Volunteer Spotlight: Career Exploration Interviews
Kate Halverson, ’09 BSc(CivEng), is a civil engineer on parental leave who found out about the opportunity to participate in the Career Exploration Interviews through a family member. Kate loved her time as a student at the U of A and sympathizes with the unique circumstances of students this year. She was eager for a social connection and happy to share her career path. Kate met with several students for the CEI and said was impressed with the students — they were prepared and asked great questions. She said the Career Centre made the whole process very easy and accessible, and she would recommend it to anyone. In her words, “you don't have to be perfect, you're just talking about your own experience.”
Taylor Guy, ’13 BSc, ’17 MScRS(OT), is an occupational therapist who was looking for a way to help students since she was unable to take a student for a clinical placement this year. She was happy to find the Career Exploration Interviews, as they were a way of getting involved that was safe and accessible. Taylor met with two students during her CEI and enjoyed the opportunity to share her career experiences, as well as hear from the students who had differing career paths. She shared a case study and was blown away by the high level of the students’ responses. Taylor would definitely recommend this type of volunteer opportunity as it is a great way to connect with students and it’s easy to share your own experiences.
Sonny Tahiliani, ’94 BSc(ElecEng), is the Executive Director, Aerospace Technologies at Raytheon Technologies in the greater New York City area. Sonny was inspired to participate in the Career Exploration Interviews by his twin twelve year old daughters; he found that what they need most, perhaps like university students, is simply awareness of the myriad of possibilities. “With younger children, they don't know what they don't know until someone makes it real for them. With university students, they could benefit from someone dispelling myths around career path boundaries and conventional views about risk taking.” Through participating in the CEI, he found that he encountered bright young adults who are genuinely interested in trying to make sense of post-university life and in figuring out how to stay true to their interests. “While you can and will talk about your career arc and the associated trials & tribulations, luck & determination that you got you where you are, you’ll find joy in conveying the life lessons that those experiences produced.”
Interesting in volunteering to host a Career Exploration Interview? Find out more.
