When Dapo Bankole moved to Canada in 2012, he had years of IT experience under his belt. But he struggled to find a professional job for months and did minimum wage work to make ends meet. Bankole said he thinks companies weren't hiring him because he lacked Canadian experience.
This as-told-to essay is based on a transcribed conversation with Dapo Bankole, 47, about moving to Canada from Nigeria. The following has been edited for length and clarity. AD My Canadian Dream began in 1993.
I was living in Nigeria, where I was born, and had to sit an exam. My brother's friend drove me there. A few months later, I asked after him and was told he moved to Canada .
It was the first time I heard about someone relocating to a new country . I dreamed of doing the same. AD I studied biochemistry at university and completed a postgraduate program in computer science.
I worked in IT for around 12 years in Nigeria, where I gained experience in computer engineering, billing administration, and team management My desire to relocate heavily influenced my life. When I courted my wife, I told her about my dream because I didn't want it to be a problem for her. I started getting myself ready to move by gaining IT certifications through a Canadian society.
In 2012, I moved to Canada with my wife and two children after successfully applying for permanent residency in the country. AD But it ended up taking me around nine months to find a professional job . I struggled to get my foot in the door and .
