The Power of Partnerships: Yoona’s Journey in Tech

Yoona Oh moved to Canada from Korea more than eight years ago. After arriving, she worked in the service industry and began building a new life here, but it wasn’t easy. When I spoke with Yoona, she said she had started to feel a loss of direction while working as a restaurant server.

“I came here on my own,” she shared. “My whole family is still overseas.”

With a background in engineering, Yoona knew she had more to offer. She wanted to transition into the tech sector, but she didn’t know where to start.

Momentum became a turning point. Yoona enrolled in one of our technology training programs in 2025, determined not just to learn technical skills, but to reset her life.

From the beginning, she noticed that it wasn’t only the technical training that made a difference: the certifications – especially in cloud computing – gave her a strong foundation to launch a new career, but, more than that, the communication workshops, the mindset shift to take more initiative, and the opportunity to practice through mock interviews made her feel truly prepared. As Yoona put it, “it’s often the soft skills that can set you apart.”

During the program’s final stage, Yoona completed her work experience placement with WBM Technologies. 

WBM has been a committed employer partner for Momentum’s technology training programs for more than six years, providing valuable work experience so participants can build hands-on skills. Within just two weeks, Yoona was on the phones and supporting clients! This experience quickly turned into opportunity: after graduating in the fall of 2025, she was hired by WBM.

Today, Yoona is thriving.

She spoke about the team environment at WBM with genuine appreciation. She feels supported, continues to build her skills through additional certifications, and is already on a path toward promotion.

What makes her experience even more meaningful is the community she’s found at WBM. Yoona personally knows nearly ten Momentum graduates working there. Together, they’ve built a strong network of peer support where they share advice and encourage each other as they grow their careers.

One of those Momentum grad colleagues – someone she didn’t know before joining WBM – has become her “work bestie and study buddy as [they] work toward new technical certifications.”

Yoona’s story is a powerful reminder that the relationships built through Momentum’s programs don’t end at graduation. They carry forward into workplaces, into careers, and into the confidence people build together.

Last year, Momentum’s relationship with WBM grew in a new way: they became Momentum’s technology services provider. Now, they’re not only helping participants launch their careers in tech, they’re also helping power the technology that makes Momentum’s programs possible, from classrooms to day‑to‑day operations.

This isn’t just a partnership – it’s a shared investment in people.

Yoona took a chance on herself when she decided to change direction.
WBM took a chance by providing opportunities and recognizing the potential in Momentum’s participants.

Together, those choices create a real, lasting impact – the kind of impact that shows why relationships matter so much, and why they are essential to building a local economy where everyone can thrive.