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Convergence features members of the community through social media posts. Our two main series are career features and student features. If you would like to be featured in a post, send us an email describing your interests to [email protected]
Career Features
This series features passionate students or members of the working community who are enthusiastic about sharing different aspects of their career. Each post describes the pathway to going into the career and what an overall day looks like. It also delves deeper more personal matters such as the reasons why they chose to go into their respective field, their favourite part of the career as well as a piece of advice they would offer to people looking to pursue a similar career path.
Alvin Kwan - Graphic Design
Hi, I’m Alvin. I've been a graphic designer who runs their own small studio for about 10 years now. Before embarking on this career path, like many people, I was unsure of what I wanted to do. After graduating from high school, I was enrolled in UBC. At first, I was thrilled. Going to a university is most people’s dream—especially as an Asian Canadian. But after a couple years, I couldn’t keep up with my GPA so I started taking Art and Design electives. I was much more motivated in these classes, and that was when I gradually learned what my passion is. After finishing my second year at UBC, I applied and transferred to Emily Carr. I had to restart the program from Year 1. At that time, I felt like I was a lot behind compared to all of my friends.
Looking back now, I am very grateful to have pursued my passion. I also don’t regret the years I’ve spent at UBC. The different subject fields have taught me things that I couldn’t learn from Emily Carr. Moreover, I needed that time to learn more about myself.
After graduating from high school, it often feels like a race and therefore you try hard to not allow yourself to fall, make mistakes or turn back. But I hope that you will see the falls and mistakes as lessons to grow and mature.
Feel free to message me or learn more about what I do by checking out my design studio IG: @studiofaculty!
Looking back now, I am very grateful to have pursued my passion. I also don’t regret the years I’ve spent at UBC. The different subject fields have taught me things that I couldn’t learn from Emily Carr. Moreover, I needed that time to learn more about myself.
After graduating from high school, it often feels like a race and therefore you try hard to not allow yourself to fall, make mistakes or turn back. But I hope that you will see the falls and mistakes as lessons to grow and mature.
Feel free to message me or learn more about what I do by checking out my design studio IG: @studiofaculty!
Ted Huang - Software Engineer
McRoberts Secondary School Alumnus
McRoberts Secondary School Alumnus
My name is Ted, and I am an incoming software engineer at Facebook, where I look forward to working with the masterminds of the social media giant and contributing to evolve it further.
What is a profession in software engineering like?
Software engineering is a profession for those who enjoy solving difficult problems via computer science. On a regular day, this job involves tasks such as software concept design, software implementation with code, and team communication.
What is a normal day like in the job?
Being a software engineer entails solving the most difficult technological problems and interacting with the smartest people, producing the foundations for software giants such as Google and Microsoft. Furthermore, the high-skilled nature of the career is compensated by generous salaries.
What advice do you have for students looking to pursue software engineering?
My recommendation to those pursuing software engineering is math/science skills and passion. The best way to experience it for yourself is through introductory computer science material, both at school and online. Good luck!
Feel free to message me on LinkedIn! https://www.linkedin.com/in/ted-huang/
What is a profession in software engineering like?
Software engineering is a profession for those who enjoy solving difficult problems via computer science. On a regular day, this job involves tasks such as software concept design, software implementation with code, and team communication.
What is a normal day like in the job?
Being a software engineer entails solving the most difficult technological problems and interacting with the smartest people, producing the foundations for software giants such as Google and Microsoft. Furthermore, the high-skilled nature of the career is compensated by generous salaries.
What advice do you have for students looking to pursue software engineering?
My recommendation to those pursuing software engineering is math/science skills and passion. The best way to experience it for yourself is through introductory computer science material, both at school and online. Good luck!
Feel free to message me on LinkedIn! https://www.linkedin.com/in/ted-huang/
Eric Lee - Commercial Insurance Broker
McRoberts Secondary School Alumnus
McRoberts Secondary School Alumnus
My name is Eric and I am currently a commercial insurance broker at Marsh. I graduated from McGill university in 2017 with a B.Com. in finance and started this job since then.
How did you decide on becoming a commercial insurance broker and when was this decision made?
Everyone in my industry has a story of how they ‘fell’ into insurance as not many people know about it growing up. I stumbled upon Marsh whilst browsing my university’s careers page and learned that it was a risk advisor to companies across all different industries. Until then, I always associated insurance as a commoditized product for personal home and auto. I sent in an application and the rest is history.
What is a normal day like at work?
Currently in the ‘marketing’ department, my primary responsibility is to sell my client’s risk to underwriters in the insurance marketplace and negotiate favourable terms for my client’s insurance placements. Although many insurance companies are in Canada, it is not unusual to facilitate deals with insurance markets abroad particularly in the US, London, Zurich etc.
What do you like the most about being a commercial insurance broker?
My favourite part of my role is building relationships / friendships with underwriters to get the deal done. I also enjoy doing sales presentations and learning about how analytics / risk engineering play a big role in negotiations.
What are the benefits of the job?
