TCA Success Stories: From Chartered Accountant to Senior Project Manager

In life, there are some things that happen only once in a blue moon such as;

• Winning the Lottery
• Hearing a recruiter say “I’ve never enjoyed speaking to a candidate as much as I did speaking to you today”
• Having a planned 20 minutes interview turn into a 90 minutes chat.
• Receiving an unexpected $10k increase in salary before starting your new role 

However, this is exactly what happened to Sylvester – specifically the last 3.

When Sylvester decided to relocate to Canada, he was filled with hope—ready to live the Canadian dream with his family. But along with that hope came fear—the fear of the unknown. Questions haunted him:

• Will I be able to settle in?
• Am I making a mistake leaving my thriving career in an oil company to relocate to Canada?
• Will I be able to get a good job that makes this relocation worthwhile?

These thoughts weighed on Sylvester’s mind. For over 20 years, he had built a solid career as a Chartered Accountant, working for top banks and oil companies. But on arriving in Canada, things were different. For every finance role he found, there were at least 20 project management positions. His wife, who had also worked in banking, was already transitioning into Project Management. And yet another set of questions gnawed at him: Will I be left behind? Will I eventually have to rely on my wife to get by?

Determined to change his path, Sylvester acted fast. He earned his PMP certification but still didn’t feel ready. He lacked the practical experience and confidence to break into the project management field. That’s when a family friend, who had successfully transitioned into Project Management with the help of The Career Accelerators (TCA), shared her story. Sylvester knew instantly that TCA was the key to his breakthrough. So he signed up for the next cohort

The journey wasn’t easy. Juggling work and attending classes was tough, but Sylvester was determined. TCA’s practical approach was the missing link. Through live projects, resume support, and interview prep, he transformed from someone unsure of his future into someone who could confidently speak the language of project management. Tools like Microsoft Project, Jira, SharePoint once foreign to him, became second nature. With each class, Sylvester moved closer to his new life.

After completing the program, Sylvester began applying for jobs. Despite his best efforts, rejections came in. But TCA had prepared him for this—he understood that setbacks were part of the journey. Instead of being discouraged, Sylvester used the feedback he received to grow stronger. TCA had given him more than skills—it had given him resilience.

Last month, Sylvester came across a Senior Project Manager role that combined both finance and project management expertise. It was the opportunity he’d been waiting for. Armed with his TCA experience, he tailored his resume and applied. The very next day, the recruiter reached out for a quick 20-minute chat. But that 20 minutes turned into a 90-minute conversation. The recruiter was blown away by Sylvester’s experience and ended the call with, "I’ve never enjoyed speaking to a candidate as much as I did today."

Sylvester knew he was close to something big.

In his own words, Sylvester shared a crucial lesson: “Every applicant should do whatever it takes to speak to the recruiter or hiring manager where you can fully demonstrate your capabilities and impress them”

Sylvester’s next interview was with the hiring manager and director. They drilled into his experience with TCA’s live projects and his previous work at Shell. Thanks to TCA’s real-world training, he spoke with confidence and impressed them.

The very next day, he received an incredible six-figure offer. And when the official letter arrived, it was $10K higher than expected. 

Sylvester’s story is one that many migrants can relate to—starting over in a new country, facing uncertainty, yet holding onto the hope of something better. His journey shows that, no matter how tough the road, with the right guidance and persistence, unimaginable success is possible.

If Sylvester can do it, so can you. It doesn’t matter if you’ve tried and failed before—your new career and life are waiting. Let TCA help you secure that dream job.

Click here to book a FREE Coaching session with one of our career experts.