Arnoldo Soto

Arnoldo Soto immigrated to Canada many years ago, and he found that having worked for American companies in the 1990s in Venezuela made the transition to working in Calgary relatively simple. 

The adjustment to the Canadian climate, however, was more extreme after landing in -25 C weather without winter clothing. A mechanical engineer and Connector with the Calgary Region Immigrant Employment Council (CRIEC), Arnoldo is able to help new Canadians prepare for life in Canada. As a Connector, he offers insight into the industry and coaches Connectees on interview tactics, presentation, resume writing and networking. Most importantly, he provides the referrals that are vital to helping Connectees get jobs.

Arnoldo meets with Connectees multiple times, offering compassionate professional advice to immigrants over coffee. He helps newcomers explore career opportunities, industry trends, and career insights, and helps them prepare to use their new connections to succeed. He speaks fondly of a Connectee from the Middle East who took these lessons to heart. Benooash was always prepared with lots of questions about situations and cultural cues that are sometimes tricky to navigate in a new place. To find a job, he went the extra mile — literally. He researched small engineering firms that were under the radar, walked to them and applied at each one, and landed a position in the middle of the recession.

“The least I can do is be a Connector to help people who are walking the same path I walked,” he said.