As part of my job, I have had opportunities to travel, meet people in the c-suite, and be part of an amazing company community at Marsh.
What advice do you have for high schoolers?
Don’t fall into the ‘success’ construct that society tries to push on you. Know that we are all blessed with different abilities and circumstances; we don’t all start with the same “set of cards”. Understanding these truths will bring clarity and take away that ‘status anxiety’!
Feel free to reach out to me on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ericlee-/
How did you decide on becoming a commercial insurance broker and when was this decision made?
Everyone in my industry has a story of how they ‘fell’ into insurance as not many people know about it growing up. I stumbled upon Marsh whilst browsing my university’s careers page and learned that it was a risk advisor to companies across all different industries. Until then, I always associated insurance as a commoditized product for personal home and auto. I sent in an application and the rest is history.
What is a normal day like at work?
Currently in the ‘marketing’ department, my primary responsibility is to sell my client’s risk to underwriters in the insurance marketplace and negotiate favourable terms for my client’s insurance placements. Although many insurance companies are in Canada, it is not unusual to facilitate deals with insurance markets abroad particularly in the US, London, Zurich etc.
What do you like the most about being a commercial insurance broker?
My favourite part of my role is building relationships / friendships with underwriters to get the deal done. I also enjoy doing sales presentations and learning about how analytics / risk engineering play a big role in negotiations.
What are the benefits of the job?
As part of my job, I have had opportunities to travel, meet people in the c-suite, and be part of an amazing company community at Marsh.
What advice do you have for high schoolers?
Don’t fall into the ‘success’ construct that society tries to push on you. Know that we are all blessed with different abilities and circumstances; we don’t all start with the same “set of cards”. Understanding these truths will bring clarity and take away that ‘status anxiety’!
Feel free to reach out to me on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ericlee-/
Alice Huang - Flying Instructor
McRoberts Secondary School Alumnus
McRoberts Secondary School Alumnus
How did you decide that being a flight instructor was the path for you?
I had no idea what I wanted to do in high school. I randomly chose a university and wasn't happy until after I graduated and tried flight instructing.
What is the best part about the job?
The second best part is that I fly; the best part is that I'm helping other people achieve their dreams of becoming a pilot and watching their self confidence grow as they gain new skills. Every lesson is personalized based on each student's progress and learning style. The greatest job benefit is when we get to see students' uncontainable excitement after they've flown solo, or the proud look when they take their family up.
What advice do you have for high school students interested in becoming a flight instructor?
If you're in high school and can't enjoy any job, then figure out how something you like can help someone else, even if it's only one other person. It sounds cheesy but it's true. A business becomes successful when it offers a product people want. A game is popular because people enjoy playing it. The workers of both these jobs are trying to benefit their clients/players. I was unhappy before because I flew for my own enjoyment, now I'm happy because I use my skills to help other people. This sounds easy but it took me years to figure out how, because everybody is different.
So feel free to reach out! You're not alone in this confusing world haha.
@fly.shoot.listen
I had no idea what I wanted to do in high school. I randomly chose a university and wasn't happy until after I graduated and tried flight instructing.
What is the best part about the job?
The second best part is that I fly; the best part is that I'm helping other people achieve their dreams of becoming a pilot and watching their self confidence grow as they gain new skills. Every lesson is personalized based on each student's progress and learning style. The greatest job benefit is when we get to see students' uncontainable excitement after they've flown solo, or the proud look when they take their family up.
What advice do you have for high school students interested in becoming a flight instructor?
If you're in high school and can't enjoy any job, then figure out how something you like can help someone else, even if it's only one other person. It sounds cheesy but it's true. A business becomes successful when it offers a product people want. A game is popular because people enjoy playing it. The workers of both these jobs are trying to benefit their clients/players. I was unhappy before because I flew for my own enjoyment, now I'm happy because I use my skills to help other people. This sounds easy but it took me years to figure out how, because everybody is different.
So feel free to reach out! You're not alone in this confusing world haha.
@fly.shoot.listen
Vulcan Siu - Production Assistant
Cambie Secondary School Alumnus
Cambie Secondary School Alumnus
How did you decide that film was the path for you?
In grade 11, I thought I was interested in psychology. However, while I was analyzing films in a psychology class, I became more and more intrigued by the behind-the-scenes of film making.
How did you get started in the film industry?
Right now I work as a production assistant, an entry position in the location department of a film/tv production crew. My job consists of a variety of tasks, from organizing sets to controlling crowds, which ultimately support all aspects of film or TV production!
What are the benefits and perks of this job?
As a production assistant, I have the privilege of being on film-sets and learning the ins and outs of the industry. It gives me the opportunity to continuously grow in the location department, and contribute to the rising film industry in B.C. Aside from being able to intimately learn the behind-the-scenes of professional TV and film production, I also get long hours with good pay. As bonus, breakfast and lunch are covered, and there is an always-opened snack booth so you’ll never go hungry! 🤤
What advice do you have for high school students interested in the film industry?
