(I apologize for this longish post. I hope someone has patience to read it and offer some suggestions, thanks!)
Background: I am not a new immigrant. I've been in Canada for almost 30 years. I've had a couple of good permanent jobs earlier (all Toronto), then I went on to manage my own small business (now in Mississauga).
Fast forward. The business has almost come to a halt now & is not sustainable anymore.
I have a Bachelors of Commerce Degree (two years) from University of Karachi, Pakistan from the 1980s. On top of that a ship load of industry/business certificates, honours, accomplishments, etc etc (all mostly obsolete I think.)
All the permanent employments I've had in Canada was 20 years ago. I gained those because of my international experience working as a professional in several Middle Eastern and Asian countires (top executive level). Also, no Canadian corporate employer ever asked me to verify my degree, they just took my invaluable experience and skills. So I never bothered to get any credentials certified from the University back then.
I've been trying to get back into employment for a while. But obviously since I've been out of regular employment, my resume is just a big huge gap. I don't blame them, I would not hire myself, despite me managing a business and still retaining all the skills, but I guess I'm too old for anyone to consider. No hard feelings, that's life.
So I have decided to re-educate myself and acquire a new education.
The very first hurdle is getting anyone to recognize that I have some previous education. To Canadians I don't even have a high school diploma because nothing is verified.
I don't have anyone back in Pakistan who I can ask, nor can I afford to go just to get my very old degree verified. I have researched the interwebs about services like WES etc, which in turn require me to get it via Higher Education Commission in Pakistan (a body which didn't even exist when I graduated). The more I dig into it the deeper and darker this Credential Verification hole gets! My deepest admiration to the young people today having to do it all!
So, I think my sanest option is just to do a CAEC or a Canadian high school diploma.
Is that my only choice now? What do you think, suggest?
My goal is to get a renewed education for a field of study of my choice. Am I taking the best route? Is there anything I'm missing?
Thank you very much!
Background: I am not a new immigrant. I've been in Canada for almost 30 years. I've had a couple of good permanent jobs earlier (all Toronto), then I went on to manage my own small business (now in Mississauga).
Fast forward. The business has almost come to a halt now & is not sustainable anymore.
I have a Bachelors of Commerce Degree (two years) from University of Karachi, Pakistan from the 1980s. On top of that a ship load of industry/business certificates, honours, accomplishments, etc etc (all mostly obsolete I think.)
All the permanent employments I've had in Canada was 20 years ago. I gained those because of my international experience working as a professional in several Middle Eastern and Asian countires (top executive level). Also, no Canadian corporate employer ever asked me to verify my degree, they just took my invaluable experience and skills. So I never bothered to get any credentials certified from the University back then.
I've been trying to get back into employment for a while. But obviously since I've been out of regular employment, my resume is just a big huge gap. I don't blame them, I would not hire myself, despite me managing a business and still retaining all the skills, but I guess I'm too old for anyone to consider. No hard feelings, that's life.
So I have decided to re-educate myself and acquire a new education.
The very first hurdle is getting anyone to recognize that I have some previous education. To Canadians I don't even have a high school diploma because nothing is verified.
I don't have anyone back in Pakistan who I can ask, nor can I afford to go just to get my very old degree verified. I have researched the interwebs about services like WES etc, which in turn require me to get it via Higher Education Commission in Pakistan (a body which didn't even exist when I graduated). The more I dig into it the deeper and darker this Credential Verification hole gets! My deepest admiration to the young people today having to do it all!
So, I think my sanest option is just to do a CAEC or a Canadian high school diploma.
Is that my only choice now? What do you think, suggest?
My goal is to get a renewed education for a field of study of my choice. Am I taking the best route? Is there anything I'm missing?
Thank you very much!
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