Giving It All Away: Josh Woodward’s Musical Story

By Annette Dawm, WorkStory Ambassador

Most musicians strive for a “rags to riches” story, or at least to be paid for their work, which can be difficult with things like piracy and illegal downloads. However, Josh Woodward is not your typical musician. He is a Creative Commons (CC) Artist. Artists like Josh apply Creative Commons Licenses to their tracks, which allows for other people to legally download the music for free and use it in their own projects, like videos made for YouTube. When a Creative Commons License is used, no copyright infringements occur which is great for the person posting the video, however it is not required that the CC Artist gets paid for his or her work! 

There are many types of CC licenses including the one for “commercial use”. This license allows for someone to download a track and use it in a video and even profit from that project without the artist getting a cut. (They do have to be given credit at the end of the video though, along with a link to their music.) This hardly seems fair for someone like Josh Woodward who has spent many years creating a catalogue of over 200 songs, but he’s not complaining! If you think he goes without any rewards, you would be wrong. Woodward explained that it is not always about the money:

“Nothing is more rewarding to me than to go through and read the comments and emails I get from people. So many of them found me because my music was used in someone's video, which is a unique experience with Creative Commons. I still am stunned that I'm able to make a living doing my dream.”

So how does Josh make a living? It’s true that his entire catalogue is available online for free, but people can contribute donations to his website via PayPal or other methods, one being that his music is also on iTunes. Josh was asked why he thought people still donate when they have the option not to, and he responded with this:

“I think it's hard to give a blanket reason why and how people are willing to support the art they enjoy. My approach has been to give people a wide variety of ways to help out. Some prefer simple donations, some buy my music digitally, some want CDs, others want to commission their own songs, etc. The only common thread is that if I'd gone with the old approach of hiding my music behind an $18 jewel case... almost nobody would be buying it. You need to build a relationship with listeners over time before they'll be willing to support you, and letting them have the music for free is by far the easiest way to do that.” 

Originally, Josh did take the “old approach” and released his first CD, Here Today “the traditional route”. 

“Around that time,” he recalled, “I got involved with an online weekly song-writing competition called ‘Song Fight’. As part of their website, all the songs were eternally archived for free downloads.” When Josh released his second album, Crawford Street, most of the tracks were already available on Song Fight for free, so he “felt weird” charging people for the album. “After giving it away for free, I saw a huge difference in downloads, and weirdly, sales went up as well because of the increased exposure. I never went back.”

Although the Ann Arbor native has an extensive body of work, it doesn’t mean he records or writes something every day:

“Not even close. In fact, most days I don't do either. Both writing and recording are very intense and draining for me, and I tend to block off the better part of a day for either [process] so I can really dive in and not get distracted. A lot of people describe me as ‘prolific’ because I have a catalogue of over 200 songs, but those were spread out over [several] years.... I think ‘tenacious’ would be the better description.” On average, Josh claimed that it adds up to “barely over a song a month”.

Josh’s love of being a musician keeps him going every day. He is often described as a “One-Man-Show” because he plays every instrument, sings every song and records everything (including his music videos) himself: 

“Being an artist is one of the only things you can do in life where you can create something new out of thin air. That feeling I get after working all day on a new song, then listening back to something that didn't exist yesterday - that's my favourite part of being a musician.” With regards to his favourite instrument, Woodward insisted “The acoustic guitar will always be my musical security blanket. Nine times out of ten, when I sit down to write a song, it happens on an acoustic and builds from there. But there's something unique I love about all the instruments I play.”

Josh wasn’t sure if a “typical day” actually existed, but if it did, this is what it would look like for him:  

“After waking up around 7 and getting a shower, it's up in the air. Some days, I'll start working on writing, or recording. But for every minute I spend ... I spend probably 5 minutes on the non-musical side of things - uploading to libraries, building new features on my website, answering emails, researching, cleaning my studio after recording sessions, etc. I also try to make time to head to the gym, keep the coffee and tea flowing, and just giving my mind a break. I bounce around until evening, then relax with my family for awhile, and eventually sit down with a good book or to binge on TV or movies before going to sleep around midnight.”

Lastly, here is Josh’s advice for people looking to become a Creative Commons Artist:

“The best thing I could say to someone looking to share their music online is to be generous, and be everywhere. It's not enough to throw an album up on [websites like] “CDBaby” or “Bandcamp” and hope that the masses find it and buy it out of the recognition of your sheer brilliance. Start giving them new free content on a regular basis, be involved, and answer every single email you get. Your music isn't the product that people buy anymore - it's you.”

