Youthink PS is Western Canada¹s post secondary resource guide for high school students planning on attending university, college or other Canadian post secondary institutions and is distributed to 400 high schools across BC and Alberta.
Issue link: http://digital.canadawide.com/i/379537
Fall 2014 > youthink PS > 3 youthink.ca Thinking Outside the Box Finding the best school for you By Liane Salo W hen it comes time to talk about your fu- ture after high school, big-name univer- sities tend to get tossed around in every conversation. While these schools all deserve their stellar reputations, there are post- secondary options beyond the famous and the popular that could help you get ahead. There are hundreds of specialized programs and de - grees available at non-traditional universities, small colleges and polytechnic institutes across B.C. and Alberta, schools that can help you ac- cess work and career opportunities in Canada's high-demand job sectors. By thinking outside the box during your post-secondary research you might find out that a lesser-known school is a better fit for your in - terests and learning style. Polytechnic schools, for example, differ from universities because they focus more on hands-on and applied learn- ing. Michael Sondermann, Associate Registrar at the Southern Alberta Institute of Technology (SAIT), says, "If you like the classroom, dis- cussing critical thinking and theory, university might be a great place for you. But if you don't enjoy sitting still in a classroom and would pre- fer to get up and move in real-world situations, a polytechnic school might be a better fit." And hands-on learning exists in many forms. Schools that offer culinary arts often have a student-run restaurant, bakery or meat shop on campus to serve food to public custom - ers. Health-care programs require students to practice with real patients in a hospital or care home. Film students create their own sets and make their own movies. Trades require appren - ticeships where students get on-the-job training in addition to schoolwork. Graphic Design stu- dents create mock-up ad campaigns and product packaging. SAIT construction students build a house that is later transported to a local com- munity for people to live in. Some schools even have usable well sites and oil rigs that mimic real-life work in the oil fields. There are endless opportunities at so many schools for students who want to learn by doing. Some of these hands-on programs also line up well with the future state of job availabil - ity in Canada. The best way to guarantee that you'll have a job after post-secondary school is to check out the employment statistics in your chosen field before you even enrol in a program. For example, B.C. government forecasts in- dicate there will be over 150,000 job openings in trades and equipment operations by 2020. This is due to growth in the natural gas and shipbuilding industries, as well as resurgence in softwood lumber sales thanks to an uptick in the U.S. economy. Opportunities include everything from carpenters, electricians and au - tomotive technicians to welders, plumbers and pipefitters. "A major benefit of working in trades is that you earn as you learn," says Gary Herman, CEO of the Industry Training Authority (ITA) in B.C. "Most trades training is four years in length, but when you graduate with your certificate, you don't have a lot of school debt due to paid ap - prenticeships. So it's a good way to go." Health care is another field that has an above average employment demand in B.C. and Al- berta, especially nursing and medical techni- cians. This is related to our country's large ag- ing population. Minette Stoneson graduated as a registered nurse from Langara College in B.C. and now works in a hospital's intensive care unit. "I like nursing because every five minutes I don't know what's going to happen next; you don't get bored," says Stoneson. "But if you're someone that wants to deal with one person at a time, more doctor-office style, there are jobs like that too. It's so diverse, you're not given just one career choice." But with so many career options, it can be hard to know where to begin. Sondermann sug - gests not only taking into account your inter- ests, but also asking yourself what kind of person you are. With nursing, for example, you might ask yourself if bodily fluids bother you, and if you mind doing shiftwork. "Do the pre-work research and don't just choose to be a lawyer or work in oil because that's what your parents did. Make sure you're the right person for that ca - reer and the career is right for you." There are career advisers available at most schools, as well as websites to help you with your search for the best fit. It also can be helpful to reach out to friends and family who are studying or working in the field you're interested in to get a better idea if it's the best choice for you. Additional resources to help you with your search: www.educationplanner.ca - Tool to help you choose a post-secondary school in B.C. eae.alberta.ca - Job market forecasts for Alberta www.workbc.ca - Job market forecasts for B.C.