On the ground at the Paris Air Show

I return from Paris with a deep sense of satisfaction, having witnessed once again the important role Montréal International plays in bolstering Greater Montréal’s economy.

I was at the Paris Air Show to take part in the first international recruitment mission organized by Montréal International, Investissement Québec International and the Ministère de l’Immigration, de la Francisation et de l’Intégration.

This mission was designed to help companies such as Airbus Canada, Bombardier and Groupe Meloche meet some of their needs in terms of specialized manpower in a context of strong global competition. It also involved promoting our educational institutions to international students, to help train the next generation in a key sector of our economy.

Serving our aerospace industry

I wasn’t expecting to meet so many people as the exhibition seemed so huge and impersonal. But a friendly and energetic vibe quickly emerged among the recruiters and partners representing the Greater Montréal area. Everyone worked together to make this recruitment mission a success, and this contagious energy combined with Greater Montréal’s incredible appeal made Espace Québec the most popular booth in the vast hall in which it was located.

As I enlightened candidates about the many possibilities offered by our metropolitan region, I witnessed with my own eyes their expression shifting from uncertainty to enthusiasm. And each time I’d see the interest in their eyes replace the initial doubtful look, I was reminded how much I love my work.

The positive feedback from our corporate clients was another highlight of my experience. I was filled with satisfaction when recruiters reported that the interviews involving the candidates we had recommended had gone well. Equally so when a company confirmed that the engineer we had linked them with had the potential to be a game-changer for one of their projects, or when another showed me a folder overflowing with good CVs.

I found myself thinking “mission accomplished” as a father and son approached me with excitement and deep emotion to convey that after two interviews within a span of two days with one of our client educational institutions, the son had received the green light to start pilot training in Québec. It’s in moments like these that the true purpose of Montréal International truly shines for me.

Although it’s too early to measure the tangible outcomes of this mission in terms of new recruits, I firmly believe it was immensely valuable. A French industry professional with whom I had a chat at the end of the mission seemed to concur. He expressed envy towards Montréal’s reputation abroad and our group of partners’ pioneering approach to recruitment. What a fitting conclusion after two intense days at Le Bourget!

Our mission at a glance

Recruitment of workers:

• 12 companies from the Greater Montréal area
  (Lisi Aerospace Canada, Altitude Aerospace, Groupe Meloche, Airbus Canada, Airbus Atlantic Canada, Flying Whales Québec, Bombardier, C3RiOS Systems, ABIPA Canada, Groupe DCM, MI-GSO | PCUBED, MDA)
• 80+ job offers posted on TalentMontreal.com
• Nearly 200 positions to fill
• 600 candidates interviewed

Recruitment of students:

• 4 educational institutions
  (AéroÉTS for École de technologie supérieure, Éducation internationale, Fédération des cégeps, and Mérici | Orizon Aviation)
• 200 candidates interviewed

The MI team: An asset to Greater Montréal

MI’s International Talent team assists Greater Montréal organizations in sourcing skilled workers from abroad to help fulfill their workforce requirements. It also promotes our educational institutions to international students wishing to pursue their studies in Greater Montréal, and helps international students and graduates find employment once they are in Québec.

To learn more about our international recruitment and immigration support services, click here.

To learn more about our international student and graduate recruitment services, click here.