Sister2Sister Advanced Leadership Program Canada 2026: Free Leadership Training and Paid Placement for Newcomer Women

The Sister2Sister Advanced Leadership Program (ALP) is a free leadership and skills development opportunity designed to support racialized newcomer women in Canada with professional development, employment readiness, career coaching and experiential learning opportunities. The program aims to bridge the gap between the skills of newcomer women and the changing needs of employers through intensive training in both soft and technical skills.

The Sister2Sister Advanced Leadership Program combines structured skills development with practical career preparation and wrap-around support. Participants receive training in areas such as leadership, project management, digital fluency, workplace human rights, communication, networking, personal branding and employment readiness. Following the skills development component, participants may also participate in an experiential learning opportunity, which can include paid job placement opportunities.

The programme is delivered in partnership with universities, colleges and skills development training partners and is designed specifically around the needs and aspirations of newcomer women seeking greater economic integration, career advancement and leadership development.

About the Sister2Sister Advanced Leadership Program

The Sister2Sister Advanced Leadership Program is a skills and leadership development programme created to help address employment and professional development barriers faced by racialized newcomer women.

The programme focuses on helping participants strengthen their professional skills while gaining practical knowledge that can support their transition into the Canadian workforce. Rather than focusing solely on classroom-based learning, the programme combines skills development, employment preparation, coaching and experiential learning.

The programme is free for participants.

Participants receive:

• Skills and professional development training
• Employment readiness support
• Leadership development
• Career coaching
• Mentorship
• Wrap-around support
• Practical workplace preparation
• Opportunities for experiential learning
• Potential paid job placement opportunities

The programme also addresses important aspects of working in the Canadian workplace, including employment human rights, equity, diversity and inclusion, cross-cultural communication and professional communication.

Sister2Sister ALP Micro-Credentials

The Sister2Sister Advanced Leadership Program offers two micro-credentials that provide participants with additional professional and technical development.

1. MBA Essentials

The MBA Essentials micro-credential is developed by Rotman Executive Education, a division of the Rotman School of Management.

The course introduces participants to important business concepts and helps develop strategic thinking and leadership skills that can be applied in today’s workplace.

The MBA Essentials component includes a six-week asynchronous online course, followed by a four-week guided capstone project.

Participants explore areas such as:

• Strategy
• Finance
• Marketing
• Operations
• Leadership
• Data-driven decision-making
• Communicating business value
• Cross-functional collaboration

The course is led by expert faculty from Rotman and uses content grounded in real-world business challenges.

The capstone component gives participants an opportunity to apply what they have learned to a practical challenge.

2. Digital Fluency in the Workforce

The second micro-credential is Digital Fluency in the Workforce, delivered through Humber College.

This micro-credential focuses on the digital competencies required by employers across different sectors in Canada.

It is a six-week self-paced online course designed to help participants become more confident and effective in professional digital environments.

The course covers:

• Effective use of digital tools
• Digital communication
• Safe management of digital information
• Reliable online research
• Professional communication
• Time management
• Information management
• Project management using digital tools
• Evaluation of online sources
• Creation and presentation of visual data
• Individual and collaborative digital work

Together, the two micro-credentials provide participants with both business knowledge and practical digital competencies.

Completing the Sister2Sister Program

To graduate from the programme and receive the relevant certificate, participants must complete both micro-credentials.

Participation in the skills development component is mandatory.

Participants should therefore be prepared to commit consistently to the programme. Missing more than two classes can result in disqualification from the programme.

This attendance requirement is important because the programme is structured around continuous professional development and practical skills development.

Employment Readiness and Career Development

A major component of the Sister2Sister Advanced Leadership Program is employment readiness.

The programme provides participants with practical support designed to help them prepare for career opportunities in Canada.

Employment readiness activities can include:

• Resume development
• LinkedIn profile building
• Personal branding
• Professional networking
• Interview preparation
• Behavioural interview training
• Business writing
• Professional presentations
• Self-awareness
• Emotional intelligence
• Conflict resolution
• Team building
• Cross-cultural communication

Participants also receive career coaching and support designed to help them identify their strengths and present themselves effectively to potential employers.

