Back to School Again

Determined to move beyond “survival jobs”, Nimaya has retrained as a Health Care Aide with aspirations to become a Licensed Practical Nurse. He shares his inspiring story of making a major career transition while building a life for himself and his young family in a new country.

We talk about...

• living in constant danger in South Sudan 
• getting educational credentials assessed in Canada and realizing that his degree would not be recognized here
• taking survival jobs as a means to an end but continuing to hold a vision for a better future
• upgrading at NorQuest College and signing up for a new career as a Health Care Aide
• working full-time and going to school full-time for six long months! Doing assignments on breaks and readings at midnight. Even Nimaya doesn’t know how he managed to do it!
• how the Health Care Aide certificate is one step towards the bigger goal of becoming a nurse
• comparing getting an education in South Sudan vs in Canada
• embracing the challenge of starting over in a new country

Learn more about academic upgrading at NorQuest College.

Learn more about the Academy of Learning Health Care Aide program

Find other great podcasts on the Alberta Podcast Network

We talk about...

• the role of community engagement in bringing the voices of vulnerable or marginalized to the table
• why Elliott chose to study community engagement to complement his undergrad in Native studies and his background in policy development
• exploring what it means to be Indigenous and post-colonial approaches to engagement. Nothing about us without us.
• the meaning of Wahkotowin – we are all related – not just as people, but to everything and how it leads to a wholistic approach of looking 7 generations ahead
• walking in multiple worlds (Indigenous and non-Indigenous) and being able to survive in both 
• the wisdom of pacing yourself in your educational journey 
• the importance of having a supportive family, workplace and supervisor

Learn more about Elliott and the team at NorQuest College’s Indigenous Student Services Centre 

Learn more about Dr. Rob McMahon’s project, We are all related , that uses Augmented Reality to integrate Indigenous knowledge
Learn more the University of Alberta MACE Program

Find other great podcasts on the Alberta Podcast Network

Katrina is joined by her MACT colleagues, documentary filmmaker Aretha Greatrix and branding expert, Carina Ludgate to talk about how they balanced running a business with the demands of a master’s program. 

We talk about…

• what compelled Aretha and Carina to launch their businesses
• getting over the “illusion of a stable job” and why a 9-5 job isn’t for them
• the joys and challenges of doing creative work
• how to manage your life with inconsistent income streams
• how they balanced client and school deadlines and when to say “no” to a project
• why they went back to school and what they hope to achieve with this degree
• our 2nd Spring Institute compared to the first one
• framing a research project for a master’s degree

I’m proud to be a member of the Alberta Podcast Network, powered by ATB Financial. Special thanks to our sponsors NorQuest College. 

Learn more about Aretha Greatrix and Miyo Pimatisiwin
Check out Sixties Scoop: More than sorry

Learn more about Carina Ludgate and Henryk Branding

Learn more about the University of Alberta MACT Program

When she retired, she decided it was time to step things up and in her early sixties, she became a student at the University of Alberta where she is pursuing a Master’s in Ethnomusicology. Donna is a multi-instrumentalist, playing violin, drums, flute and a mean ukulele.
We talk about....

• Knowing exactly what you want to be when you grow up (or not!)
• The Edmonton Medical Professional Orchestra (TEMPO)
• The amazing CKUA Ukelele Choir
• What exactly is ethnomusicology?
• Having a love hate relationship with the use of technology in education
• Edmonton's incredible music scene
• Completing a degree primarily for personal development, not for career aspirations
• Is becoming a student a new trend for retired people?
• Being a passionate amateur and allowing yourself to try new things

Special thanks to our sponsors NorQuest College for making this podcast possible and to our friends at the Alberta Podcast Network.

She quit school and boldly moved across Canada after making a random connection in a Walmart. She got a job in Alberta, paid off her student loans and then the Fort McMurray fires hit. That led Vanessia back to the classroom at NorQuest College, to finish the education she had started.
We talk about....

• How family influences your career choices 
• The pressure we put on young people to choose a career
• The struggles of paying for an education and dropping out of school
• Wanting to escape your life 
• Moving to Alberta, the Fort McMurray fires and returning to school at NorQuest College
• Being a co-op student with the NorQuest College advancement team
• Embracing and owning your past as you move forward

Special thanks to our sponsors NorQuest College for making this podcast possible and to our friends at the Alberta Podcast Network.

Learn how this father of four balances overseas coursework and an extensive research-based thesis while still carving out time for family, volunteering, maintaining an impressive social media following and writing the occasional piece of poetry. 
We talk about....

• Real-life police work vs what we see on TV
• How an undergrad in English and Criminology is being put to work @edmontonpolice
• Balancing family life with work and school (it involves giving up sleep!)
• Studying at the historic University of Cambridge
• Making time to volunteer for great causes like the Zebra Centre
• Working on the Edmonton Police Services Resiliency Project
• Doing research that makes a difference 
• Dr. Seuss and the importance of levity in tough situations
• Punting

Special thanks to our sponsors NorQuest College for making this podcast possible and to our friends at the Alberta Podcast Network.

Find out how this former “partying waitress” became an A student, an award-winning business communicator and a new mom, all at the same time.
We talk about....

• Thinking post-secondary is not for you (and realizing that's not true)
• The pressure we put on young people to figure out their career path
• The PR Program at MacEwan University and find your calling
• Balancing being a student and a new mom
• The importance of a supportive spouse
• Producing award winning projects
• What to do when you find yourself crying in your closet

Special thanks to our sponsors NorQuest College for making this podcast possible and to our friends at the Alberta Podcast Network.

Rdina went on to earn an Engineering degree from the University of Alberta where she graduated with honours. Yet, after all that, it was the world of business and financial education that really spoke to her entrepreneurial spirit.

We talk about....

• NorQuest College academic upgrading
• The differences between small and large post-secondary institutions
• The unique challenges of being a student while raising two kids, one with special needs
• Love/hate relationships with student loans
• Visualizing outcomes to help you stick to your goals
• Joining World Financial group
• Zig Ziglar and the importance of helping others
• Staying focused on what really matters and letting other things go
• The Peter Elzinga Foundation scholarship for part time students

Special thanks to our sponsors NorQuest College for making this podcast possible and to our friends at the Alberta Podcast Network.