A Message to Our Community

This is your AREC. Get involved. This is my dream for AREC.

Like most dreams, it is bold and fragile in equal measure. I dream of a steady flow of people who join AREC in the other Canadian provinces, and in the USA too — coming together because it feels good to be among others who believe it matters to make better choices, to collaborate, and to build a place where Romanian engineers succeed. Together, we will become ARENA — the Association of Romanian Engineers in North America.

Since its beginnings in 2003, AREC has focused on helping newcomer engineers integrate into the Canadian labour market, and on providing development and networking opportunities for established engineers.

AREC is increasingly an action-oriented organization with an international focus, regional action, and local relevance. Our primary aim is to establish Romanian engineers as an indispensable part of the engineering mix in Canada. Our members include engineers educated in Romania and now living in Canada, engineering students, engineers of Romanian descent educated in Canada, and any company or organization that employs engineers or engineering services.

The mentoring program we have run for over three years has benefited both new immigrants and experienced professionals tremendously: newcomers learn how to take the first steps toward building a career in Canada, while mentors develop their coaching and leadership skills — and experience the deep reward of giving back and paying it forward.

We are now launching a new project focused on our future: our youth, our children.

The statistics show it is younger Canadians who are hardest hit by a tight job market, with youth unemployment for years running well above the national average. We see our children and their friends struggle through university to find summer jobs, and after graduating, apply to hundreds of positions without securing one, because they lack experience.

One thing that makes us proud as a community is that Canadian-Romanian students have among the highest graduation rates and lowest dropout rates. For that, we thank you.

We want to step in and help our children with the same dedication we have shown — and will continue to show — newcomers. AREC has hundreds of members and supporters from all walks of life. Every one of them knows others, who know others still. Our reach is immense, and we want to put it to good use: helping our youth find work.

What we want to do is leverage the power of this network by connecting young people with established professionals in their field. We cannot promise or guarantee jobs — but we can promise connections, and opportunities to learn about a field of interest or the requirements of a specific industry.

Specifically, we want to be a connector between new graduates seeking employment and established professionals. We invite every young professional to contact us and tell us their field of interest. Through our connections — and yours — AREC wants to help you along your career path, offering the chance to connect with experienced people in engineering and in other fields too: banking, investment, marketing, sales, and more. We will look for an established professional willing to give a few hours for an informational interview. That is what most young people need: connections and guidance. AREC is here to provide exactly that.

I would like more people to take a little time to connect with our vision — to champion the excellence of Romanian talent, professionalism, and creativity in engineering as key drivers of business success in Canada. It is a vision about the attention we pay to strengths, to connections, to kindness, and to aspirations.

When I dream for AREC, I dream of you. I dream that you notice, that you value what we do, that you bring your friends, and that you share and grow what we can build together.

I invite you to explore our website and to get in touch.

Join AREC, bring your friends, and bring your ideas. Together we are stronger!

I wish you all the greatest success in everything you do, personal and professional.

A big thank you to all our sponsors and partners for their continued support.