The programme provides counselling and professional development services including resume writing, profile building, job interview rehearsals and self-advocacy training.

Leadership and Workplace Skills Training

The Sister2Sister programme goes beyond traditional employment preparation by developing participants’ leadership and workplace capabilities.

The programme includes training related to leadership, team motivation, stakeholder engagement and communication.

Participants can develop skills in:

• Leadership
• Team motivation
• Stakeholder engagement
• Communication planning
• Problem-solving
• Decision-making
• Managing change
• Conflict resolution
• Team building
• Emotional intelligence
• Self-awareness

The programme also includes education around employment human rights and equity, diversity and inclusion in the Canadian workplace.

Technical and Project Management Training

Participants receive technical skills development related to project management and workplace processes.

The training can cover:

• Project planning
• Scope management
• Requirements definition
• Risk assessment
• Quality management
• Project cost estimation
• Project monitoring
• Change control
• Project close-out processes

These skills can be valuable across multiple sectors because project management knowledge is relevant to a wide range of professional roles.

Why Join the Sister2Sister Advanced Leadership Program?

The programme offers participants an opportunity to combine professional training with practical career development.

Some of the key benefits include:

Build a Professional Network

Participants join a community of immigrant women who are developing their professional careers and leadership capabilities.

This creates opportunities to build meaningful professional relationships and expand networks.

Develop Leadership Skills

The programme is specifically designed to strengthen leadership capacity among racialized newcomer women.

Participants can develop the confidence and skills required to progress professionally and take on greater responsibilities.

Gain Professional Micro-Credentials

Participants can complete the two micro-credentials offered through the programme, covering MBA Essentials and Digital Fluency in the Workforce.

Improve Career Readiness

The employment readiness component helps participants strengthen resumes, LinkedIn profiles, interviewing skills, networking abilities and personal branding.

Receive Coaching and Mentorship

Participants receive career coaching and mentorship as part of the programme’s broader support structure.

Access Experiential Learning

After completing the skills development component, participants may participate in an experiential learning opportunity lasting between four and sixteen weeks.

For some participants, this can include paid job placement opportunities.

Eligibility Criteria for the Sister2Sister Advanced Leadership Program

The Sister2Sister Advanced Leadership Program is specifically intended for racialized newcomer women who meet the programme’s immigration and participation requirements.

Applicants must fall within one of the specified newcomer categories.

Eligible groups include racialized immigrant and/or refugee women who arrived in Canada within the last 10 years.

This can include:

• Permanent residents
• Protected persons
• Naturalized Canadian citizens who immigrated to Canada within the relevant period
• Individuals admitted to Canada under a federal emergency or humanitarian measure

The programme also accepts certain newcomer women with a Canada-Ukraine Authorization for Emergency Travel (CUAET), provided they have a 900-series Social Insurance Number (SIN) and an open work permit.

Refugee claimants with a 900-series SIN and an open work permit can also qualify.

Individuals with a 900-series SIN and an open work permit who have received preliminary federal government approval and are waiting for their permanent residence status to be finalized may also qualify.

In addition to the immigration-related criteria, applicants must:

• Be at least 18 years old.
• Hold an undergraduate degree or higher.
• Currently be unemployed.
• Have proficient English language skills, both written and verbal.
• Not currently be enrolled in full-time school or training.
• Reside in Ontario.
• Be willing and able to commit approximately 10 hours per week to the programme.
• Be willing and able to participate in both in-person and virtual sessions.

Applicants should carefully review these requirements before applying because the programme is specifically designed for the identified newcomer population.

Program Duration and Schedule

The Sister2Sister Advanced Leadership Program has several stages.

The skills development component lasts 16 weeks.

Classes generally take place on Saturdays between approximately 10:00 AM and 4:30 PM.

The programme uses a blended learning model, meaning participants may engage through synchronous sessions, asynchronous learning and other delivery formats.