For more information on Creative Commons Licenses and how they work, visit www.creativecommons.org.

For more information about Josh and to download his music, visit www.joshwoodward.com .

Finally, to see a film which prominently features music by Josh Woodward and other Creative Commons Artists, you can watch “2014: One Day at a Time”. 

Science Journalism: Misha’s Story

I always loved writing and telling stories. My mum used to find hand written notes all around the house from me but I never really imagined it would become my career.

Today I’m a science journalist, which is like a regular journalist but I just focus on reporting scientific news.

But let’s go back a bit.

Before I became a journalist I did a double degree in business and psychology at Western University.  While I was doing my undergraduate degree I volunteered for the school’s newspaper, writing for the Arts & Lifestyle section.  I loved how I got to go to different places and meet the most extraordinary and unique people.

Then during my last semester of undergrad I went on an exchange to London, England. While I was there I got involved with the student radio station.  I had so much fun there, even if I did hate the sound of my voice reverberating back at me through the headphones. It was while volunteering at the radio station that I discovered that the school I was doing my exchange at had one of the best journalism programmes in the country.

After finishing my undergrad I was unsure of what I wanted to do.  I came from a family of business people, but I was 100 per cent certain I didn’t want to work in business. I had loved the psychology part of my degree and I loved writing and being on the radio, so it seemed only natural to combine my two passions into a career.

With that I then ended up doing a Masters in science journalism at City University London. It was an intensive year where I learnt everything about TV, radio, print and online journalism, learning all the skills I needed to become a proper journalist.

During my Masters I also had the opportunity to work for the BBC and a television production company. Both experiences were incredible. The BBC was hectic and everything I imagined a proper newsroom would be. The television production company was filled with the most creative people who spend most of their time in a room thinking up mad ideas for television programmes.   

Now I work for Cancer Research UK, one of the world’s biggest charities, as their science media officer. I essentially try and make the science behind cancer research easily understandable to anyone.

No two days are the same. I write, make videos and do a bit of everything in between.  I love the variety of work I get to do and the challenges that get thrown my way.

My day usually starts with me going through that morning’s news to make sure I know what’s happening.

Sometimes there’s a story that we will need to respond to. For example, a few weeks ago the Daily Mail ran a story about how oxygen causes lung cancer. So my team quickly wrote a post explaining why that study was poorly done and why you won’t in fact get lung cancer from breathing.

But usually I’m just reporting on an academic paper that’s about to be published. When writing a news story I get to talk to scientists and experts in their field and I get to learn so much about what other people are passionate about. I love immersing myself in a new subject.

Since becoming a journalist I’ve learnt so many strange and wonderful things. I’ve learned about nuclear waste policy, urban beekeeping and even about novel drugs for llamas.

 A time when I really get to dig my heels into a subject is when I’m writing a blog post. These articles go more in depth about a topic and they take on a more chatty tone of voice. I really get to flex my creative muscles by trying to make the story as engaging as possible. I also get to do a bit of investigative work and uncover things which is always really exciting.

Making videos also give me a great chance to be creative because it can be hard to make research about little cells visually engaging.  So I really need to think outside the box and work with a variety of people, like animators and data visualisation specialists. And an added bonus with videos is you get to go to some pretty cool places.

So my advice for anyone who wants to become a science journalist is first, love science but have a healthy sense of scepticism (not all science is great). Second, write for anything and everything! Get as much experience as you can. And finally, it helps if you’re insatiably curious, tenacious and unrelentingly when it comes to getting a story you want.

Misha Gajewski

Burning Desire: Eric Fick the Firefighter

By Eric Fick as told to Brandon Pedersen, WorkStory Ambassador

Hello, my name is Eric Fick and I am from a little farm town called Bradford, Ontario  and this is the story about how I got to where I am today.

During the early stages of my life, my only wish in the world was to become a teacher. When you ask a 10 or 11 year old, “what would you like to be when you grow up?”, the response is usually: a hockey player, ballerina, astronaut, etc., but not me. As I grew older and matured into a high school student my dream was still there. Throughout grade nine and ten I was determined, and applied myself to my studies, achieving honours in academic courses. It came to my attention, though,  that it wasn't going to be easy going through university and teachers college. As my social life got the best of me for the last two years of high school, I had dropped from honours in academic courses to barely getting by in applied courses. Unfortunately, my lack of self-discipline resulted in me avoiding the university application process. I decided to take an alternative path and applied to Fanshawe College for electrical engineering. I have always been rather handy, so I figured I’d put that to good use. Luckily I was accepted, but did not last very long. I had once again let my social life take over.

