Tuesday, April 18, 2017

Solomon College/ hospitality management

Apr. 13, 2017 Solomon College: I don't remember where I heard about this college.  I copy and pasted it onto my blog/ email to look up later.

 Diploma in Hospitality Management: I probably wanted to look into this:

 Program Description

 International travel has increased exponentially making hospitality one of the fastest growing industries in the world.  This has created a global demand for well trained, highly skilled, hospitality professionals. To meet this demand, Solomon College is proud to announce its partnership with the American Hotel and Lodging Educational Institute (AHLEI) to offer a worldwide recognized Hospitality Management Diploma program.

This is a Co-op program which means students acquire relevant, hands on job experience prior to graduation in addition to academic training.  Our partnership with hospitality employers is an effective way to train high quality employees while providing networking opportunities with employers in the field.  In less than two years, students enter a profession that is challenging, rewarding, and in high demand.


Program Structure

When students are closely connected with employers in the hospitality industry, they are able to build valuable workplace contacts for future employment. Therefore, the goal of this program is to integrate academic studies with work experience.

The program consists of two components. The Academic Component requires students to complete 9 courses in a classroom environment over nine months as well as a Business Communication course. The Practicum Component is a maximum one-year paid or unpaid work placement which requires students to complete job interviews with hotels before they are placed.  Afterwards, students return for another three months of study. The total duration of the program is 24 months.

 Completion of both components, Academic and Practicum, is required to obtain a diploma from Solomon College.  In order to successfully complete the program, you must achieve a minimum of 70% on all 12 final exams (1 exam per course), a passing grade in Business Communications, and receive a positive performance review from your supervisor at the end of your practicum. Students will also receive a certificate of completion for the AHLEI coursework once they have completed the Academic portion.  Visa students will need to apply for a work permit to legally work in Canada before they begin the Practicum Component.

Academic Courses starting September, 2016


  • Managing Front Office Operations
  • Managing Housekeeping Operations
  • Hospitality Facilities Management and Design
  • Managing Hospitality  Human Resources
  • Supervision in the  Hospitality Industry
  • Management Food and Beverage Operations
  • Hospitality Sales and Marketing
  • Spa: A Comprehensive Introduction
  • Leadership and Management in the Hospitality Industry
  • Hospitality Industry Financial Accounting
  • Security and Loss Prevention
  • The Academic Component also includes a Business Communications class specially designed to support students with improving their English Language skills.
  • All courses subject to change

Admission Requirements

Applicants within Canada:
Students wishing to enroll in the Diploma in Hospitality Management program must pass Solomon College’s entrance assessment examination, and meet at least one of the following conditions:

 1. An IELTS Academic score of 5.5 or above in speaking/listening/reading & writing; equivalencies accepted
or
2. Be a mature student aged 23 or above

 Tuition:

$13,500 + $500 non-refundable application fee; textbooks $3,000.

 My opinion: The tuition seems really expensive.

Here are the other programs:


Solomon College offers many programs to both local and international students.
Our English as a Second Language program provides English language instruction to prepare students to write the TOEFL and IELTS exams. The program develops your speaking, listening, reading and writing skills.

Our Language Instruction for Newcomers to Canada (LINC) program is funded by Citizenship and Immigration Canada.  It teaches students a level of language proficiency that facilitates their integration into Canadian society. This program is free for all permanent residents to Canada.

Our High School program is for students and adults who would like to earn credits towards their high school diploma or improve their high school marks.

Our Hospitality Program provides students the opportunity to enter a career in the hospitality industry in Canada. You will not only learn about hospitality but also get hands on experience through our co-op program.

Our Aviation Management & Pilot Training Diploma Program provides aviation students with a structured focused flight training program to help learners attain the required licenses and experience necessary to find gainful employment in the competitive aviation industry.

Our Professional and Private Tutoring Services program provides professional services such as editing, translation, one-on-one tutoring, and writing assistance.

Orientations are provided and include topics on:
Curriculum planning, school policies, medical insurance, banking, the transportation system, and Canadian cultural adjustment, depending on the student’s needs and their particular program.

My opinion: I'm not interested in the other programs.


 http://solomoncollege.ca/programs/

 NAIT Hospitality management:



Quick Facts

Credential: Diploma
Length: 2 years
International Applicants: Accepted
Location: Main
Course information

Tuition & Fees

( Maximum per semester )
Tuition: $1,883
Tuition International: International Student Program Fees
NAITSA: $120
Recreation & Athletics Fee: $70.00


My opinion: That's like $6000 tuition for 2 yrs.

MacEwan Travel: When I looked up "MacEwan hospitality", this came up first:

MacEwan's Travel program takes you places. This two-year diploma program is condensed into an accelerated 13-month format so you can fast track your studies to get right to work. In this program you'll study the ins and outs of the travel industry: from sales and tickets to managing suppliers and agents. You'll also receive hands-on experience with the actual computerized reservation systems used by the travel industry.

Get an in-depth look at the world's most important tourist destinations, and learn what motivates travelers to frequent them. Learn how to deal with everything from international border crossings to environmental and social concerns. Develop an understanding of the evolving travel market and the technology used to document and sell North American and international travel.