Following successful completion of the skills development component, participants may proceed to an experiential learning opportunity.

The experiential learning period can last between four and sixteen weeks, depending on the type of opportunity.

Some participants may receive paid job placement opportunities through the programme’s strategic employer partner network.

Program Orientation

The programme orientation session is scheduled for:

20 November 2026

Time: 5:00 PM – 7:00 PM Eastern Time

Attendance at the orientation session is mandatory.

Applicants should therefore ensure that they are available to participate in the orientation if selected.

Mode of Delivery

The programme uses multiple delivery formats to accommodate different aspects of the training.

Training may be delivered:

• In person
• Virtually through Zoom
• Asynchronously

The experiential learning component may also be offered in different formats depending on the requirements of participating employers.

Experiential learning opportunities may therefore be:

• In person
• Hybrid
• Virtual

The exact arrangement can depend on the employer and the nature of the placement.

Experiential Learning and Paid Placement Opportunities

One of the distinctive features of the Sister2Sister Advanced Leadership Program is its connection to experiential learning.

After completing the skills development training, participants may receive opportunities to apply what they have learned in practical professional environments.

The experiential learning period can last from four to sixteen weeks.

For some participants, the opportunity can include a paid job placement through the programme’s strategic partner network.

This practical component is intended to help participants transition from training into real workplace environments and gain experience that can support their future employment.

Employer and Strategic Partner Network

The programme also works with employer partners who can provide experiential learning and employment opportunities.

Participating employers can gain access to a talent pool of trained newcomer women while contributing to immigrant women’s economic empowerment and professional advancement.

Employer partners can also receive support related to mentoring, internship oversight and participant development.

The programme indicates that employers hiring from its talent pool may receive up to 100% of wages, to a maximum of $5,000, for each new hire.

This employer incentive is designed to encourage organizations to participate in the programme and create employment opportunities for immigrant women.

Support Provided to Participants

The Sister2Sister programme takes a broad approach to professional development.

In addition to technical and leadership training, participants receive wrap-around support relating to mental, emotional and social well-being.

The programme recognizes that successful career integration can require more than technical skills alone.

Participants can therefore receive support in areas such as:

• Career development
• Employment preparation
• Counselling
• Resume development
• Interview preparation
• Self-advocacy
• Career coaching
• Mentorship
• Professional networking

This combination of skills training and support is intended to help participants build confidence while preparing for career advancement.

Application Process

Interested applicants should review the eligibility requirements carefully before beginning the application.

Applicants should ensure that they can commit to the programme’s time requirements and participate in the required training formats.

The application process should include reviewing the programme requirements and submitting the required information through the designated application channel.

Because participation requires a substantial time commitment, prospective applicants should ensure that they can attend the programme’s scheduled sessions and complete both micro-credentials.

Applicants should also be prepared to participate in the mandatory orientation session scheduled for November 20, 2026.

Important Program Information

Before applying, prospective participants should take note of the following:

• The programme is free for participants.
• The skills development component lasts 16 weeks.
• Classes generally take place on Saturdays.
• Participants are expected to commit approximately 10 hours per week.
• More than two missed classes can result in disqualification.
• Both micro-credentials must be completed to graduate.
• The programme uses in-person, virtual and asynchronous learning.
• Experiential learning can last between four and sixteen weeks.
• Some experiential learning opportunities may include paid placements.
• The mandatory orientation is scheduled for November 20, 2026.

The Sister2Sister Advanced Leadership Program provides a comprehensive opportunity for racialized newcomer women in Ontario to strengthen their leadership, digital, business, project management and employment skills while receiving career coaching, mentorship and broader professional support.

Through its two micro-credentials, employment readiness training and experiential learning component, the programme combines education with practical career development. Participants can build professional networks, strengthen their leadership capabilities and prepare for employment opportunities in the Canadian workforce.

For eligible newcomer women seeking to improve their professional skills and advance their careers, the Sister2Sister Advanced Leadership Program offers a valuable free leadership and skills development opportunity, with the potential for experiential learning and paid job placement.

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