Thank-you to Breanne Cooper, Teacher with Prairie Spirit School Division for providing this blog.
November marks Canada Career Month! As a career guidance counsellor, a large portion of my time is spent working with students and providing them with opportunities to explore various career fields of interest to see what path they may want to take after high school. For some students, that pathway is right into the workforce; some are interested in beginning their apprenticeship; others are interested in attending post-secondary schooling, while others might be interested in traveling. My goal with sharing these opportunities with students is that it might spark their interest in something for life after high school or, more importantly, give them an experience that shows them what they definitely do not want to do after high school.
The Saskatoon Industry Education Council (SIEC) plays an integral role in my work as a career guidance counsellor. They organize, implement, and run innovative and hands-on experiences for students to explore various career paths. I have had the opportunity to attend Spotlight on Careers events, Bootcamps and Connected as a teacher chaperone which has enabled me to share new information on opportunities and potential career paths with my students.
The SIEC is continuously evolving to offer the most comprehensive events for students. In the midst of a global pandemic, the SIEC has shifted the work they do to continue serving the needs of students in Prairie Spirit School Division, Greater Saskatoon Catholic Schools, Saskatoon Public School Division and Saskatoon Tribal Council. Recently, female students had the opportunity to virtually attend Connected. An event that brought together female students and mentors from across the province for an evening of inspiration. The SIEC is also working hard to align events with curricular outcomes while creating live virtual events to reach and engage larger audiences.
Through working with the SIEC, I am able to better inform and connect students to hands-on experiences in areas of interest to them. I strongly encourage all students to reach out to their school’s guidance counsellor to see what opportunities might interest them. There truly is something for everyone!
