Onyx Initiative

Article – Onyx Initiative scholars, employee partners and supporters celebrated at inaugural gala

Feeling a bit lost and unsure, Keshana King found career direction and clarity while browsing LinkedIn just over a year ago.
The Onyx Initiative helps bridge the gap in the recruitment and selection of Black college and university students and recent graduates for roles in corporate Canada.

Press Release – Onyx Initiative Hosts Inaugural Gala To Celebrate Black History Month And Milestones Achieved In Support Of Black Post-Secondary Students & Grads

TORONTO, Feb. 15, 2024 /CNW/ - Onyx Initiative, a Toronto based non-profit that was established in 2020 to bridge the pervasive and systemic gap in the recruitment, selection, and retention of Black college and university students, and recent graduates for roles in corporate Canada is honoured to celebrate the extensive achievements of the many Black trailblazers who have made, and continue to make, significant contributions in every area of society that impacts the lives of all Canadians in significant ways.

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The Honourable Dr. G. Raymond Chang Volunteerism Scholarship

In honour of Dr. Chang's steadfast belief in paying it forward, we are pleased to offer two $2500 scholarships to be used for educational or job readiness expenses.

Press Release – The Onyx Initiative Marks its First Anniversary with a String of Successes in Applications, Programming, Partnerships & Career Opportunities for Black Students and Recent Graduates

TORONTO, Oct. 21, 2021 /CNW Telbec/ - The Onyx Initiative, a Toronto-based non-profit established to bridge the pervasive gap in the recruitment and selection of Black college and university students and recent graduates for roles in corporate Canada, is celebrating a slew of achievements since launching one year ago today including exponential growth in the number of participants for its national Scholars Program and increasing support from some of the largest and most prominent companies on the TSX, such as Bell, TD Bank Group, Amazon Canada, Telus, Walmart Canada, PwC, HP Canada, National Bank, Lululemon Canada, and many more.

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Article – Onyx Initiative Helping to Expand Black Talent Pipeline in Canada

Canada has a wealth of young, talented Black students and graduates, but systemic barriers put many at a disadvantage in the workforce, particularly as they’re entering it. In fact, Statistics Canada numbers report that Black post-secondary graduates with a Bachelor’s degree earn significantly less than White graduates. But Onyx Initiative is working to change that through a program that mentors Black scholars and bridges the gap in recruitment of Black talent in corporate Canada.

Press Release – The Onyx Initiative sees sizeable increase in applicants and partners for its recruitment program supporting black students and recent graduates

TORONTO, June 30, 2021 /CNW/ - The Onyx Initiative, a Toronto-based non-profit established to bridge the pervasive gap in the recruitment and selection of Black college and university students and recent graduates for roles in corporate Canada, is excited to welcome its second cohort of 230 scholars from across the country. The new participants, who will be fully onboarded in June, were selected from almost 400 applicants, a notable boost from the impressive 300 applications received for the inaugural cohort, which began in January with 170 scholars.

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Article – CIBC further invests in Black leaders, changemakers and entrepreneurs

Commitment doubles community funding, and is aimed at enabling the next generation and Business owners to achieve their ambitions

CIBC announced today that it is furthering its commitment to addressing anti-Black systemic racism and enabling the aspirations of Black leaders, changemakers and entrepreneurs by doubling funding for education and resource programs for the Black community to $2 million annually. This includes the creation of a scholarship program, and the opportunity for internship and mentorship experiences, aimed at supporting members of the Black community in achieving their ambitions.

Press Release – The Onyx Initiative Welcomes 170 Black Students Into its Inaugural Training and Mentorship/Coaching Program for Corporate Canada Recruitment

TORONTO, Feb. 4, 2021 /CNW Telbec/ - The Onyx Initiative, a Toronto based non-profit established to bridge the pervasive gap in the recruitment and selection of Black college and university students, and recent graduates for roles in corporate Canada is thrilled to announce a slew of successes since its launch in October 2020, including over 300 applications for its Scholars Program and the selection of 170 participants for the first cohort; both the result of a targeted outreach and engagement campaign with regional Black Student Associations, campus career centres, community organizations, and prominent social media forums.

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Article – Onyx Initiative: levelling the playing field for black Canadians

2020 was a year of reckoning for how our society addresses issues of racism and equity. The high-profile murder of George Floyd and the subsequent social and political unrest caused a lot of Canadians to reflect on systemic inequalities between white people and people of colour. Advocacy groups organized protests and demonstrations across Canada, including two in Oakville. For one local family, it was time to take action. Last May, philanthropists Nigela and Wayne Purboo began developing the idea for the Onyx Initiative mentorship program.

