A good friend of mine asked my advice a few months back, "If I wanted to learn about photography would it be better to go to Henry's Camera or to Ryerson University?" I honestly didn't know what to advise her - so being the native researcher and web monkey I am, I looked them up. I got back to her with my answer (take the course at Henry's to see if it was what she was looking for, then sign up for Ryerson if it met her needs) but that didn't stop my own curiousity from being slightly piqued.
I suddenly had to take a look at my own qualifications and my background and really figure out if the path I was on was going to get me to where I wanted to be. I've been down a few career paths already (at the age of 34 I have been an accountant, a tax collection officer for the Canadian government, an IT team manager, a network engineer, a software product manager, a marketing assistant, an agency-side CPG account co-ordinator and now am an account manager in a different agency having worked in both CPG, promotions and some strategy) and was going down the route of food media (styling, chef training and writing being part of my curriculum doing the Chef Training program and the Food and the Media Certificate at George Brown College). While each has been somewhat fulfilling in their own rights, none of them have fully expanded or even (haha!) extended my reach to match my grasp.
Perhaps another kick at the cat would do the trick? I wondered, I consulted, I fretted and finally made the move to enroll at Ryerson University in the Marketing Management program.
I've started down the road of the Marketing Management Certificate, leading to a Bachelor of Commerce in Marketing. I'm making plans for the next 8 - 10 years but one step at a time, n'est-ce pas?
If you want, I could get you together with a friend of mine (used to work for me!) who finished off the certificate at Ryerson a year and a half ago. We could meet in the village for martinis.
Posted by: Pat | December 02, 2007 at 06:22 PM
Hmm..
Don't know if I'm duplicating this, or if you're moderating the comments (which would make a whole lot of sense, given the amount of comment spam these days).
A friend of mine (he used to be an employee of mine, sniff sniff) took the Ryerson certificate program, and finished up a year or so ago. Let me know if you'd like to get together for cocktails in the village. I'll introduce you two.
Posted by: Pat | December 02, 2007 at 06:25 PM
Hey Pat!
I'd love to get together with you and your friend - perhaps we can do something during Christmas? The agency is closing between Christmas and New Year, classes don't start till January and Sebas is going to be working a lot during that time so it would be perfect. The rest of the month is getting a bit crazy but I would LOVE to see you! I know we've been meaning to get together for ages now and I really would love that.
Add me to your Twitter too, okay?
E
Posted by: Eric | December 02, 2007 at 10:46 PM