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


MacEwan Business management:

 http://www.macewan.ca/wcm/SchoolsFaculties/Business/Programs/BusinessManagement/

 Tuition and fees: There is a very helpful tuition calculator where you put in the program and how many courses you'll be taking a semester.
Posted by at 1 comment:

tech job search/ mobile app developer

Apr. 17, 2017 Tech job search: I found this piece of paper where I had a read a Globe and Mail article about these new jobs.  I looked it up in 2015.  Now I'm going to look at it with new eyes:

Big data analyst:

 Big data analytics is the process of examining large and varied data sets -- i.e., big data -- to uncover hidden patterns, unknown correlations, market trends, customer preferences and other useful information that can help organizations make more-informed business decisions.
Big data analytics benefits

Driven by specialized analytics systems and software, big data analytics can point the way to various business benefits, including new revenue opportunities, more effective marketing, better customer service, improved operational efficiency and competitive advantages over rivals.

Big data analytics applications enable data scientists, predictive modelers, statisticians and other analytics professionals to analyze growing volumes of structured transaction data, plus other forms of data that are often left untapped by conventional business intelligence (BI) and analytics programs. That encompasses a mix of semi-structured and unstructured data -- for example, internet clickstream data, web server logs, social media content, text from customer emails and survey responses, mobile-phone call-detail records and machine data captured by sensors connected to the internet of things.

 http://searchbusinessanalytics.techtarget.com/definition/big-data-analytics

Here's another:

All such roads lead to the same destination: a job assembling, analyzing and interpreting large data sets to look for information of interest or value.


 Data science encompasses "Big Data," data analytics, and more. It is becoming a vital discipline in IT because it enables businesses to extract value about the many kinds of data they collect in doing whatever it is that they do.

For those who do business with customers, it lets them learn more about those customers. For those who maintain a supply chain, it helps them to understand more and better ways to request, acquire and manage supply components. For those who follow (or try to anticipate) markets – such as financials, commodities, employment and so forth – it helps them construct more accurate and insightful models for such things.

 In fact, no matter where you look for data, if large amounts of information are routinely collected and stored, data science can probably find something useful or interesting to say about such collections, if those who examine them can frame and process the right kinds of queries against that data. That's what explains the increasing and ongoing value of data science for most companies and organizations, since all of them routinely collect and maintain various kinds of data nowadays.

 Basic Educational Background

 The basic foundation for a long-lived career in IT for anybody getting started is to pursue a bachelor's degree in something computing related. This usually means a degree in computer science, management information systems (MIS), computer engineering, informatics or something similar. Plenty of people transition in from other fields, to be sure, but the more math and science under one's belt when making that transition, the easier it will be. Given projected shortages of IT workers, especially in high demand subject areas – which not only include data science, but also networking, security, software development, IT architecture and its various specialty areas, and more – it's hard to go wrong with this kind of career start.

For data scientists in particular, a strong mathematics background, particularly in statistics and analysis, is strongly recommended, if not required outright. This goes naturally along with an equally strong academic foundation in computing. Those willing to slog on through to a master's or PhD before entering the workforce may find data science a particularly appealing and remunerative field of study when their slog comes to an end. If so, they can also jump directly into mid- or expert/senior-level career steps, respectively.
http://www.tomsitpro.com/articles/become-data-scientist,1-2217.html

 Here's one of my blog posts:

http://badcb.blogspot.ca/2016/05/big-data-analyst.html

 My 2017 opinion: I look at it now.  The job pays $72,000- $96,000.  The job description sounds really interesting by analyzing lots of information.  I do that already with reading the business section of the Edmonton Journal and the Globe and Mail. 

I look at the information so I know what companies and jobs to apply to.

However, when I look at the education where you need a degree in IT, math, engineering, etc.  I am not interested in that part.

 SEO specialist:

 A Search Engine Optimization (SEO) Specialist analyzes, reviews and implements changes to websites so they are optimized for search engines. This means maximizing the traffic to a site by improving page rank within search engines.

 Simply put, in the words of SEO.com, “it is the job of the SEO specialist to make your website show up at the top of the search engine results. Ten years ago that job looked a lot different than it does now, and it requires a whole new skill-set from what was needed back then.

A modern specialist must be a problem solver and decision maker, with the ability to prioritize and develop relevant and engaging content. You know the old adage, “Content is king?” well, modern SEO specialists know that search engines are placing increasing value on quality content – which will invariably include keyword or phrases that increases traffic to a site.



In the SEO industry, however, communication and clarity are important. Hopefully, I can clearly answer the question: “What is an SEO Specialist?”

Search Engine Optimization (SEO) helps people find products and information on search engines like Google and Bing. An SEO specialist, then, researches and analyzes the trends and best practices online to develop and implement strategies that improve search results.
The overall goal is to increase the level of traffic to a website by using keywords and keyword topics to improve the user experience and meet search engine guidelines.


Here's one of my blog posts:

http://badcb.blogspot.ca/2016/05/search-engine-optimization-seo.html

 My 2017 opinion: You need a degree in something computer related, marketing, communications and advertising.

 In a way, I am kind of an SEO.  I try to get people to come to my blog.  I write about current events and people like to read the news.  I put up job articles and my opinions on it.  People go on the internet to read job articles.

 Online community manager: Here's a career I didn't research before.

 Online community managers use social media to connect a business or organization with its primary audience. These professionals benefit from earning a bachelor's degree and need online experience and knowledge of relevant software in order to obtain a job in the field. They should have strong communication skills and must be able to build their communities.


