Operational hours for the holiday season:

  • Dec. 23 (Mon) - 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
  • Dec. 24 (Tues) - 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.
  • Dec. 25 - 26 (Wed and Thurs) - CLOSED 
  • Dec. 27 (Fri) -  9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
  • Dec. 28 (Sat) - 10 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.
  • Dec. 29 (Sun) - CLOSED
  • Dec. 30 - 31 (Mon and Tues) - 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
  • Jan. 1 (Wed) - CLOSED
  • Jan. 2 (Thurs) - 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.
  • Jan. 3 (Fri) - 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
  • Jan. 4 (Sat) - 10 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.  

Manjot’s Journey as a Student to PR

Posted at:
boy writing while sitting on a sofa

Hi, my name is Manjot and I am 23 years old. I came to WorkBC Surrey-Newton after I moved from Yukon to Lower Mainland after obtaining my PR status. I came to Canada as a student in 2017, while studying I worked on a restricted work permit. Those initial years in Canada were very tough for me since I had to support myself financially.

Up north, I did all possible entry-level work in the kitchen, bar, and delivery duties. Driving is something that has interested me the most therefore after moving to Surrey I started searching for driving jobs. I found out that there were many opportunities in trucking. During my school research, I found out about the new changes to Class 1 driving and the introduction of the MELT Program. I had saved enough money to pay for the entire tuition but I was disappointed to learn that the tuition fee had doubled for the new program. One of the local schools suggested I seek financial support from WorkBC Surrey-Newton. I decided to go and see if there was some support, I could avail of. After registration, I met my counsellor who assessed my needs and helped me get my Class-1 Driving training.

With the help of my counsellor, I applied for my training funds and qualified for the grant! Because of my financial situation, I also received living support during my intense training. It was a big relief.

The only challenging part was some paperwork that I had to do, but in the end, it was all worth it. I remained focused on my training with no worries about fees, expenses or other costs. I finished my training and cleared my road test in one attempt. I was immediately hired and now I work full time and with excellent wages.  I got the training, I got the job, and I built my career!

WorkBC

WorkBC is the provincial government's access point to the world of work in British Columbia. It was created with one key goal — to help all British Columbians to successfully navigate B.C.'s labour market.