Be prepared for long working hours (sometimes 15 hour days or more, depending on commute time). See every challenge and obstacle as an opportunity to improve. To understand the first steps towards a future in film, I suggest you to look into DGC for location and directing departments, and IATSE Local 891 for any other specific departments. These sources will list all the credentials and requirements needed for each department in the industry.
If you have any questions you'd like to ask me, feel free to contact me via LinkedIn at https://ca.linkedin.com/in/vulcan-kai-him-siu-3392b064!
In grade 11, I thought I was interested in psychology. However, while I was analyzing films in a psychology class, I became more and more intrigued by the behind-the-scenes of film making.
How did you get started in the film industry?
Right now I work as a production assistant, an entry position in the location department of a film/tv production crew. My job consists of a variety of tasks, from organizing sets to controlling crowds, which ultimately support all aspects of film or TV production!
What are the benefits and perks of this job?
As a production assistant, I have the privilege of being on film-sets and learning the ins and outs of the industry. It gives me the opportunity to continuously grow in the location department, and contribute to the rising film industry in B.C. Aside from being able to intimately learn the behind-the-scenes of professional TV and film production, I also get long hours with good pay. As bonus, breakfast and lunch are covered, and there is an always-opened snack booth so you’ll never go hungry! 🤤
What advice do you have for high school students interested in the film industry?
Be prepared for long working hours (sometimes 15 hour days or more, depending on commute time). See every challenge and obstacle as an opportunity to improve. To understand the first steps towards a future in film, I suggest you to look into DGC for location and directing departments, and IATSE Local 891 for any other specific departments. These sources will list all the credentials and requirements needed for each department in the industry.
If you have any questions you'd like to ask me, feel free to contact me via LinkedIn at https://ca.linkedin.com/in/vulcan-kai-him-siu-3392b064!
Jimmy Yang - Civil Engineer
Richmond High Secondary School Alumnus
Richmond High Secondary School Alumnus
Hello, my name is Jimmy and I am a graduate of the University of British Columbia (UBC) from the Department of Civil Engineering. I have worked at two different consulting companies at four different positions. In the coming months, I will begin working towards my Master of Science degree in Structural Engineering at Stanford University.
During my time at UBC, I helped out with the Steel Bridge team, giving me a closer look at what Civil engineers did and got a hands-on experience of working on designing, analyzing and fabricating a 22-foot long steel bridge for competition. My experience on this team not only helped me to develop technical skills used to land internships, but it also fostered a familial bond between classmates that was otherwise difficult to obtain. It was because of this joy of working with my teammates which eventually pushed me to become the captain of the team in my final year of undergrad.
Overall, my courses at UBC seemed fair and moderate in difficulty. Late night studies were common, perhaps due to my poor time management skills, but I was able to get through all my courses without any all-nighters. I would say that the most important thing is keeping a balanced lifestyle and a healthy mental and physical state. Considering group work is a core part of engineering, it can be easy to get overwhelmed and work against each other rather than with your teammates.
My internships required me to travel to different part of Western Canada. These tasks ranged from crawling under railroad bridges to inspect the timber posts, drafting up drawings that would be used to cost estimate the project, and design and analyze structures under various environmental effects such as a 9.0 magnitude earthquake. These positions allowed me to visualize the grand scheme of engineering and how different types of engineering would interact with one another. For example, while a transportation engineer may want a milder slope on a bridge to reduce the danger, a hydrotechnical engineer would want to maximize that slope to allow rainwater to flow off and minimize the catch basins and reduce cost.
Public safety is the penultimate priority for Civil Engineers. While engineers will consider safety, affordability and even aesthetics as factors in determining the final product, the wellbeing of the public will always be placed at the foreground of any design project.
During my time at UBC, I helped out with the Steel Bridge team, giving me a closer look at what Civil engineers did and got a hands-on experience of working on designing, analyzing and fabricating a 22-foot long steel bridge for competition. My experience on this team not only helped me to develop technical skills used to land internships, but it also fostered a familial bond between classmates that was otherwise difficult to obtain. It was because of this joy of working with my teammates which eventually pushed me to become the captain of the team in my final year of undergrad.
Overall, my courses at UBC seemed fair and moderate in difficulty. Late night studies were common, perhaps due to my poor time management skills, but I was able to get through all my courses without any all-nighters. I would say that the most important thing is keeping a balanced lifestyle and a healthy mental and physical state. Considering group work is a core part of engineering, it can be easy to get overwhelmed and work against each other rather than with your teammates.
My internships required me to travel to different part of Western Canada. These tasks ranged from crawling under railroad bridges to inspect the timber posts, drafting up drawings that would be used to cost estimate the project, and design and analyze structures under various environmental effects such as a 9.0 magnitude earthquake. These positions allowed me to visualize the grand scheme of engineering and how different types of engineering would interact with one another. For example, while a transportation engineer may want a milder slope on a bridge to reduce the danger, a hydrotechnical engineer would want to maximize that slope to allow rainwater to flow off and minimize the catch basins and reduce cost.