After thousands of dollars were basically thrown down the drain, I decided to smarten up and take a more practical electrical course to become an electrician. I had finally been able to return to my former self and completed that course, but something was still missing. I was not happy with the career path that I had chosen. At this point in time I did not know what I was going to do with my life.

Then one day it came to me.

I always had an interest in the firefighting profession, but people had always told me it was too difficult to get into, especially in an era when fire departments are hiring more women and minorities. I had soon learned that, yes it is extremely competitive, but it is strictly the best man or women for the job that gets hired. This increased my desire – I’ve always loved a good competition.

I decided to apply to the Pre-Service Firefighting program at Seneca College. From day one I knew it was what I wanted  to pursue for as long as my body would allow me to. I worked for one year straight harder than I ever had in the past. I am happy to say that I graduated with honours and a GPA of 3.8. I had never achieved such good marks and feedback from my teachers before. It was extremely rewarding and helped me realise that this is truly what I was born to do.

It is commonly known that it can take years and a lot of money and volunteer hours to just get involved in the hiring process for any given fire department. The lengthy process includes a written test (with components such as reading compression, memory skills, math skills, and mechanical aptitude), a physical test (including eye sight, hearing, claustrophobia test, acrophobia test, strenuous endurance and strength test, swim test) on top of the entire interview process. Right from the moment I knew I wanted to be a firefighter I started practicing all on these skills.

I stayed focused and when an opportunity to become a volunteer firefighter arouse in the town of Bradford I obviously jumped on it. Not even half way through my Pre-Service Firefighter course,  I had been hired on the Bradford Fire Department as a paid part time employee.                       

As of January 27th 2015, I have responded to 47 emergency calls and counting. The job of a Firefighter is well respected and I love everything it has to offer. To me, there is no better pleasure in the world then to rush to the fire hall, jump on the fire apparatus, and head over to make the worst day of someone’s life better.  It has been a rollercoaster ride to get to where I am today, but it has all been worth it and it is only looking up from here. 

Kay Bye: Ottawa Comic Moves to L.A. to Further Career

By Annette Dawm, WorkStory Ambassador

Graham Kay is a stand up comedian, an actor and a television writer! All three of his jobs sound amazing, but the one that Kay prefers most is his role as a comedian. According to Graham, “it's a combination of everything and I get to be the director and editor. Saying what you want and how you want is an amazing experience in artistic freedom.”  The artistic freedom is what he loves most, along with the hours that he works: “Being my own boss and setting my own schedule is great. Also, making people laugh is OK too. It feels good.” Graham has made people laugh with a variety of subjects, both at live shows and on his album, Comedy by the Graham (available on iTunes). Topics range from haircuts to the Canadian Healthcare system, as well as what it was like to live with dial-up internet. (No, he didn’t like that sound either.)

At the time this article was written, Graham was preparing to move to Los Angeles, California to further his career. In anticipation of the move, he said that he was most looking forward to “a bigger stage, more opportunity [and] being challenged and inspired by a bigger pool of comedians.” He was also a part of his own going-away-party style comedy show called “Kay Bye”. Other comics who were part of the send-off included, Alex Nussbaum, Dylan Gott, Matt O’Brien and more.  

A lot of things have led up to Graham’s big move. Most recently, Kay worked as a writer for CTV’s comedy series, Spun Out which stars Dave Foley of Kids in the Hall fame. Graham said that his favourite part of this experience was working with his super talented friends. Among the many writers for the show are Sara Hennessy and Match Game host, Darrin Rose, who both appeared alongside Graham on Much Music’s Video On Trial.

However, Kay’s path to stand up comedy had to start somewhere: “I started doing comedy seriously when I was 25, after 5 years of wishing I did it and doing the odd open mic once a year.” He waited tables and managed to save $10 000, which allowed him to quit his job.

Afterwards, he said, “[I] spent 3 months concentrating on starting my amateur comedy career. I eventually had to get another job, but I had worked out a system and figured out what kind of schedule I would need to continue. After 4 years of that, I was eventually a full-time comic and was able to quit my last day job. The rest is a slightly less than boring history.”