Career Requirements
Degree Level Bachelor's degree
Degree Field Communication or journalism
Experience Online experience and knowledge of relevant software
Key Skills Strong communication (written and verbal) skills, build communities, social media platforms, organized, and photo editing, depending on the industry
Salary (2015) $48,513 (median for all online community managers)
Source: Payscale.com


Step 2: Develop Social Media Skills

 Online community managers must understand the importance of social media and how to utilize it to reach consumers. Employers require professional or personal experience in online publishing. Prospective online community managers should be familiar with Facebook, Twitter, photo sharing sites, blogs, and online media specific to their industry.

http://study.com/articles/Become_an_Online_Community_Manager_Education_and_Career_Roadmap.html

 Infographic:

 https://blog.hubspot.com/marketing/online-community-management-tips#sm.0001css84j2rxf61y101tic5zetaz
What qualifications do you need to be an Online Community Manager?

There’s no one specific qualification you need for this role and there are many ways into an online community management career. Many people who are interested in this line of work train in social media or IT. Knowledge of HTML definitely helps. The depth of your training will largely depend on how much you want to know. There are different courses you can take if you wish to pursue this kind of career.

Useful academic qualifications include:
  • Take a CLAiD or ECDL course. Both of these show prospective employers that you can carry out basic tasks on a computer and they give a good base of knowledge if you want to go on to do more detailed courses. The National Careers Service website has more information on both of these
  • This is more technical, but HTML courses are very beneficial to those who are interested in building online communities especially. You can’t build a webpage without HTML after all! Check the UBIQ webpage for more information on HTML courses
  • Volunteering to moderate a webpage for a couple of hours a week is a great way to start. It gives good insight into what the role involves and looks great on a CV.


My 2017 opinion: The job looks after the company's social media and pays $45,000-$65,000.  I have looked at office jobs and they are titled "Social media manager."

Mobile app developer:



My 2017 opinion: It's good job security.  You need a degree in computers.

Apr. 18, 2017: I remember reading about how there are these jobs that never existed and that you can never even imagine will be created.

In the late 90s and early 2000s, I was a teenager and I know computers and technology will be everywhere.  It will be important in getting a job.

However, did anyone ever think a mobile app developer will be a job?  It didn't come out until like 2007 with the iPhone.
Posted by at 7 comments:

Tuesday, April 11, 2017

"New property owner ended a job and tendency. What can be done?"

Mar. 20, 2017 "New property owner ended a job and tenancy. What can be done?": Today I found this article in the Globe and Mail:

I thought this was a unique question about living at work.  There are lots of temporary summer jobs at resorts and cruise ships where you live at work.  There are a lot of interesting comments on it:

THE QUESTION

My brother-in-law and sister live on property that they rent from his employer. His employer recently sold the business and the new owners are making changes. Dave has worked for his employer for 25 years. Because the employment is seasonal with a golf club, he gets laid off every year. He has always been expected back, and returns. From the new owners, he recently received an one-month notice to end tenancy for cause, and one-month notice to end tenancy for end of employment. Not only did he lose his job, he has lost his home. What, if anything, can be done?


THE FIRST ANSWER

Natalie C. MacDonald
Partner, Rudner MacDonald LLP, Toronto

Much can be done to assist your brother-in-law. In Ontario, the Employment Standards Act, 2000 (ESA) requires his employer to terminate him by providing notice of termination or pay in lieu (eight weeks, given his length of service); and if applicable, severance pay (25 weeks for him).

In addition, in the absence of a valid termination clause in an employment contract, he must be provided with reasonable notice of the termination of his employment (“severance package”), which would include payment of his salary, benefits and any other entitlements he had prior to the termination, which may include his home and the tenancy arrangement.

The notice period, which includes the ESA amounts, is to provide Dave income while he seeks comparable employment, and is typically based on his years of service, age, character of position and availability of similar employment.

Under the Residential Tenancies Act, 2006, a landlord can only end a tenancy on notice for specified reasons, termination of employment being one. A notice “for cause” could be not paying the rent in full, causing damage or illegal activity. The length of notice required by a landlord to terminate a tenancy depends on the type of tenancy (weekly/monthly/yearly), and if for cause, the type of cause upon which the landlord relies. In any case, he and his wife have remedies available to them.

THE SECOND ANSWER

Eileen Dooley
Vice-president, VF Career Management, Calgary

This is a classic case of being too dependent on your employer. A client once told me he used his employment address for all his mail, including bank statements, mortgage information, etc. Because it was not his property, a simple mail redirect from Canada Post was not possible.

Unfortunately, the employer holds all the cards in this case, and the only recourse you have is to move and find alternate employment. Luckily, we are entering ‘golf season’ so there may be more opportunities now than in the fall/winter season. Use your network and start looking.

Seeing this as a new start, be cautious on how much you depend on the employer beyond a simple paycheque. Not just living arrangements, but use of a cellular phone – bring your own that the employer will support, and that you leave with, or have a separate one for personal use – and any other resources the employer gives to you. If the employer insists that you live on the property as part of employment, ensure that the arrangement has an exit clause in the event of job or residency change. And have a backup plan ready to go.