Public safety is the penultimate priority for Civil Engineers. While engineers will consider safety, affordability and even aesthetics as factors in determining the final product, the wellbeing of the public will always be placed at the foreground of any design project.
Helen Luo - Philosophy Professor
McRoberts Secondary School Alumnus
McRoberts Secondary School Alumnus
In the beginning of my undergraduate studies my focus was on Political Science and French, with the ultimate goal of pursuing a career in international diplomacy – however, my time at the NATO field school program at SFU informed me that I was ill-suited for employment of this nature. This coincided with my realization that my primary interest in Political Science was actually grounded in theoretic and prescriptive analytical concerns. This led to my declaring a Philosophy major, and deciding to pursue an MA, and eventually a PhD, with a fairly concrete ambition of leading a career in academia and teaching.
My intuition is that many early-career academics enter the field with ample interest in their research projects, but not necessarily any specific interest in teaching and instruction. My advice to anyone interested in becoming a professor is to seriously consider their love for the pedagogical element of the job – which will realistically occupy most of the working hours. While employment at a prestigious institution will depend on one’s research output and publications – one’s job satisfaction and daily quality of life will be highly contingent in one’s actual aptitude for and enjoyment of teaching. Beyond the pedagogy, research in Philosophy is fairly varied, depending on the specific branch or specialization. A fairly regular feature of work for most philosophers is the independent reading of publications from other philosophers and academics, but a lot of collaboration takes place in the field as well. Almost all published work in philosophy goes through rigorous processes of peer review and feedback, either informally through close colleagues or through professional conference presentations.
Students nearing the completion of an MA will typically have a handful of primary research interests, a few familiar secondary topics that support the primary research area, and perhaps one or two unrelated tertiary interests. In my case, I consider myself a value theorist, with primary research projects in normative ethics, philosophy of law, and political theory, and secondary interests in social epistemology and aesthetics. My tertiary interest is in classical Chinese philosophy, specifically the advent and evolution of Buddhist thought in mainland China. All this to say – professional philosophers have a fairly large latitude and freedom in pursuing research topics of their interest, and having an interdisciplinary background is an important way of broadening the horizon one’s philosophical inquiries. As I like to think of it – there is no information that is entirely devoid of philosophical implications, and so any type of intellectual engagement with the world can be understood from a philosophical framework!
Feel free to contact me @ [email protected]
My intuition is that many early-career academics enter the field with ample interest in their research projects, but not necessarily any specific interest in teaching and instruction. My advice to anyone interested in becoming a professor is to seriously consider their love for the pedagogical element of the job – which will realistically occupy most of the working hours. While employment at a prestigious institution will depend on one’s research output and publications – one’s job satisfaction and daily quality of life will be highly contingent in one’s actual aptitude for and enjoyment of teaching. Beyond the pedagogy, research in Philosophy is fairly varied, depending on the specific branch or specialization. A fairly regular feature of work for most philosophers is the independent reading of publications from other philosophers and academics, but a lot of collaboration takes place in the field as well. Almost all published work in philosophy goes through rigorous processes of peer review and feedback, either informally through close colleagues or through professional conference presentations.
Students nearing the completion of an MA will typically have a handful of primary research interests, a few familiar secondary topics that support the primary research area, and perhaps one or two unrelated tertiary interests. In my case, I consider myself a value theorist, with primary research projects in normative ethics, philosophy of law, and political theory, and secondary interests in social epistemology and aesthetics. My tertiary interest is in classical Chinese philosophy, specifically the advent and evolution of Buddhist thought in mainland China. All this to say – professional philosophers have a fairly large latitude and freedom in pursuing research topics of their interest, and having an interdisciplinary background is an important way of broadening the horizon one’s philosophical inquiries. As I like to think of it – there is no information that is entirely devoid of philosophical implications, and so any type of intellectual engagement with the world can be understood from a philosophical framework!
Feel free to contact me @ [email protected]
Pastor Eric - Church pastor
How did you decide on this career and when was this decision made?
In retrospect, now as a man in his late forties, I realized that it was more a decision made for me rather than my choice to be a pastor back when I was twenty-six years old. What do I mean it was decided for me? Well, back then, it was in response to a desire that was placed in my heart to share the greatness and goodness of God to others that I “chose” to be a pastor. So, it is more like a step in obedience rather than a decision of my own that I started this journey as a pastor.
What is a normal day like at work?
My main role as a pastor is to pray and to make myself available to others who need a listening ear, guidance or reassurance on various issues or concerns. One other role includes reading and studying the Bible, commentaries and books in preparation for the weekly sermon.
Finally, to equip the members of the church to be people of integrity and compassion in their vocations through encouragement and affirmation of what they are doing.
What do you like the most about your job/what do you look most forward to in your job?
What I like most about my job is to learn that people are alleviated of their pain or gained clarity of their confusion through reading and understanding the Bible and calibrating their life to be in tune with what God may be saying to them.
What are the benefits and perks of this job?
