The Employment Reintegration Centre transformed my professional career

Having only completed Grade 10, I worked for minimal wages for many years and learned “on the job”. I wasn’t always receptive to the opportunities life offered me and, let’s face it, I struggled to make ends meet for a long time.

I evolved within several companies, including one in particular that recognized my talent and where I flourished for eight years. However, I suffered from impostor syndrome. This feeling of incompetence and self-doubt constantly haunted me, despite my professional successes. I worked twice as hard to learn and complete my tasks. I brought a lot of work home to meet deadlines. I still managed to progress enough to aim for higher positions. However, they all required diplomas. The possibilities for advancement stopped there for me.

At 43, following a very long leave due to psychological distress and self-questioning, life put someone in my path who told me about a program that applied exactly to my situation. I called and was given a place at the Employment Reintegration Centre in Quebec City in collaboration with Services Quebec.

A year and a half later, I left school with a double vocational diploma in hand. I can now continue my evolution in my field and aim for positions that I couldn’t reach before. In two weeks, I’m starting a new job with excellent benefits that will allow me to double my previous salary. I plan to finish my career at this place as the advancement possibilities are significant. A year and a half of sacrifices that will pay off in many ways.

Gone is the impostor syndrome, gone is the unpaid overtime to get things done, and most importantly: Welcome self-confidence!

Thank you to the person who told me about the program, thank you Quebec City for believing in me, and thank you Services Quebec for the funding.

Cindy, Employment Reintegration Centre, Quebec City

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