www.vanwest.com/blog/congratulations-kathy
Congratulations, Kathy!
https://www.vanwest.com/blog/congratulations-kathy
https://blog.vanwest.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/VanWest-Commerce-Graduate-150x150.jpg
VanWest Career College has been running for 2 years now, though it feels like the journey began just yesterday. Meet our first Commerce & Marketing graduate, Kathy Chang, who joined us on this incredible journey! Congratulations on your well-deserved success!
Q. How was the Commerce & Marketing program?
A. It was a great experience. Whenever I faced challenges during work, I not only got assistance from the company and school, but I also used the skills and strategies I gained through my academic studies. For example, I learned the skills needed to help me build a relationship with customers through a course called “Customer Service Skills” and understood the behaviour of Canadian organization and management through a course called “Organizational Behaviour”. There are many skills I have learned in these two years. Overall, this program definitely helped me to gain more knowledge, improved my working skills, and also helped me build a network in Canada.
Q. What was your goal when you were enrolled in the program?
A. The main reason for me to choose this program was I expected to get work experience in a Canadian company. The program that I chose gave me two co-op opportunities in which I was able to reach out to many diverse people from different countries in the company.
Q. Now that you have graduated, what are your future goals / plans?
A. My goal is to obtain a management position in the next 5 years. I want to combine my passion, the background I have, and the skills I learned with my desire to take on a senior leadership role. My next career plan is to stay and work in Vancouver. I got a letter of approval from the working holiday program, so as a result, I will exchange my student visa to a working holiday visa and gain more work experience in Canada.
Q. Why would you recommend VanWest career training programs to others?
A. I would recommend this program because it provided essential knowledge and the skills needed at Canadian workplaces, such as writing an attractive resume and a professional cover letter. Moreover, the program also helped us prepare for interviews which helped me have a clear understanding about cultural differences between the Taiwanese workplace and the Canadian workplace, and of course greatly assisted me as I hunted for jobs. We can determine our strengths and interests, and then get some ideas on how to search for a job opportunity that suits our needs.
Q. Any advice for current or prospective students?
A. I know that most of the students from Asia are afraid to speak or use English in the workplace. As a result, it will be the biggest obstacle for students hoping to find a job in Canada. No one is perfect. Don’t be afraid to speak in English. In my opinion and experience, as long as you are willing to talk and communicate with people in Canada, you can definitely overcome every challenge that you face in the workplace.