My number one joy is to be invited to journey with another person, whether it is to share a short moment or a season together. To bear witness of God’s love, His goodness and grace in the lives of others, through the good and even difficult times. To see lives changed and filled with the hope and peace of God.
What advice do you have for high schoolers?
Pursue something bigger than ourselves by starting small and going deep.
In retrospect, now as a man in his late forties, I realized that it was more a decision made for me rather than my choice to be a pastor back when I was twenty-six years old. What do I mean it was decided for me? Well, back then, it was in response to a desire that was placed in my heart to share the greatness and goodness of God to others that I “chose” to be a pastor. So, it is more like a step in obedience rather than a decision of my own that I started this journey as a pastor.
What is a normal day like at work?
My main role as a pastor is to pray and to make myself available to others who need a listening ear, guidance or reassurance on various issues or concerns. One other role includes reading and studying the Bible, commentaries and books in preparation for the weekly sermon.
Finally, to equip the members of the church to be people of integrity and compassion in their vocations through encouragement and affirmation of what they are doing.
What do you like the most about your job/what do you look most forward to in your job?
What I like most about my job is to learn that people are alleviated of their pain or gained clarity of their confusion through reading and understanding the Bible and calibrating their life to be in tune with what God may be saying to them.
What are the benefits and perks of this job?
My number one joy is to be invited to journey with another person, whether it is to share a short moment or a season together. To bear witness of God’s love, His goodness and grace in the lives of others, through the good and even difficult times. To see lives changed and filled with the hope and peace of God.
What advice do you have for high schoolers?
Pursue something bigger than ourselves by starting small and going deep.
waldo cheung - physiotherapist
How did you decide on this career and when was this decision made?
My parents ran the traditional-Chinese gambit (piano, tutoring, etc.) in hopes that I would be a doctor or lawyer, but I had other plans in mind. Growing up, I had no television and a very crummy internet connection so I only could do two things: read and play sports. I am sure these two things influenced me subconsciously because I ended up taking a Careers 12 course in high-school where I could shadow other jobs and coincidentally the one job my teacher suggested was (you guessed it): physiotherapy. However, I put this in the back of my mind as throughout university I wanted to be a scientific writer focusing on sports and athletics; my undergrad was in Kinesiology and I also did graduate research on chronic lung disease and lung cancer. But ultimately, I just could not sit in front of a desk for 8 hours, so after 6 years at UBC I decided to do be a physiotherapist- a job that could marry both moving around, reading/writing/speaking, and making money.
What is a normal day like at work?
I work in two different places: one is in a very busy hospital and the other in a private clinic. The hospital is where I talk to doctors, dieticians, nurses, and pharmacists, and other staff to help optimize a patient's function so they can leave the hospital safely. This includes assessing and creating treatment plans to help patients breathe, and walk better, and decreasing the likelihood of falling. A lot of our treatment plans require understanding medicine and medications and their relationship to exercise. As a public-practice physiotherapist you will work in every nook and cranny of the hospital from the emergency department, the stroke unit, the psych unit and even the family birthing unit! In private practice- I work with clients that don't require hospitalizations but are unable to work or do everyday activities due to injuries from motor vehicle accidents, work and sports injuries, and age-related conditions. Private practice is almost like being on another planet because I usually work alone, focus on detailed exercise plans and use different modalities (from my hands to machines) to treat my clients.
What do you like the most about your job? What are the benefits and perks of this job?
Being a physio is a great job, being a physio in B.C. is arguably the best job in the world. As a physio you are always on the go- compared to other jobs there is little time spent sitting in front of a cubicle and looking at a computer screen. You meet so many individuals on all walks of life and you are constantly problem-solving to help them improve their function- whether it is to walk optimally or to finish a marathon without injury.
Another important thing to consider is schedule flexibility. The flexibility between working in public and private practice allows you to experience the entire spectrum of care from poly-trauma patients, to stroke rehab, to athletes. I have so many opportunities to try different areas of physiotherapy- I started out in the intensive care unit, and then worked my way with geriatric patients, and then high-school athletes. There are no overnight shifts or 60-hour weeks (unless I want to) so this allows me to invest time in hobbies and exploring the outdoors of beautiful B.C. with my partner.
What advice do you have for high schoolers?
Academically: Learn to read efficiently, learn to write and speak effectively, learn your stats and learn to code. These tools may help you prepare well for the future post high-school. Physically: Play and exercise lots, and sleep lots. Enjoy the outdoors in B.C.
If you have any questions, I'm on IG- @anotherrunningphysio or LinkedIn - www.linkedin.com/in/runboxx
My parents ran the traditional-Chinese gambit (piano, tutoring, etc.) in hopes that I would be a doctor or lawyer, but I had other plans in mind. Growing up, I had no television and a very crummy internet connection so I only could do two things: read and play sports. I am sure these two things influenced me subconsciously because I ended up taking a Careers 12 course in high-school where I could shadow other jobs and coincidentally the one job my teacher suggested was (you guessed it): physiotherapy. However, I put this in the back of my mind as throughout university I wanted to be a scientific writer focusing on sports and athletics; my undergrad was in Kinesiology and I also did graduate research on chronic lung disease and lung cancer. But ultimately, I just could not sit in front of a desk for 8 hours, so after 6 years at UBC I decided to do be a physiotherapist- a job that could marry both moving around, reading/writing/speaking, and making money.
