Matteo came to Canada from Italy in 2015 and now lives in Calgary, Alberta. He was working as a restaurant kitchen manager, but last year he had a knee injury that led to a torn meniscus. His injury required surgery and extensive physio, and now his knee has physical limitations preventing him from returning to more physical work. Matteo also developed depression while re-entering the workforce and trying to find a different career path.

Matteo learned about Neil Squire through CBI Health (new window) and joined our Working Together program in August.

He started the process by participating in career exploration and looking at his skills that would be transferable into another career. Matteo began creating a resume and cover letter outlining his experience and skills.

Matteo has always enjoyed working on computers, learning new software, and trying to create his own software platforms. He was unsure of his future career but soon began to see that his hobby could be a career path.

He learned how to tailor cover letters to jobs in his field of interest, and worked hard to self-market his strengths and researched software programs and colleges. Matteo was motivated to be successful and put in the effort to learn as much as possible. He prepared for interviews and learned about wellness tips he could utilize at home and work.

Matteo initially wanted to obtain a permanent full-time job in the technology career field. However, he decided that he would like to focus on school as he realized that he would need to further his education to find the success he wanted.

While working with a job developer, Matteo began to look at different educational software programs. Matteo’s hard work and determination paid off when he was interviewed and accepted into the NPower Canada Junior IT Analyst program (new window). Upon graduation, Matteo will receive a Google IT Support Professional Certificate (new window).

Matteo started his studies and will be equipped with the knowledge and skills that will help him be successful in finding a full-time position in his new career path.