Article – London brewery's new beer will support Black Lives Matter initiative

A London brewery is joining a global initiative in support of Black Lives Matter.
Equals Brewery has created a beer, the proceeds of which will support an initiative for youths of colour, said Matt Cummings, Equals’ brewing and blending manager.

“With the events happening here and in the U.S., we wanted to do what we can to support, to help,” said Cummings. “It’s a good thing to do.”

Article – Qualified Afro-Canadian students are not rare, but bountiful

I was interested in the naming of the start-up Onyx, so I checked out the definition. Onyx is a semiprecious stone that forms in bands of different colours such as black and white. It is not a rare gem. Once I understood this, I then could grasp why a start-up directed solely at empowering black youth would call themselves Onyx. Qualified black students are not rare, but bountiful. The stone is said to absorb negativity and is extremely powerful.

Article – Jamaican couple in Canada launches project to help black grads

Black university and college graduates who struggle to find internship opportunities, mentors, or employment in major corporate companies across Canada will now receive support through an initiative launched last month by two entrepreneurs – Wayne and Nigela Purboo, who boast Jamaican heritage.

Article – GBC partners with Onyx Initiative to boost Black representation in corporate Canada

On October 21, 2020, Nigela and Wayne Purboo launched the Onyx Initiative, a non-profit organization that aims to host mentorship and training programs to prepare Black students for employment opportunities in their respective fields. The organization is a response to the impacts of anti-Black racism and socioeconomic inequalities.

Article – Bridging the gap between Black students and corporate Canada

A recently launched education program hopes to bridge the gap between Black students and Canadian businesses.

The Onyx Initiative was created to address black students’ lack of awareness about mentorship and career opportunities, says Nigela Purboo, founder and executive director of the non-profit organization in Toronto.

Article – New mentorship program for Black students draws corporate support

A new non-profit offering mentorship and training to Black college and university students is looking to increase diversity in the upper ranks of Canadian corporations.

The Onyx Initiative will provide Black students and recent graduates with coaching and online training on everything from conflict resolution to crafting a cover letter and acing a job interview. It will also connect students with prospective employers.

Press Release – The Onyx Initiative: A New Non-Profit Bridging the Systemic Gap in Corporate Canada's Recruitment of Black Students

TORONTO, Oct. 21, 2020 /CNW Telbec/ - Launching today, the Onyx Initiative is a Toronto based non-profit designed to address the pervasive gap that exists in the recruitment and selection of Black college and university students for roles in corporate Canada. A highly anticipated endeavour that is a direct response to the ongoing realities of anti-Black racism, systemic bias, and socioeconomic inequities, the Onyx Initiative is an innovative mentorship and training model that is generating widespread interest and excitement with corporations, educators, and the community.

Read the full press release at:

Article – George Brown College proud to be a partner in the Onyx Initiative

George Brown College is proud to be a partner in an exciting initiative that aims to boost recruitment of Black students among Canadian corporations and create the conditions that will lead to continued career success.

The Onyx Initiative launched October 21, 2020 with the goal of increasing representation of Black Canadians in the corporate world by providing students with mentorship and coaching, as well as online career skills training.

Article – Brock joins national effort to ensure fair career opportunities for Black students

Brock University is one of a few post-secondary institutions selected to partner in a national diversity project to establish more equitable career opportunities for Black students.

The Onyx Initiative, which launched Wednesday, Oct. 21, is a non-profit endeavour designed to address “the pervasive gap that exists in the recruitment and selection of Black college and university students for roles in corporate Canada.”

Video – Tackling the systemic gap in Corporate Canada's recruitment of Black students

The issue of diversity in Corporate Canada has been top of mind this year – particularly the under-representation of black talent. Measures are being taken to tackle this. And launching today is the Onyx Initiative — a Toronto-based non-profit designed to address the gap that exists in the recruitment of Black college and university students for roles in Corporate Canada. Bell Canada and BNN Bloomberg are partners. Wayne Purboo, founder of the Onyx Initiative joins BNN Bloomberg to discuss.

Video – CP24 features Onyx Initiative

Nigela Purboo is interviewed by CP24's George Lagogianes to discuss the launch of the Onyx Initiative.