What is a normal day like at work?
I work in two different places: one is in a very busy hospital and the other in a private clinic. The hospital is where I talk to doctors, dieticians, nurses, and pharmacists, and other staff to help optimize a patient's function so they can leave the hospital safely. This includes assessing and creating treatment plans to help patients breathe, and walk better, and decreasing the likelihood of falling. A lot of our treatment plans require understanding medicine and medications and their relationship to exercise. As a public-practice physiotherapist you will work in every nook and cranny of the hospital from the emergency department, the stroke unit, the psych unit and even the family birthing unit! In private practice- I work with clients that don't require hospitalizations but are unable to work or do everyday activities due to injuries from motor vehicle accidents, work and sports injuries, and age-related conditions. Private practice is almost like being on another planet because I usually work alone, focus on detailed exercise plans and use different modalities (from my hands to machines) to treat my clients.
What do you like the most about your job? What are the benefits and perks of this job?
Being a physio is a great job, being a physio in B.C. is arguably the best job in the world. As a physio you are always on the go- compared to other jobs there is little time spent sitting in front of a cubicle and looking at a computer screen. You meet so many individuals on all walks of life and you are constantly problem-solving to help them improve their function- whether it is to walk optimally or to finish a marathon without injury.
Another important thing to consider is schedule flexibility. The flexibility between working in public and private practice allows you to experience the entire spectrum of care from poly-trauma patients, to stroke rehab, to athletes. I have so many opportunities to try different areas of physiotherapy- I started out in the intensive care unit, and then worked my way with geriatric patients, and then high-school athletes. There are no overnight shifts or 60-hour weeks (unless I want to) so this allows me to invest time in hobbies and exploring the outdoors of beautiful B.C. with my partner.
What advice do you have for high schoolers?
Academically: Learn to read efficiently, learn to write and speak effectively, learn your stats and learn to code. These tools may help you prepare well for the future post high-school. Physically: Play and exercise lots, and sleep lots. Enjoy the outdoors in B.C.
If you have any questions, I'm on IG- @anotherrunningphysio or LinkedIn - www.linkedin.com/in/runboxx
thilina ratnayake - dj & systems engineer
How did you decide on this passion/career and when was this decision made?
Honestly, it was a plan that was hastily put together for a Planning 10 assignment a few hours before it was due, that I ended up following through on. Thankfully, it turned out that I ended up enjoying the work during my post-secondary education, and within my career - I’m fortunate to have the opportunity to try my hand at many different roles.
What is a normal day like at work? (specific roles, interesting facts)
I’ve worked in 3 different roles in tech - as a Customer Support Engineer, a Systems Engineer and currently, as an Engineering Project Manager. As a Support Engineer, my day would consist of answering questions from customers regarding our networking product via the phone or on tickets (emails). When I wasn’t on phone-calls or tickets, I would be on video teleconferences with customers helping them with their deployments OR later on in my career - helping & training other support agents as a team lead. It was interesting because this role really taught and honed my skills of learning how to communicate effectively and learn about the things that are not necessarily said.
As a Systems Engineer, we maintain multiple systems to include engineering features, handling operations as well as support and incident management. My days could be varied all the way from spending time designing a feature with fellow engineers, being head-down in the code or tweaking infrastructure and on some days - leading a team in tackling a service disruption or an outage.
Currently as an Engineering Project Manager, I get to lead another engineer in assisting with solving organization-wide problems - which currently involves the migration of internal teams off one of our platforms onto something else. The cool part is I get to use all my skills and previous training to tailor the whole audience and handle everything from metrics, solutions research, customer engagement in addition to the whole project management piece. My day can involve everything from interviewing customers, building tooling, developing timelines and even creating graphical branding assets.
(I’ve also written a bit about this before: https://commons.bcit.ca/news/2019/09/thilina-ratnayake-computing-grad/
As well as what an engineering team is like here:
https://medium.com/@tratnayake/you-got-this-team-bcc89183c640)
What do you like the most about your job/what do you look most forward to in your job?
I love that my job is flexible, both in the hours that I work as well as the work that I get to do. It doesn’t get boring as I’m fortunate to work at an organization that lets me try different roles every few years. I also enjoy how collaborative my organization is - as we never truly work alone, and are only truly successful the more we teach, learn and support each-other. There’s no room for egos, but plenty of room for learning.
What are the benefits and perks of this job?
(In pre/post COVID times) A really swanky office down-town which offers free lunch 3 days a week with a snack-wall and drink fridge. The ability to travel for work to other offices as well as to conferences and workshops for professional development. A sick MacBook Pro and a corporate phone plan :P
What advice do you have for high schoolers?
