Thank you so much Rodrigo! I loved this introduction to Bogota, Colombia!
Like Swami in his interview a few episodes ago, Rodrigo takes us on a history and geography lesson of his country.
We learn about the school system in Bogota, and his decision to study political science and not law. We also get a look at his foray into the publishing world.
Faced with the dilemma of continuing to publish a non-revenue generating paper or finding a job, Rodrigo was offered a teaching opportunity as an assistant professor.
He took another opportunity to get his master’s degree in journalism, and the transition from writing more academic papers like policies to journalism. He quickly discovered why his newspaper failed. He was in his 20s and while studying to get his master’s, he was working at the university, then a magazine, and the found a job as a journalist.
In addition to all this work in his 20s, he was also getting to party with his friends, and when he met his wife. And even though he was working exceptionally long hours, he really loved that time of his life because he was loving what he was doing, eventually leaving journalism and focusing on a career in public policy.
Before they had started dating, his wife had applied to come to Canada on a skilled workers permit. For Rodrigo, he was happy in Colombia. Plans changed when his wife became pregnant. He realized he did not want to live there with his child, instead preferring to raise his family in Canada, a more stable and secure country.
He tells us that after moving to Canada in 2018, he and his family were shocked by the tornado that hit the national capital area just two weeks later.
Determined to find work in political science, he was discouraged by fellow Latin immigrants from pursing this goal. He explained that he is an office guy and does not have a natural inclination or aptitude for a job in construction.
He recognized that he would only be happy if he got to do what he wanted. We spoke about the different reasons people would be advising him to get a survival job, and the opportunities that newcomers have when it comes to reinventing themselves by changing their careers to something that offers them more satisfaction.
The advice he gives other immigrants is that yes, it is hard, starting over is not impossible, and that they can also follow their dreams geographically. He also shared the importance of having his English level assessed through IELTS so he could study project management at Algonquin College.
He became a mentee in OCISO’s career mentorship program, and his mentor showed him the link between project management and both the public sector and non-government organizations (NGOs) that work with the government.
His mentor, Leonore Evans, also suggested that getting a project management certification may move him closer to his goal of finding a job in his field, rather than getting another master’s degree. He is grateful for that new perspective.
With her support, he found his first non-survival job with OC Transpo where he was able to meet a lot of people who worked in the city of Ottawa. It was his training in project management that led him to secure the project coordinator position with the Community Economic Development team at OCISO, where we were colleagues.
But then a year after working at OCISO he found an opportunity in public policy. He shared what he loves about his career, and we had a good chat about the types of governments there are in the world, and what would happen if more women were in positions of power.
His motivating words – from Thomas Aquinas are – I fear the man of a single book. This means our education needs to be well-rounded, and we need to have a broader range of perspectives than a more narrow mind. Essentially the world is not black and white, it is full of grey and we need to be comfortable navigating this.
Thank you so much Rodrigo for sharing your journey with us on the playground today, and I am very much looking forward to what’s next in your career!
Links:
Rodrigo Barbosa | LinkedIn
Career Mentorship - OCISO
Best places to visit in Colombia - Lonely Planet
We're hiring! | OC Transpo
Saint Thomas Aquinas: Biography, Life, Philosophy & Theology
