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By: Maria Bychkova
Published On: December 10, 2019Among Ashton College alumni there are people who possess a strong will to overcome personal challenges and meet their educational and professional goals. Michael Monfared, who completed the Immigration Consultant Diploma program in 2018, is one of them. For his dedication and hard work during the studies at Ashton College, Michael received an award from the Canadian Association of Professional Immigration Consultants.
1. What inspired you to pursue education in immigration?
I previously worked in the taxi industry as a driver and then a supervisor for over 10 years. At some point, the job was no longer challenging and that was when I began to look for a new career.
My mother has worked as an immigration consultant for 12 years and I asked her how she liked her job. She spoke highly about the field of immigration and the great people who work in the industry. Also, how helping people start a new life in Canada can be very rewarding.
I finally decided to leave my job in the taxi service and began to work with my mother to gain valuable knowledge about Canadian immigration. When the time came and I felt ready to start my journey of becoming a Registered Canadian Immigration Consultant, I found Ashton College. I was pleased to learn they offered the Immigration Consultant Diploma program online.
I live in Montreal, Quebec, and taking an online program at Ashton was my best opportunity to get education in immigration. Also, it enabled me to work and take the courses online simultaneously.
2. Why did you choose Ashton College among other educational institutions that provide similar training options?
Ashton College offered the program I wanted to study, in the online format and with the right timing. I could attend classes during the day from my workplace and it was very convenient. It also allowed me to have free time during the evenings to study course material.
A lot of the other colleges, that offered the immigration program online, only had evening courses available that were not suitable for me.
3. What did you like most about your studies at Ashton College?
The best part about studying at Ashton College was getting to know their instructors. They were very knowledgeable about the field of Canadian Immigration and were also available to answer questions outside of course times. Many of the instructors took time out of their busy day to respond to my emails.
4. How did Ashton College help you achieve your goals?
To put it simply, Ashton College employed instructors who are at the top of the Canadian Immigration industry and who made learning the course material easy and effective. They made sure that all students were clear on the course material before moving on to the next phase of learning.
5. What is your current occupation?
I am currently the owner of Immigration Michael Monfared. There are many career opportunities that an RCIC can pursue but to own and operate my own business was my main goal which I made a reality with the help of Ashton College.
6. What is the best part of your job? What are you most passionate about?
Without a doubt, the best part of my job is being able to help people start a new life in Canada. When I can pick up the phone to call my clients and inform them of the approval of their immigration application (temporary or permanent) it feels very rewarding. Some of them yell with excitement whereas others cry tears of joy.
7. What are some of the key skills you need to have to be successful in your field?
Well, depending on the type of employment, an RCIC will need to have different skills. As the owner and operator of my business, I can say for sure that business management and marketing are the key skills I need to have to be successful. Time management is also a great asset.
8. What are some of your future goals and aspirations?
As of now, I am working alone in my office and still developing my business. In the next five to ten years, I see myself adding employees to my company and growing its operation.
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