using your college education/ be passionate

Apr. 17 Using your college education: In 2010, the Year of Unemployment, I did some networking.  I haven’t seen my NAIT classmates since 2005.  I then emailed all of them on Facebook and asked about jobs.  It wasn’t a really fruitful job search, but most of them confirmed me as their friend.

In 2011, I went through all my Grant MacEwan classmates on Facebook and ask where they work at in looking for a job.

In 2014, I went through all my Grant MacEwan classmates and asked if they used their Professional Writing education.  Here was my email:

“I have a few questions:

After you graduated from Professional Writing with either a diploma or degree, did you ever use it to get a writing job?

If yes, how did you get the job?

Do you know anyone who’s hiring?

Do you ever feel like you used your Professional Writing education?

I’m asking because I feel like I may be the only one who hasn’t really utilized it.

Thanks.

Tracy”

1. L- she is in acting and didn’t use her education.
2. A- She says none.
3. Omar Moullem- is a writer for Metro and Avenue.
4. S- she got a diploma and then got a Psychology degree.  She didn’t really feel the writing was a fit for her.
5. W- she says she got a diploma in teaching English as a second language from UBC, and didn’t use writing education. 

6. J- she was working in events in 2011.  Then she worked at a non-profit in 2014.
7. K- after writing, she went into Public Relations at MacEwan and got a career in PR.
8. A- he says no.
9. D- she did get a directed workplace learning in 2011.  She’s a freelance writer.  She got a communications coordinator job now.

10. C- she got a writing job in her practicum year through those job posting emails that are sent to the class.  It was interesting, because I thought that she used her writing, but she didn’t consider she used it.

11. T- she got a communications job for the govt.  She had to have a degree to get the job, but it doesn’t necessarily have to be a writing degree.  It was a 3 month job.  She said if she could, she wouldn’t go into the writing program again because it wasn’t useful. 

That’s harsh to say about the program.  I’m going to say she did use her writing degree.

12. C- I didn’t get a response.
13. J- she works at a restaurant.  She quit after the first year.
14. J- she works at a bank.
15. S- She got an internship back in 2009.
16. K- she did some freelance, and now going to study to be a paralegal.
17. A- no response, but I know she works at a cell phone company.
18. M- he works a grocery store.
19. K- In 2011 he got a job in communications and finds the diploma helped get the position.

20. D- He does have a communications job, and he has graphic and web design knowledge and that helped him.
21. S- she did get a job as a writer.
22. E- she got a degree and never intended to get a job with her degree.  She loves writing and is writing a book.
23. C- he got a degree and it helped him get his marketing diploma.
24. J- no response.
25. M- she is a behavioral interventionist and a program developer.
26. D- he got a communications job at Epcor.

The following have used their writing education: 3, 9, 10, 11, 15, 16, 19, 20, 21, 23, 26.

That’s 11 out of 26 which is 42%.  There were three no responses.  Let’s make it 11 out of 23, and that’s 47%.

Be passionate: What I have learned from college is to be passionate.  I wanted to get into NAIT’s TV program, but I couldn’t get in for Fall 2004 intake.  I tried again for Fall 2005 intake.  I then got my sister’s help in Winter 2006 intake, but still didn’t get in. 

I then went into something creative and practical, and kind of interesting to me like NAIT’s Graphic Communications.  I wasn’t good at it and didn’t graduate.  I went into another creative and practical program called Arts and Cultural Management.  I took a few classes and it was used to get my Professional Writing diploma.

I did try to get into NAIT’s Radio program for Fall 2005 intake and Winter 2006 intake, and didn’t get in.  I went into Professional Writing because I was so passionate about writing.  That’s how I succeeded and got my college diploma, because I loved writing.

Apr. 21 Communication Studies: I was talking to my friend Dan L. a few days ago since we we’re in Professional Writing together.  I told him about some of our old classmates.

Now my “Bachelor of Applied Communications in Professional Writing” is now called “Communication Studies.”  I was on the website looking up what the courses are and what the new names of it are.  Looks like Project Lead isn’t there anymore.  Or it’s there, with a new name.

Grant MacEwan: I was going through my 3.5 floppy disks and I found the pdf file about how MacEwan changed from college to university.  I actually saved that document on my disk for years.  Now I will put it up on my blog and then delete the file off my disk.

http://badcb.blogspot.ca/2014/04/grant-macewan-university.html

Apr. 24: I’m looking into college programs:

NAIT’s Dental Assistant program:

“Academic Requirements

• Grade 12 English
• Biology 30
• Chemistry 30
• One of: Science 30, Math 30-1 or 30-2, Math 30 Pure, Math 30 Applied, Math 31, Physics 30, Social Studies 30-1 or a 30-level language other than English.”

I only took Bio 30.  It was in the 50s.  I think I got a C.

http://www.nait.ca/76598.htm#AcademicRequirements

MacEwan University Office Assistant program:

“Mature Admission
To be evaluated through the Office of the University Registrar

Applicants must be 20 years of age or older and have been out of full-time high school at least one year by the beginning of the intake term.

Please see the Additional Admission Criteria tab for all other program admission requirements.”

http://www.macewan.ca/wcm/SchoolsFaculties/Business/Programs/OfficeAssistant/index.htm