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/report-on-business/careers/management/new-property-owner-ended-a-job-and-tenancy-what-can-be-done/article34338410/

Comments:

redTornado
4 days ago

There are too many important details missing in this scenario and it looks like the HR person's comment has had a big chunk edited out. Grounds keepers, farm hands, and the like are often provided housing and this is usually provided free or at a nominal cost. The employment contract - either in writing or implied, usually states as long as you work here, you can live here. Once your employment ends, so does the housing. It is gracious for the employer to provide a transition period or a payment to help them with a move. I have seen up to 6 weeks plus a portion of moving expenses. Then there is the matter of severance. However , if this individual is not a permanent full time employee and he had a sweet deal with the employer to be able to cycle on and off employment insurance , he should carefully check with a lawyer in his provincial jurisdiction as he might not qualify. Having said that, there are common law principles and good business practices. In the meantime, find a new job.

no2el
4 days ago

25 years of seasonal work, off on UI for those 25 years, it's a great deal but no future in it. Since when were seasonal workers that are laid off entitled to severance, if so you had better tell the 10's of thousands of construction workers. Tenancies are carried by the property not the owner unless vacant possession was requested. Should have had a lease signed before the property changed hands.

Nancy G4
3 days ago

It seems that with this column, there is generally a huge gulf between the two answers. Consultant says, there's nothing that can be done, it was a dumb situation for Dave to get into, and try not to do it again. The actual lawyer says that there is a lot that can be done, and gives specifics. What I have learned from this column is that if I have an issue with employment, I should see a lawyer. If I want uninformed but well meaning advice, I can get it free from friends and not have to pay an employment consultant.



alanauer
4 days ago

That's cute. "You're fired. Oh, and because you're unemployed now, you're evicted too."

AlexB2
3 days ago

It looks to me like the new owner is low balling his/her severance offer. It would seem that one month for an employee of 25 years is too low even if the employee was seasonal. The new owner may expect to negotiate. Alternatively they may not understand employment legislation. Sometimes those who run small businesses run afoul of labour laws for this reason.

The employee may have to fight through a provincial labor relations board or the courts to get a better deal. He should try to negotiate a better deal but still look for another job. The availability of alternate employment and how long it takes him to get it will affect how much he gets.

As to the accommodation, while that seems to be part of the employment renumeration, I doubt the new owner can kick them out on short notice. Housing legislation should apply in which case they may have more time to find a place.



LocatisCo
2 days ago

There is a new site called http://www.locatis.ca where landlords and property managers can advertise their rental property.


Squid9
4 days ago

I find the discrepancy between the two answers should be addressed in the article more thoroughly. The lawyer states that the law requires the employer provide severence, pay in lieu etc etc. The second "consultant" blames the victim and advises not to put up a fight and move on. At the very least, should think it is not legal to evict a tenant who pays the rent and does no damage with only 30 days notice. Why wouldn't this employee want to receive what is due to him? There are employment laws in place, according to the lawyer, that are in place for employees protection. Why is the consultant suggesting he just walk away?
1 Reaction



Fred Garvin MP
4 days ago

I'll take answer # 1 for a thousand, Alex ....


 Mar. 27, 2017 "On leave, I was told I can’t return to work. Is this legal?": Today I found this article in the Globe and Mail:

THE QUESTION

I am off on medical leave with a torn rotator cuff. Had to wait months for an MRI and to see a specialist, then my employer called in the interim and told me I can’t come back to work. To my knowledge, she has to welcome me back with the same rate of pay and the same amount of hours. Is that true?


THE FIRST ANSWER

Natalie C. MacDonald
Partner, Rudner MacDonald LLP, Toronto

It sounds as though you have been improperly treated. Human-rights legislation requires employers to accommodate employees, if required, and not to discriminate against or terminate an employee, while on medical leave, based on sickness or disability.

When an employee is on medical leave, and the employee is cleared or ready to return to work, the employer is obligated to accommodate the employee, if necessary, to the point of undue hardship.

In some instances, accommodation could mean modified duties, a graduated-return-to-work plan or a reconfigured workstation.

Accommodation is fact-specific.

An employer should return the employee to the same position he or she held before the leave, unless there is a legitimate business reason for not doing so that the employer can prove. An employer is also well advised not to reduce an employee’s rate of pay or hours.

If you believe you have been terminated due to your injury, you can make a complaint to the Human Rights Tribunal (in Ontario) where, amongst other things, you can ask for lost wages, if any, and general damages for the injury to your dignity, feelings and self-respect.

You can also request reinstatement to your position if you are in Ontario.
The alternate path is to start a lawsuit in the civil courts for damages for the wrongful dismissal itself, and claim, in addition, damages for breach of the Human Rights Code.

THE SECOND ANSWER

Zuleika Sgro
Director of people, Saje Natural Wellness, Vancouver

Medical leave and a return-to-work plan are always important to not only be documented, but also discussed as a partnership between your doctor, your employer and you.

It sounds like you need more facts as to why your employer gave that feedback. My advice is to reach out to your HR/benefits team and ask for more information around their call.

Request it in writing, then visit your doctor with that documentation for support in completing an instruction form for your employer – assuming you are cleared to return.

The form can likely be provided by your benefits carrier.

Then, your employer can review how they could accommodate your return to work. This could be gradual, with modified duties, or in a different capacity and they are required to do so to the point of undue hardship.

The plan to return and ensure your well-being and safety at work should be your mutual priority.

It is important to share your ideas along with your doctors documentation on how to make returning to work possible so you are safe and are part of the process and plan to return.

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/report-on-business/careers/career-advice/on-leave-i-was-told-i-cant-return-to-work-is-this-legal/article34419597/
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NAIT research

Feb. 28, 2017 NAIT research:


Today I was thinking about what if someone was to say: "I want to work in medicine, but without seeing blood."  I would say: "X-ray technician."

