March 2013

Discovering Your Career

About Us EDge Interactive

EDge Interactive has been helping students find schools, scholarships and careers for more than 15 years.

The SchoolFinder Group of Websites:

www.SchoolFinder.com

www.ScholarshipsCanada.com

www.StudyinCanada.com

www.GradSchoolFinder.com

Presenters SchoolFinder.com Team

Erica – Erica was born and raised in the GTA, but wanted to be adventurous and go to Thunder Bay (18 hours away) for university. Erica was very involved during university as a House President and RA, living in dorms for 4 years! It is now her passion to help students find the right school for them.

Faeza - Faeza spent most of her life ‘across the pond’ –born and raised in Saudi Arabia, she originally hails from Bangladesh and studied at Oxford University in the UK. Faeza enjoys connecting with domestic students to learn about the Canadian education system and sharing her international student experiences. Despite 3 years in Canada, Faeza still uses British slang.

Presenters Guest Speakers

Rodger Harp - Rodger has spent over 30 years in High School career education both in guidance and cooperative education. For 15 years, he has also taught qualifying courses for teachers in Coop and Guidance for both York and Queens Universities. Professionally he has published over 500,000 career education workbooks for both Coop and Guidance for high school students across Canada. He designed the 3 Step Career Quiz featured on SchoolFinder.com, the most comprehensive directory for schools across Canada. Rodger's first teaching career was in Physical Education and Outdoor Education followed by Guidance and finally Coop Education. He loves to coach wrestling, basketball, volleyball, track and field, gymnastics, football, hockey, badminton, and canoe tripping (not all at once obviously!). Personally, he has three children all married with children (5 grandchildren). In winter, he skies and plays hockey. In summer, golfing, biking, and jogging have priority. What a life!

Presenters Guest Speakers

Amy Nutt – Director of Interactive Marketing, Centre for Arts and Technology

Ambitious, experienced and well networked digital marketing professional, who has worked with enterprise, small business, non-profit and start-up organizations. I have spent the last 10+ years working in the performance marketing industry focusing on lead generation, product distribution. My insatiable appetite for learning combined with my infectious passion for evolving technology and new media keeps me hungry and always exploring new relationships and opportunities.

Special Guests Centre for Arts and Technology

• Allow Us to Introduce Ourselves

We are the adventurers and pioneers of digital arts education; we are the Indiana Jones of the worldwide media industry; we are Captain Kirk, going where no digital art school has ever gone before; we are Centre for Arts and Technology.

Not only are we pioneers in the digital arts and education industry, we are also one of the most established arts schools in Canada with campuses in Kelowna, Halifax, and Fredericton.

Learn more here: http://www.digitalartschool.com/

Special Guests Centre for Arts and Technology

• Out of This (Career) World Programs

– Animation in Digital Art - 2D and 3D

– Animation for Game, Film & Visual Effects

– Digital Photography and Film Making

– Graphic & Digital Design and Web Development

– Interior Design

– Fashion Design & Merchandising

– Network Security Specialists

• For our full program details, check out

– http://www.digitalartschool.com/programs

Special Guests Centre for Arts and Technology

• The People

Our fantastic instructional staff is an integral part of the school. But how do you choose the best of the best? Instructors at Centre schools must have excellent personal communication skills and natural teaching ability fused with extensive experience and expertise in their respective field(s).

By utilizing talented and respected industry professionals from coast to coast, we offer a unique educational experience that will launch you down the career path of your dreams.

Overview Discovering Your Career

1. Career Planning

2. 3-Step Career Quiz

3. Choosing the Right Program and School

4. Choosing Your Lifestyle

5. Developing Your Strengths

6. The Importance of Networking

7. Useful Resources

Poll Question What Careers Have The Greatest Potential For Employment?

• Health Care

• Information Technology

• Skilled Trades

• All of the Above

• Other – tell us in the Questions box

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Career Planning Old Methods

• Old methods involved matching a person’s abilities, aptitudes and interests with a career

• The problem is that new careers are constantly being created, existing careers are changing, and many existing careers may not be available to you once you graduate

• It was assumed that a well paying job would provide you with a satisfying lifestyle

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Career Planning New Methods

• Your best chance for success is to develop the skills that you are already good at and that you enjoy.

• Do not aim at a career or job title, but make an educational plan

• Choose a postsecondary program that you would like and a postsecondary institution that suits your learning skills

• It is important that you plan for success

• If you love the program, you will love the work that it prepares you for

Getting Started 3-Step Career Quiz

• 3-Step Career Quiz - http://www.schoolfinder.com/careers/3step1.asp

Getting Started 3-Step Career Quiz

• Step 1: Answer the Questionnaire

Getting Started 3-Step Career Quiz

• Step 2: Identifying Your Career Options

Getting Started 3-Step Career Quiz

• Step 3 - Researching Career Options in "Communications"

Getting Started 3-Step Career Quiz

• Use your quiz results get the details about the careers that interest you.

Poll Question What Is Your Main Determining Factor When Considering A School?

• Programs Offered

• Employment Rate of Graduates

• Scholarships Available

• Campus Tour / School Visit

• Other – tell us in the Question Box

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Choosing the Right Program and School Things to Consider – Programs

• Choose a program that matches your interests, academic strengths and favourite subjects

– For example: Arts, Business, Computers, Health, Technology, etc.