Work hard on practicing and growing your soft skills (especially around working with others) and don’t just focus on the STEM subjects both in high-school or college. I hated my Critical Reading and Writing class in college, but I used it every day in responding to customers when I was in Support (and still everyday when writing e-mails that matter). I thought that my Philosophy class was a waste of time, but I fall back on it often to help understand how to communicate my actions and decisions to other stakeholders. I spent my high-school years in a youth organization helping throw events and I fall back on that experience heavily these days in helping manage a project. Everything that makes you a better communicator, writer, speaker and team-mate will help you shine amongst your peers, because the truth is - it’s easy to teach / train up the engineering skills, culture-fit and the willingness to learn is not. (However, re: STEM - if you are going into Comp Sci, take Calculus if you can (I didn’t, and kind of regret it), and if not - pay attention in the classes that teach you about Logarithmic functions and graphing, it will definitely come in handy).
Honestly, it was a plan that was hastily put together for a Planning 10 assignment a few hours before it was due, that I ended up following through on. Thankfully, it turned out that I ended up enjoying the work during my post-secondary education, and within my career - I’m fortunate to have the opportunity to try my hand at many different roles.
What is a normal day like at work? (specific roles, interesting facts)
I’ve worked in 3 different roles in tech - as a Customer Support Engineer, a Systems Engineer and currently, as an Engineering Project Manager. As a Support Engineer, my day would consist of answering questions from customers regarding our networking product via the phone or on tickets (emails). When I wasn’t on phone-calls or tickets, I would be on video teleconferences with customers helping them with their deployments OR later on in my career - helping & training other support agents as a team lead. It was interesting because this role really taught and honed my skills of learning how to communicate effectively and learn about the things that are not necessarily said.
As a Systems Engineer, we maintain multiple systems to include engineering features, handling operations as well as support and incident management. My days could be varied all the way from spending time designing a feature with fellow engineers, being head-down in the code or tweaking infrastructure and on some days - leading a team in tackling a service disruption or an outage.
Currently as an Engineering Project Manager, I get to lead another engineer in assisting with solving organization-wide problems - which currently involves the migration of internal teams off one of our platforms onto something else. The cool part is I get to use all my skills and previous training to tailor the whole audience and handle everything from metrics, solutions research, customer engagement in addition to the whole project management piece. My day can involve everything from interviewing customers, building tooling, developing timelines and even creating graphical branding assets.
(I’ve also written a bit about this before: https://commons.bcit.ca/news/2019/09/thilina-ratnayake-computing-grad/
As well as what an engineering team is like here:
https://medium.com/@tratnayake/you-got-this-team-bcc89183c640)
What do you like the most about your job/what do you look most forward to in your job?
I love that my job is flexible, both in the hours that I work as well as the work that I get to do. It doesn’t get boring as I’m fortunate to work at an organization that lets me try different roles every few years. I also enjoy how collaborative my organization is - as we never truly work alone, and are only truly successful the more we teach, learn and support each-other. There’s no room for egos, but plenty of room for learning.
What are the benefits and perks of this job?
(In pre/post COVID times) A really swanky office down-town which offers free lunch 3 days a week with a snack-wall and drink fridge. The ability to travel for work to other offices as well as to conferences and workshops for professional development. A sick MacBook Pro and a corporate phone plan :P
What advice do you have for high schoolers?
Work hard on practicing and growing your soft skills (especially around working with others) and don’t just focus on the STEM subjects both in high-school or college. I hated my Critical Reading and Writing class in college, but I used it every day in responding to customers when I was in Support (and still everyday when writing e-mails that matter). I thought that my Philosophy class was a waste of time, but I fall back on it often to help understand how to communicate my actions and decisions to other stakeholders. I spent my high-school years in a youth organization helping throw events and I fall back on that experience heavily these days in helping manage a project. Everything that makes you a better communicator, writer, speaker and team-mate will help you shine amongst your peers, because the truth is - it’s easy to teach / train up the engineering skills, culture-fit and the willingness to learn is not. (However, re: STEM - if you are going into Comp Sci, take Calculus if you can (I didn’t, and kind of regret it), and if not - pay attention in the classes that teach you about Logarithmic functions and graphing, it will definitely come in handy).
yammy chueng - social media marketer
Mcneil secondary school alumnus
Mcneil secondary school alumnus
Hey everyone! My name is Yammy and I am pursuing a career in social media marketing. I decided to pursue marketing because I am naturally very extroverted, and I love meeting new people. I originally went to school for public relations, which I completed an associate degree in. I thought that the best transition would be marketing as there are similar concepts and I wanted to complete a bachelor’s degree locally.
When I did social media for a thrift store, my favourite part was putting together the different outfits and photographing them. I loved showing the volunteers (who were in the 65+ range) the different ways I blended modern and vintage clothing. This made me realize that I should have chosen fashion marketing or merchandising for my schooling after my two-year program. I’m extremely close to finishing my degree and I want to enter the workforce to learn on the job.
My career as of now is focussing on social media for my sister’s local craft business. She was inspired by her co-workers and friends to start selling her amazing art creations. My job is to showcase her creations through instagram and partnering with members of the community to promote our work.