The Ottawa native attended Dalhousie University in Halifax, Nova Scotia, however he advises aspiring comics to not take a class specifically designed for comedy: “You will meet people just like you and at the same level if you go to open mics.” Kay returned to Nova Scotia to appear on The Halifax Comedy Festival stage where he spoke about his real-life experiences, including the time he broke both arms at once!

 To keep up with Graham in L.A. (and to see old photos of his broken arms) you can follow him on Twitter @GrahamKayComedy and visit his website. All the best to Graham on his new adventure!

Enrich and Endure: Sarah & Lorcan’s Story

Love this story of designer / entrepreneurs, Sarah and Lorcan, the 20-something Irish brother and sister duo who took career path U-turns to revive – and reinvent ­– the production of gorgeous Irish linen in their hometown.  Karl West describes their inspiring journey! 

“…brother and sister Lorcan and Sarah Quinn aim to breathe new life into the sector with  their fabric firm, Enrich and Endure. They want to carve out a niche at the top end of the market by eschewing the traditional, starched textiles of rivals and wooing a younger generation with snazzy designs and colourful fabrics.”

For more about, Sarah and Lorcan, check out here and here.  

Inaugural class takes its place in the world

By Jesica Hurst

From a young age, Gracia Mabaya knew she wanted to play a role in improving health care and living conditions around the world.

Crystal Mackay // Special to Western News

Growing up in the Democratic Republic of Congo, she watched other children dying from what should have been preventable diseases. For her, a career in public health made sense.

After completing her Master of Science in Health and Rehab Sciences at Western in 2011, Mabaya worked as a consultant for the World Health Organization. However, she wanted to take her career further by obtaining a degree that would set her apart.

Mabaya applied to Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry’s Master of Public Health (MPH) program and was accepted to be a part of the program’s inaugural class. The class, which finished their studies in August 2014, graduated at convocation ceremonies last week.

“After being in the workforce and being exposed to the field, I felt like I wanted to have more of a course-based foundation in public health,” she said. “I wanted to obtain an internationally recognized degree that would set me apart in the workforce.”

Now into its second year, the MPH program was designed to fill a niche at the intersection of leadership, sustainability and policy within the Canadian health-care system, as well as globally. The interdisciplinary, interfaculty program aims to prepare students to address public health challenges, opening opportunities for students to serve as change agents on a local, national and international scale.

Since completing the program this summer, Mabaya obtained a job as a knowledge broker and research associate for pediatric neuromuscular research at the Children’s Hospital at London Health Sciences Centre. While she had previous work experience, she thinks the MPH program helped to enhance her resume, expertise and knowledge base which helped her into her current role.

“Now that I am back in the workplace, I can see how very well-designed the program was,” she said. “We were taught to collaborate with our classmates and we were encouraged to participate in the classroom setting as if we were in the workplace. That has been very valuable to me.”

Mabaya also enjoyed being a part of the inaugural class, because the faculty and management were very open to student feedback and took all of their suggestions into consideration.

For the moment, Mabaya is working on building her career at the national level, as her current role gives her the opportunity to work with organizations across the country and to manage knowledge transaction activities nation-wide. In the future, she would like to have more of a leadership role within the health-care setting, and she believes the MPH program has given her the foundation to get there.

Posted with permission, Western News

This story was originally published on the Schulich Medicine & Dentistry website. Check it out here.

Matt O’Brien: Serious About Comedy

By Annette Dawm, WorkStory Ambassador

Matt O’Brien is serious about comedy because that’s his job! He is very passionate about what he does and he loves “everything” about being a stand-up comedian

“I love making strangers laugh, the travelling, hotels, the road food, the hanging out with other comics, the partying, the down time, the constant feeling that I'm very, very lucky to be doing what I'm doing for a living.”

Matt may seem familiar to you, and that could be because of the award-winning comic’s appearances on Video On Trial, Comedy Now, and the prestigious Just For Laughs Festival. You may have also seen him late at night on a subway in Toronto with a video camera because that is where he filmed his own talk show; appropriately titled, “Late Night Talk Show on a Subway”. You can see many of his above mentioned performances on his YouTube channel. Matt can also be found on iTunes. His “Rehash” podcast has been featured in the “New and Noteworthy” category and you can purchase his first comedy album there. Live in a Basement in Front of 20 People reached #1 on the charts in 2014. His awards include: “Best Stand Up” at the L.A. Comedy Festival and “Canada’s Next Top Comic” by Sirius/XM Radio.