 I can't get into University of Alberta because my grades are not good enough.  I also don't want to spend 4 yrs to get a degree.  I can research NAIT programs that are easier to get into.  You can go in for 1 or 2 yr programs.

 I'm looking into health and sciences, but it seems like I don't have the aptitude or interest.

 By reading all this, I did learn a lot.

Cytotechnology

This program teaches students to prepare and analyze cytology samples and to screen microscope slides to evaluate cell specimens for evidence of disease, especially cancer.

 http://www.nait.ca/program_home_76613.htm

ACPA1220 - Health and Fitness




Course Overview

The student will promote personal health and well-being through a variety of activities and educational seminars. There is an emphasis on developing personal fitness to enhance occupational health. Safe lifting and moving techniques will be practiced.


ACPA1100 - Health and Wellness




Course Overview

The students will promote personal health and well-being through a variety of activities and educational seminars. All students will undergo a personal fitness assessment at the beginning of the course as a means of determining areas for improvement.

ACPA1230 - Special Environments




Course Overview

Paramedics collaborate with other agencies on a daily basis in order to provide patient-centered care. Students will engage in various activities to enhance their skills of collaboration and team work when working with fire fighters, police, community agencies, and other health care professionals. Specialized aspects of paramedicine in a community and air ambulance environment will also be studied.

ACPA1210 - Pharmacology




Course Overview

Students will become familiar with the general concepts of pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics. Drugs used to manage a variety of conditions affecting all body systems will be studied. Special emphasis will be placed on medications commonly found in prehospital care. Students will also develop skills in drug calculation and drug administration.

Personal Fitness Trainer

Recognized by the Canadian Society for Exercise Physiology (CSEP), the National Strength and Conditioning Association (NSCA), and the National Academy of Sports Medicine (NASM) this program provides theoretical knowledge and practical skills in anatomy, physiology, nutrition, movement mechanics and injury prevention, principles and methods of physical training and safe exercise, health promotion and lifestyle counselling, and communication and leadership; business management and marketing practices.

    Non-Academic Requirements

    • CPR (Basic Life Support - BLS) - Students must provide evidence of current BLS certification prior to commencing clinical training. BLS certification must remain current throughout clinical training therefore it is recommended that certification be obtained just prior to clinical training. The BLS certification course that meets this requirement must be designed for individuals who will be health care providers. The NAIT Continuing Education Course that meets this requirement is CPRS100.

    VTMA1290 - Clinical Experience




    Course Overview

    The clinical experience is designed to provide an opportunity for students to gain practical experience in technical, administrative, client relations and other aspects of veterinary medical assisting. This clinical experience is completed at a local veterinary clinic or approved related facility to allow students to interact with the clients and the veterinary team using professional communication and critical thinking skills.


    BMTC2431 - Technical Project




    Course Overview

    BMTC2431 is a team based project course intended to give students experience managing, designing, building, testing and presenting a complex technical system. Students working in teams will apply knowledge gained from many previous BET courses such as circuit fabrication, analog and digital circuits analysis, microcontrollers, programming, data communications and technical report writing to complete assigned project requirements. Teamwork and management skills are also emphasized in this course. Each team must research and select a project, write a proposal, procure parts and submit status reports. A final project presentation and technical report are also required.

    Magnetic Resonance

    Focusing on anatomy, patient care, communication and safety in the MRI environment, students learn to function effectively in diverse settings from busy trauma centres to outpatient clinics.

    http://www.nait.ca/program_home_77524.htm

    Preceptor Training Courses


    Overview

    Remember the trainer and mentor who assisted you in becoming proficient and comfortable, ready for your first experience on the job? That person likely had a major impact on your confidence and added to your excitement while you prepared to enter the field. Now it’s your chance to do the same for an eager student. Your role as a preceptor is vital to student growth and ensuring that your field is provided with well-trained new graduates.
    Ready yourself to aide students by completing specific preceptor courses designed to equip you to teach, examine technique, supervise and mentor.


    My opinion: That's interesting: a class how to be a mentor.

    ACPA1130 - Assessment & History Taking




    Course Overview

    Students will build on existing patient assessment and history-taking skills learned in previous prehospital training courses. Students will conduct comprehensive physical examinations and patient histories. Concepts of medical and trauma patient assessment skills are applied throughout the course.

    AHTC1150 - Hematology




    Course Overview

    Students will maintain laboratory equipment and integrate safety procedures in a laboratory setting, as well as perform manual and automated diagnostic testing of blood cells to achieve results for a complete blood count. Students will be able to identify and discuss the production and morphology of blood cells in all life stages.


    My opinion: Not really interested in this.

    AHTC2490 - Clinical Experience




    Course Overview

    Animal Health training will be continued at a veterinary site performing various procedures in accordance with the clinical outcomes. This clinical provides the students with an orientation to the profession and opportunity to apply concepts, procedures, and patient care while directly supervised by a veterinarian or animal health technologist. Additionally, students acquire experience in professional behaviour and critical thinking skills.

    ORGB1103 - Organizational Behaviour




    Course Overview

    This course provides the student with an introduction to the cultures of organizations, and the influence of the individual on the organization and its work. Emphasis is placed on managing individual differences, with the goal of increased productivity and job satisfaction. Organizational problems are studied and solved through a variety of activities.





