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Career Services helps students prepare for
life after convocation
By Tara Sharpe
With the pomp of convocation ceremonies this month, November signals the triumphant closure to years of study for the Fall 2007 graduating class. To help students take the next step and launch successful careers, UVic hosts a number of career fairs and forums around campus.
Every year, UVic’s Career Services organizes career forums within a few weeks of the start of September classes. This year was the seventh year in a row, with forums on Oct. 16, 17 and 18 representing nine faculty areas and various schools. The forums are tailored to suit both the early and late stages of a student’s academic tenure with topics like “What can I do with a degree in…?” and “How can I make my degree work for me?”
“Our team is busy throughout the year working with students around career development concerns,” says Jennifer Margison, manager of Career Services, “We know many students experience ‘career confusion’ or are unsure of their options.”
Other career events on campus also help to guide students en route to their chosen careers. In September and October, the Career Services team welcomed prospective employers ranging from Canadian Security Intelligence Service (CSIS) and the RCMP, to IBM, Microsoft and the Bank of Canada, to speak to students. On Nov. 2, local company AbeBooks invited students to the company’s Victoria site to explore what it means to work for an internationally successful online book-selling company. That same day, representatives from the Ministry of Transportation were available on campus to answer student questions about careers in the provincial ministry.
In late January 2008, Career Services will hold its annual Career Fair, offering connections to employers for summer, co-op and career opportunities; to graduate, technical and specialized programs at UVic and other post-secondary institutions; and to career paths and volunteer opportunities with local non-profit organizations.
The team at Career Services offers many other services to help students and new grads with career planning and work search. Visit the website at http://careerservices.uvic.ca/.
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