“I was a kindergarten teacher.
We have kids and it’s difficult for
us, but this course, because the
government pays for it and our
daycare, makes it easier for us.’

The ‘next multicultural course
will start in July. For more in-
formation call 985-3695.

dian Jobs Strategy-funded pro-
gram offered at the Lucas Centre, — —

bisa Whaat bow” «oT Warm Your Windows
With

NEWS proto Mike Waxoliaid

KATAYON RASBANI works out a problem with pen and paper. But not just anyone can enrol in
She is one of 15 Iranian women taking an English as a second the program. . .
language and accounting course at the Lucas Continuing Educa- “In order to qualify for this

tion Centre in North Vancouver. program, the applicants have to
be female, Iranian and either col-

lecting unemployment insurance

An unheard of [5
offer

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