    Posted by at No comments:

    "Are better health benefits a tall order? Not for millenial workers"


    Oct. 19, 2016 "Are better health benefits a tall order? Not for millennial workers": I found this article by Erin Anderssen on Oct. 17, 2016 in the Globe and Mail: 


    Last summer, when Starbucks began hearing from employees at five forums across the country, the company didn’t expect mental health to become the top talking point. The forums were targeted to staff between the ages of 18 and 24, and, hosted by the company executives, were an invitation to discuss youth issues. But in each city, their employees kept bringing it up – not only struggles with depression and anxiety, but grief, work-life balance, care-giving stress.

    The result of the forum was Starbucks Canada’s announcement earlier this month of an increase in coverage of psychotherapy to $5,000, one of the largest amounts of coverage in the country. Starbucks undoubtedly crunched the numbers and saw the advantages – good PR, a healthier, happier work force that misses fewer shifts. But it was still millennial employees who raised the issue first.

    The move by Starbucks is an example of the way that millennials – those employees in their mid-20s and 30s – are contributing to a pro-active conversation on workplace health in general – one more oriented toward preventative medicine, positive mental health and well-being.

    Google and Facebook are famous for their millennial-friendly extras. But benefits experts say there is a growing trend for more traditional firms to follow suit, in part to attract and retain younger employees. That includes expanding employee assistance plans, creating more holistic benefits around fitness, providing advice to reduce stress around debt and adding digital mental-health services – in part to attract and retain millennials.

    At ATB Financial in Edmonton, for instance, employees can trade benefit credits for vacation days and a “wellness” account that can be used widely, for example, for new skis or yoga. At National Leasing in Winnipeg, the head office added a nap room and gym and now runs an annual week of mental-health programs, including daily meditation classes and motivational speakers – an idea conceived by one of its many millennial employees after a first-hand experience with a mental-health issue.

    For all the rhetoric about entitled millennials, these changes are a good deal for everyone. And not only does a decision such as Starbucks’s help spur more companies along and balance some glaring inequities in Canada’s health-care system – particularly access to an important treatment such as therapy – it’s also good for the country.

    As Krishna Patel, 24, who works for a Toronto insurance company, puts it, “You want to have options, so you aren’t just going to a doctor and popping pills.” Benefits wouldn’t decide a job choice, but all things being equal, she says, they would would tip the balance. “Not providing these services seems outdated, conservative and regressive,” she says. “Even if I don’t use it, it’s a sign they care about their employees.”

    No wonder millennials want coverage for gym passes and therapy and individual health spending accounts that let them use their benefits for the services they want. This is a generation that came of age during stigma-busting campaigns, such as Bell Let’s Talk, and as mental illness entered the common parlance of celebrities. They have been urged – by their teachers, doctors and parents – to seek help when they need it. Owen Kelly, a psychologist in Ottawa, says that among his younger patients, “there is a increasing recognition that some of what we have labelled a ‘medical problem’ also falls under the category of a human problem.”

    And yet, as provincial health ministers meet with their federal counterpart Jane Philpott to haggle more money out of Ottawa in health-care transfers, we should not expect a golden pot of cash to add new services for mental health. The government farthest along in creating a publicly funded program for therapy is Quebec. Their scientific health agency has released two reports making the case for it and another is expected next year to propose how to do it.

    The price tag for publicly-funded therapy in the province was estimated around $450-million, a small sliver of Quebec’s $32-billion health care budget. But Health Minister Gaétan Barrette, who praised the move by Starbucks, has already said that Ottawa will have to kick in much more than it’s promising just to keep hospitals running properly – let alone expand areas such as home care and mental health.

    Companies have done the math: Wellness programs pay for themselves in productivity, employee satisfaction, reduced absenteeism. Millennials come with their own unique demands, leading a push for online and virtual services and a wider range of therapies, such as mindfulness and resiliency training, according to Lori Casselman, a former Sun Life financial executive, now working as chief health officer for LEAGUE, a digital health insurance company.

    “They are a force for change,” Casselman says. “We can learn a lot from what they have been accustomed to – being more transparent, more self-aware. Because of that, we are seeing more of a reduction in the stigma around talking about mental health.” The push for flexibility and faster access to resources is something, she says, “other generations are benefiting from because the industry has to respond.” And, she says, while young employees won’t choose a company for its benefit package, they do treat it as “reflection of workplace culture” as Krishna Patel pointed out.

    But companies are only patching up – not fixing – a big hole in Canada’s mental-health-care system, one in which wealthy, working Canadians get better access to the science-based treatment. The Starbucks benefit is a good one – it doesn’t limit the kind of therapy (although it requires employees to see a licensed social worker or psychologist), it doesn’t require a doctor’s referral, it’s large enough to make a difference. (The company’s previous $400 plan was in line with what many companies still offer – barely enough to cover a couple of sessions with a psychologist.)

    But coverage is only available to Starbucks employees who work more than 20 hours a week, which is about two-thirds of their 19,000 Canadian employees, according to company estimates. And, as one barista in Ottawa pointed out, it might be hard for someone dealing with a mental-health issue to be available for every shift or to perform under pressure during busy times and they are still dependent on an understanding manager. “My skepticism is that it’s one of those things that looks good on paper,” she said, asking that her name not to be used. “But how will it translate into real help for the people I work with?”