– There are 17 categories listed on SchoolFinder.com’s 3-Step Career Quiz

• Research the subjects you will take in the program and the practical component

• Confirm prerequisites and requirements for EACH of your program choices

– Grades, courses, interviews, and supplementary applications

Choosing the Right Program and School School Types

• University: A higher education institution, which grants academic degrees in a variety of subjects. A bachelor degree is usually 3 to 5 years in length.

• College: A higher education institution that offers diplomas and certificates. A diploma is usually 2 years in length. Some College diploma credits can be transferred so they count towards a University degree.

• Career College: A higher education institution that offers diplomas or certificates. The difference between a College and Career College is funding / ownership – Career Colleges are privately owned, Colleges are publicly owned.

• Apprenticeship: Apprenticeships involve mostly on the job training with some academic education and is usually 1-5 years in length.

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Choosing Your Lifestyle Education – Debt – Salaries

• Source: Toronto Star, February 28, 2012: http://www.thestar.com/specialsections/postsecondaryeducation/article/1138153--why-post-secondary-education-pays

Annual Income (at age 20)

Annual Income Growth

Amount of Debt

High School Graduate $12,655 $23,500 (by age 25)

No debt

College Graduate $14,727 $33,000 (2 years after grad)

$13,600 in debt

University Graduate $12,655 $45,000 (2 years after grad)

$26,680 in debt

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Choosing Your Lifestyle Take Home Pay

• Note: These statistics may change on a year-to-year basis

• Source: Canadian Tax Charts

Gross Salary Per Year

Net Salary Per Year After Taxes

CPP Net Salary Per Year

Monthly Take Home Pay

$23,673 $17,868 $646 $17,222 $1,435

$39,454 $24,655 $1,068 $23,587 $1,966

$47,345 $28,478 $1,068 $27,410 $2,284

$59,181 $29,419 $1,068 $28,351 $2,363

$77,760 $38,655 $1,068 $37,587 $3,132

$86,490 $42,994 $1,068 $41,926 $3,494

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Choosing Your Lifestyle Consider Your Priorities

• What is your lifestyle vision? Is it to raise a family in a small community?

• Dentist, truck driver, plumber, teacher, artist. People can have a successful life regardless of their employment or salary

• What type of work suits you? Being your own boss, 9 to 5 job, outside work, air conditioned office, using your hands, working with people

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Choosing Your Lifestyle Determining Your Career

• Part time work is a great way to discover your work preferences. Get a part time job in an area you would like to pursue. Don’t waste time working at a job you do not like

• Get involved in a cooperative education program

• Volunteer in activities you have an interest in

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Choosing Your Lifestyle Develop Your Strengths

• If you want to be a professional athlete, artist, musician, computer programmer, etc., you should be working on your skills everyday for hours to become the best

• If you have favourite subjects, get the highest marks possible

• If you want to become an entrepreneur, start your own business

Poll Question What Career Help Do You Expect From Your School?

• Help with finding a job after graduation

• Offering support services (resume writing, interview prep)

• Teaching the skills required for my future profession

• Building my network (classmates, faculty, industry events)

• Other - tell us in the Questions box

Develop Your Strengths How Do We Help You Get “There”?

• Your experience at the Centre will be immersive, engaging, and interactive, leading to practical application in real-world digital art industry careers

• Professional Development Program – a mandatory part of every program offered which helps you to develop your strengths and professional skills

– Industry Expectations

– Job Search

– Resume Writing Skills + Best Practices

– Interviewing Skills

– Aligning Education & Career Aspirations

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Importance of Networking The Secret to Networking

• Start small – approach people you already know, like friends and family members and then branch out to your alumni network

• Smile and ask for introductions

• Ask questions – be engaged and interested in the discussion

• Listen – you can have a great conversation with someone without having to say much at all

• Business cards – effective way to leave contact information

• Tap in to your passions – share your interests, you don’t necessarily need shared interests

• Follow up – sharing information builds your credibility

Importance of Networking Graduate Access Program

• GAP ensures that you start off on the right career path

– It is an alumni program to provide network and support after graduation

– GAP allows graduates to continue to practice the valuable skills they have learned and constantly improve their portfolio for an additional three months directly after graduation

• CAT graduates have started their career in exciting and dynamic industries

– Animation at Disney

– Fashion Design graduates presented at Montreal Fashion Week; were offered grants to start their own design firms; named Top 25 new designers in Canada

– Network Security graduates secured jobs through GAP before graduating

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Useful Resources Important Websites

• SchoolFinder.com – information on Canadian colleges and universities (and high schools)

• ScholarshipsCanada.com – information on Canadian scholarships

• Career-College.com – information on Canadian career colleges

• StudyinCanada.com – information on Canadian schools for international students

• GradSchoolFinder.com – information on Canadian graduate schools

• LanguageSchoolFinder.com – information on language schools

• Books4Exchange.com – a website where you buy and sell used textbooks

Once you sign into one of these sites, you can use your username and password on ALL the other sites.

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Useful Resources Webinar and Community Events

• Find more webinars on our Events Page - http://www.schoolfinder.com/events

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Feedback and Questions Tell Us What You Think!

• Please let us know if you have any questions or feedback and if you would like postcards mailed to you.

EDge Interactive

67 Mowat Ave., Suite 533

Toronto, ON M6K 3E3

1-800-211-5577

info@edgeip.com

Cristina Matteis at: cristina.matteis@edgeip.com