guard.me International Insurance, Devant and Kibbi partner to improve career outcomes for international students
Canada’s leading provider of health and wellness service and support for all students, guard.me, today announced a partnership with Devant and Kibbi, two firms at the forefront of AI-enabled technology developed specifically to enhance the ability of international students to secure meaningful employment during and after their program(s) of study.
“Our mission is to help set international students up for success from the time they decide to study in Canada and throughout their educational journey,” said Keith Segal, President and Global CEO of guard.me.
“We recognize that many international students will work while in school and would like to build their careers and lives here upon graduation. Partnering with Devant and Kibbi adds a new dimension to the support we can offer our partner institutions and their students.”
Co-founded by Rod Skinkle, Co-Founder of Academica Group and Denis Gravelle, Continuing Education and Workforce Development veteran, Devant’s mission is to help international students to stay, work, and succeed in Canada.
Devant offers a full platform providing AI driven resume, cover letter, and interview practice tools, as well as weekly events, video tutorials, and career content; while Kibbi offers premier map-based, AI-driven, multilingual job search application, uniquely dedicated to connecting job seekers to local employment opportunities.
In August 2023, Devant entered a joint-venture with Kibbi to provide the most robust career support services for newcomers and international students in Canada. They are currently partnering with 35+ colleges, universities, and employment services and together serve over 70,000 students and newcomers.
“The Devant team is thrilled with our new collaboration with guard.me,” said Rod Skinkle, co-founder and CEO of Devant. “Having worked alongside many of guard.me’s team members and seeing first-hand their values-based approach to client and student relationships, we’re excited to be working on ways to provide even greater support to our respective clients and to all students.”
"Kibbi Technologies, is dedicated to modernizing the job search experience for international students through our advanced, AI-driven, multilingual job search application,” said HP Nguyen, Founder and CEO of Kibbi Technologies. “Partnering with guard.me allows us to further our mission of connecting job seekers to local employment, ensuring they thrive both during and after their studies in Canada."
The 2024-2025 academic year may prove more challenging than ever for international students and institutions. guard.me, Devant and Kibbi will be working on solutions that reduce burdens on educational institutions’ resources while improving outcomes for international students, the communities in which they reside and Canada as a whole.
About guard.me
guard.me International Insurance specializes in providing health and wellness solutions for students, staff, and faculty at over 300 public and private universities, colleges, school boards and language training organizations across Canada. Our dedicated team understands the unique challenges faced by international students and how unexpected medical or mental health issues can disrupt their educational journey. We enable students, faculty and staff to travel the world safely while enriching their lives through international study. Our genuine concern is reflected in the multiple solutions we have developed to ensure their well-being whatever the circumstances.
About Devant and Kibbi Technologies
Devant, a division of Academica Group, was founded in 2019 with a clear mission: to empower international students and newcomers, enhancing their chances of securing meaningful employment opportunities in Canada. Devant’s fully integrated platform provides AI-assisted tools for resume building, cover letters, and interview preparation. A comprehensive content library, engaging video tutorials, and live weekly online events are also available to registered users.
Kibbi Technologies emerged in 2022 as a grassroots initiative in Calgary, founded by newcomers and refugees with a shared vision to streamline the integration of immigrants into the Canadian workforce and foster a sense of belonging. Kibbi has since evolved into Canada's premier map-based, AI-driven, multilingual job search application, uniquely dedicated to connecting job seekers to local employment opportunities.
Devant and Kibbi have 70,000 registered users, collaborations with more than 28 post-secondary institutions and partnerships with nearly a dozen newcomer employment service providers. The partnership’s end-to-end solution harnesses the latest AI technologies and reduces barriers faced by job seekers, making their access and integration into local communities seamless. To date over 81,000 job applications have been facilitated nationally.
Learn more about Devant: devant.ca
Learn more about Kibbi: mykibbi.com