    The consequence of telling more people to seek the help they need is that they will actually expect to get it when they come looking – true for both the public health-care system and the workplace. “If I have an employee who is willing to come forward and share that kind of information with me,” Casselman observes, “I better be well-equipped to respond to that as a manager.”

    Fadi Dawood, 30, a historian at the non-profit think tank NATO Association of Canada, and a lecturer at Lakehead University in Orillia, describes “a generational schism. Most of the individuals who control benefits tend to be baby boomers, and those who are entering the work force are saying, ‘you can’t have the same expectations.’” In his parents’ day, he suggests, there was no mental-health awareness – an employee complaining of depression or anxiety would be more likely told to get over it and work harder. But his view of his peers – and his students – is that they have a more complex view of mental health and are less likely to see shame in a therapeutic tune-up.

    He sought a short course of therapy himself at university, when stress was starting to interfere with his work. “Some of the coping strategies I learned, I continue to use in my life,” he says. More significantly, he is willing to talk about it, though still with some trepidation. “If companies want a healthy work force,” he says, “[covering therapy] is probably one of the most important things to provide.”

    Alec Toller, 28, suggests the view around therapy has shifted for his peers, including among men, who have traditionally been more resistant to seeking help. He has gone himself, for a bout of moderate depression and anxiety. “I didn’t want to be dependent on a drug to feel better. I wanted to to change the behaviour rather than my brain.”

    But a full course of therapy was only affordable because of coverage he received through the Directors Guild of Canada while working as an assistant picture editor. Like Dawood, he uses the lessons from those 12 weeks in other part of his life – “not just to not feel better, but to feel really good.”

    Now studying for his masters in psychology – in part, inspired by his positive experience in therapy – he argues there’s an ethical concern also at stake, beyond the economic case for business. “We have to make mental health truly accessible. It can’t be a service for the wealthy.”

    Don’t count on the the push for more flexible, accessible, individual benefits, and best-evidence treatment to lighten up. Coming up behind the millennials is another generation, even more tech-savvy, with even more mental health awareness. “Youth are taking over the conversation,” says Connie Coniglio, the executive director of BC Mental Health and Substance Use Services. “Hopefully, that will produce a shift in the way we all see things and the way services are delivered.”

    With their insistence that employers see through on their wellness talk, their wish to make mental health a priority in the workplace, and their desire for benefits that actually cover their needs and for treatment that actually works – those millennials, they have some nerve.




    Are better health benefits a tall order? Not for millennial workers

    Meditation classes. Stress relief workshops. Wellness subsidies. After a survey of its young workers led Starbuc...


    Feb. 9, 2017 "Not today Namaste:  Lay your cards on the yoga mat to consent to physical adjustments": Today I found this article by Marsh Lederman in the Globe and Mail.  Here's an excerpt: 

    Craig-Evans cooked up the idea for the consent cards over brunch with VYC organizer Carolyne Taylor and Holmes de Castro, who is a certified trauma sensitive yoga facilitator and was one of the evaluators at Craig Evans’s Langara course.

    Their shared concerns around physical adjustments and consent led to a discussion of flip chips: a similar concept to the cards; they say “assist” on one side and “no hands-on assist” on the other. The women knew vaguely about them, but despite all their yoga experience, had never seen them in use. Inspired by the flip-chip model and eager to raise awareness and make the issue of consent on the mat more pervasive in British Columbia (and beyond), they decided to make their own cards.

    Holmes de Castro, who began practising yoga after a traumatic event – she was sexually assaulted by an armed stranger when she was in her early 20s – is director of programs with Yoga Outreach, which offers trauma informed yoga at community service facilities such as mental health centres, prisons and residential addiction-treatment centres, including Onsite, which is above Vancouver’s supervised injection site, Insite.

    Even beyond these settings, she believes yoga is often used in North America as a modality to heal. And she says it’s particularly important that people who fall into that category – including the people she has worked with through Yoga Outreach – be able to consent to physical adjustments.

    “They just felt like they’re perpetually getting it wrong because this person is coming along and fixing what’s going on with them. And if that’s been their experience throughout their life, that they haven’t been able to get it right somehow, then that just becomes replicated in a yoga space.”

    Holmes de Castro says the cards are timely; they tap into current awareness around consent, autonomy and empowerment. She also points out that sometimes the adjustments may aggravate a physical condition or simply be uncomfortable.

    She tells a story about an incident she heard about while training at the Kripalu Center for Yoga and Health in Massachusetts. In a large class – there were more than 40 students – a student put up her hand and said she didn’t want to be touched during the class. Halfway through, the teacher, who had forgotten, came around and adjusted her. Then he said “oh that’s right; you’re the person that didn’t want to be adjusted,” and had a little laugh, Holmes de Castro recalls. “You’re being mocked for the choice that you just tried to make, that was not honoured and was called out.”

    Taylor has been practising yoga since she was a child – she believes yoga probably saved her mother’s life as she dealt with a dysfunctional marriage. At that brunch – which was only past November – she registered the consent on the map domain while still at the restaurant. She hopes the can help standardize an approach to consent in yoga and is encouraging all participants at her conference to use them.

    “Next year when the yoga conference rolls around, I want this to not be a new thing, but just a thing that is,” Taylor says. “You bring your yoga mat to yoga and you bring your consent card to yoga. It’s just what you bring in your yoga bag.” The Victoria Yoga Conference runs Feb. 10-13 at the University of Victoria. Consent cards will be available for use there. They’re also available for purchase – $10 for a set of 20 inside a muslin carrying bag, with proceeds to Yoga Outreach.