Check out our page @pineapplecraftsco!
My advice to high schoolers would be to just pursue what you want to and to not feel pressured to pick something just because others tell you that you might not succeed or become rich. It is much harder to enjoy school when you aren’t passionate about what you are studying.
Feel free to contact me at @yammy_cheung !
When I did social media for a thrift store, my favourite part was putting together the different outfits and photographing them. I loved showing the volunteers (who were in the 65+ range) the different ways I blended modern and vintage clothing. This made me realize that I should have chosen fashion marketing or merchandising for my schooling after my two-year program. I’m extremely close to finishing my degree and I want to enter the workforce to learn on the job.
My career as of now is focussing on social media for my sister’s local craft business. She was inspired by her co-workers and friends to start selling her amazing art creations. My job is to showcase her creations through instagram and partnering with members of the community to promote our work.
Check out our page @pineapplecraftsco!
My advice to high schoolers would be to just pursue what you want to and to not feel pressured to pick something just because others tell you that you might not succeed or become rich. It is much harder to enjoy school when you aren’t passionate about what you are studying.
Feel free to contact me at @yammy_cheung !
Student Features
This series features students who are enthusiastic about sharing different aspects of their area of study. Each post describes the field at a glance, unveils what the student community is like and looks closely at the post-graduate job prospects. It also describes other more personal details of the student, such as what they did outside of school, their tips for succeeding in the area of study and their top 3 must-do items while in the program.
Angelina Ko - Bachelor's of Kinesiology Graduate
McRoberts Secondary School Alumnus
What is kinesiology (kin)?
Kinesiology (Kin) is the study of human movement. This discipline draws on exercise science, so if you're interested in the human body and the way that it moves, this is a fantastic area!
What can you do with a kin degree?
A Kin degree is what you make of it. You can become a registered Kinesiologist, a sports marketer, a fitness business professional, a high performance coach, a strength and conditioning coach, and so much more! This degree even opens up the possibility of entering post-graduate studies, including medical school, physical therapy, occupational therapy, rehabilitation sciences, research-based studies, and law school.
What is the kin community like?
I can only attest to the Kinmunity at UBC, but it was such a wonderful and close-knit group of like-minded individuals. You may find that many people share common interests and build lasting relationships that carry throughout your undergraduate life.
What do/did you do outside of school?
Once upon a time, I was involved in intramural sports and events, volunteered with Special Olympics, worked part time in a physiotherapy clinic, helped in a research lab, and was in a sorority! But most importantly, I had a lot of coffee and donuts!
School survival tips?
Reach out to people when you need help. Post-secondary institutions do not cater their education to each individual. When you are struggling, ask a friend, speak to your professor, and be brave. Having the courage to come forward when you need help may be foreign, but I can assure you that you are not alone.
Top 5 must-dos as a kin student?
1. KIN CAMP (if you are at UBC)
2. Storm the Wall (if you are at UBC)
3. Be ready to learn biomechanics, exercise physiology, anatomy, and all the wonders of exercise science! So bone up!
4. Learn to tape your friends up. Athletic tape may be expensive, but it is worth the experience.
5. Lastly, be ready to wear comfy clothing like Lululemon, sandals, and sweatpants. All. The. Time.
McRoberts Secondary School Alumnus
What is kinesiology (kin)?
Kinesiology (Kin) is the study of human movement. This discipline draws on exercise science, so if you're interested in the human body and the way that it moves, this is a fantastic area!
What can you do with a kin degree?
A Kin degree is what you make of it. You can become a registered Kinesiologist, a sports marketer, a fitness business professional, a high performance coach, a strength and conditioning coach, and so much more! This degree even opens up the possibility of entering post-graduate studies, including medical school, physical therapy, occupational therapy, rehabilitation sciences, research-based studies, and law school.
What is the kin community like?
I can only attest to the Kinmunity at UBC, but it was such a wonderful and close-knit group of like-minded individuals. You may find that many people share common interests and build lasting relationships that carry throughout your undergraduate life.
What do/did you do outside of school?
Once upon a time, I was involved in intramural sports and events, volunteered with Special Olympics, worked part time in a physiotherapy clinic, helped in a research lab, and was in a sorority! But most importantly, I had a lot of coffee and donuts!
School survival tips?
Reach out to people when you need help. Post-secondary institutions do not cater their education to each individual. When you are struggling, ask a friend, speak to your professor, and be brave. Having the courage to come forward when you need help may be foreign, but I can assure you that you are not alone.
Top 5 must-dos as a kin student?
1. KIN CAMP (if you are at UBC)
2. Storm the Wall (if you are at UBC)
3. Be ready to learn biomechanics, exercise physiology, anatomy, and all the wonders of exercise science! So bone up!
4. Learn to tape your friends up. Athletic tape may be expensive, but it is worth the experience.
5. Lastly, be ready to wear comfy clothing like Lululemon, sandals, and sweatpants. All. The. Time.