    My week:

    Apr. 4, 2017 Quickly: Did you know that Quickly is now a bubble tea chain?  There are bubble tea places, and they're independent, but this one is a chain.

     http://quicklycanada.com/

     Apr. 6, 2017 Mental health: This is like the law of attraction.  I was getting my anti-depressants, because I was off it for a couple of months.  It did affect my life and work.  I was stressed out.

     Last week I called one of my friends up, and he said he had an anxiety disorder.  When he was at work, he often felt like throwing up and then he doesn't.  The anxiety mentally affected his body.  He's on medication.

     Then this week I got an email from another friend who is also on medication and therapy for anxiety disorder.


    Time after Time cancelled: I read about this in the newspaper and I was a little sad about it.  I hope that ABC airs the rest of the episodes in the summer time.  That's what happened in 2013 when the mid-season show Do No Harm got cancelled after 2 episodes.  CTV aired the rest of the episodes on Sat. night at 8pm in the summer:

    ABC has pulled drama “Time After Time” from its schedule, effectively canceling the freshman drama series.

    A time-travel story following fictional versions of H.G. Wells and Jack the Ripper, “Time After Time” debuted March 5 to a soft 0.7 rating in the 18-49 demographic over its two-hour premiere and an average audience of 2.53 million, according to Nielsen data. Over four weeks, it has averaged a 0.5 in the demo and 2.2 million viewers.

    “Time After Time” is produced by Outerbanks Entertainment in association with Warner Bros. Television. Kevin Williamson and Marcos Siega (“Blindspot,” “The Following”) serve as executive producers. Siega directed the pilot, with Williamson writing the teleplay. The show is based on the novel written by Karl Alexander.

    The series is being replaced in its Sunday, 9 p.m. time period for the next three weeks by Alec Baldwin-hosted celebrity gameshow “Match Game.” “Time After Time” becomes the second scripted broadcast freshman to be pulled from the air this season. CBS canceled “Doubt” last month after airing only two episodes.

    http://variety.com/2017/tv/news/abc-time-after-time-1202018915/

    Dental office job interview: Two weeks ago, On Sun. morning, I got a text to come into for an interview.  I was at work at my restaurant.  The text wanted me to come on that day.  After work, I called the number and did a phone interview.

    Pros:

    1. It was at an office.

    2. Good job security because people need dentists.

    3. It was an average commute.

     Cons:

    I don't know, if I'm a good fit or not.

     Work at Home Alberta: I was listening to Shine FM on the radio on Sun. nights.  I listen to Tim Tamishiro on CBC radio every night because he plays calm jazz music to help me relax.

    On Shine FM, there was an ad for Work at Home Alberta.  It lead me to this.  It's like taking surveys and writing.  I think this is a scam.  However, I heard it on Shine FM 105.9, a Christian radio station so it's supposed to be good.

    Is this a scam?

    http://workathomealberta.ca/jobs.html

    Behavioural Science: I was watching TV and saw this ad for this program at Ambrose.edu.  It sounded pretty interesting:

    —BHS for short—is an interdisciplinary program of sociology and psychology. Through psychology you’ll examine how individuals perceive, develop within, and act upon the world. Through sociology you’ll examine how groups and cultures create their own social worlds and how those worlds affect the people who are a part of them.

    You’ll learn how sociology and psychology intersect in human behaviour, and your learning in one will complement the other. You’ll not only take fascinating classes and do interesting research, you’ll also put your learning to work by doing a community practicum.

    This is your career
     

    Within your Behavioural Science degree, you can specialize in one of six areas: cognitive neuroscience, culture and society, family and community, human development, religion and social science, or deviance and society.

    This is where you can go
     

    Here's a sampling of the jobs our alumni have landed with this degree or entered through further studies:
    • Child and youth worker
    • Crisis intervention services
    • Counselor
    • Teacher or professor
    • Police worker
    • Registered psychologist
    It's good and all, but it's psychology.

    Apr. 8, 2017 Shades of Blue: This show came out in Jan. 2016.  It stars Jennifer Lopez:

    "Harlee Santos, a single-mother New York police officer, is forced to work in the FBI's anti-corruption task force whilst dealing with her own financial problems."

    I saw the pilot and I decided to record all the episodes and watch it in a week.  I then watched 2 episodes 1 day.  I thought it was just average.  Then on a Sat. I had went to work, and I read the business section of the newspaper.  I decided to watch an episode.  I watched like 4 episodes in a row.  Then had a break for dinner and watched 1 episode.

    I have never binge- watched that much TV since buying Dark Angel season 1 dvds and Alias season 1 dvds in 2003.  It's where I watch like 4 or 5 episodes.  I usually watch 1 or 2 episodes a day.

    Now the show is back on and I'm watching it 1 episode a day.  I like to sit and absorb episodes more. 

    I rarely watch 2 episodes of a TV show in a row.  I watch 1.  Then a break for an hr like read the newspaper.  Then watch another episode.  I recommend you watch 1 or 2 episodes a day.  There should be a break between episodes.

    On imdb.com it says the show got a season 3.

    Apr. 9, 2017: I was thinking about ABC cancelling Time after Time.  Why can't they be like CBS with Training Day?  Put Training Day on a Sat. night and air all the episodes, and then cancel it.

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