O’Brien recalls his time on Much Music’s Video On Trial as an “awesome experience” and says that he really misses it:

“When it was on the air, it really was the launching pad for a lot of comedians and I feel really honoured to have been a part of it. It sucks that it’s cancelled now because I felt it was great for comics [to get] exposure. Also, it was a fun writing exercise, making fun of videos [and] having to come up with pages and pages of jokes.”

The London, Ontario native studied Journalism at Durham College in Oshawa and when asked if this program influenced his comedy and writing style, Matt replied:

“Journalism absolutely influenced me. When I applied to Journalism, I actually didn’t know what I wanted to do for a career. It absolutely led me to doing comedy. I realized I didn’t really like writing about news.... [I] enjoyed more laid-back, fun articles about the best breakfast sandwiches on campus and stupid stuff like that.”

“When I was in journalism one of my professors suggested doing improv or stand up to be more comfortable with crowds and speaking in front of a camera. I tried it and realized I wanted to do stand up more than anything else.”

Matt often returns to London to perform, which for him is a “weird feeling” but it is “still fun” to see his old stomping grounds: “[It’s] funny to think that I’m hired to tell jokes to these people now.”

O’Brien advises that if you are serious about comedy (as a career) then that’s what you should do – take it seriously: 

“You really have to make comedy your entire life. It’s fun but there are a lot of ups and mostly downs. It is the hardest thing I’ve ever done but because of that, it’s also the most rewarding. If you’re thinking of doing comedy, move to Toronto and go out to open mics every single night of the week.”

“Someone asked me what my hobbies are and I couldn’t really think of anything because I literally go to shows and write all day, every day. I guess that’s the most ideal situation to say ‘my job is my passion and my hobby’.”

Matt O’Brien’s “ideal situation” is now his reality and he is very fortunate to be doing what he loves for a living. His many accomplishments came from “years of hard work, practice and open mics.” Although Matt is a stand up comedian, you can apply his work ethic to any occupation:

“Like any passion, it takes thousands of hours to be good at it, and I have absolutely worked thousands of hours to be good at what I do. Even when it was really tough, I never thought about giving up.  I guess that’s how I knew my job and my passion were the same thing—and I feel very lucky for being able to say that.”

For more information on where and when you can see Matt, you can visit his website and follow him on Twitter.

Why Not Be A Nurse?

By Karli Steen, WorkStory Ambassador

ENT/Urology Nurse Karla McTaggart-Steen had always known that she wanted to work in the field of healthcare, but originally saw herself as a physiotherapist. She started out taking Western University's Kinesiology program, but soon realized her grades didn't meet the mark.

Nursing seemed like the obvious next step: "One day I woke up and thought 'Why not become a nurse?' It's a good job, secure profession, with a good income and the best part is you get to help people through the most challenging times in their lives".

With that, she pursued the collaborative Nursing program provided by both Fanshawe College and Western University. When asked what she found most useful about the program, she had this to say: "My clinical placements were the most beneficial experiences as I was able to go to different clinical settings and gain a sense of the type of nursing I enjoyed the best.  I was able to interact with patients and their families and learn about health, wellness and empathy."

A day on the job can be full of both reward and sacrifice: "I start at either 7 am, or 7 pm, and basically don't sit down for 12 hours.  Sometimes I miss my breaks, or go for 6-7 hours without eating something.  I am responsible for much more then basic patient care, I make sure the docs don't miss anything, that my patients get to all of their appointments on time, that they are cleaned, walked, dressings are done, vital signs stable, educated about lifestyle changes, given all their medications on time, documentation done…in addition, there is coordinating care with allied health,  caring for their family members, wiping tears, making jokes, laughing and helping them to have a few smiles in this dark time in their life.  Go home, shower and repeat less than 12 hours later"

In spite of the sacrifice made, Karla says that the most rewarding thing is being able to help. Whether it be guiding patients and their families through after-hospital care, or holding the hand of a dying patient, being the helping hand is a blessing. She hopes to help even further by going back to school for nurse practitioner credentials, where she hopes to work alongside a family physician.

When asked for advice for future Nursing hopefuls, she had this to say: "My advice would be make sure it is something you really want to do, not something you go into for the money.  It is a very physically and emotionally draining career and if your heart is not into it, you will burn out.  It is a great career in that there are so many job options for nurses.  It is a very well-respected and rewarding career."

Bridgit: A Mobile Innovation / Construction Story

When a structural engineer and a business grad get together, what happens?  They just might change the construction industry!  

“ They started by driving around London, Ont., in the early mornings looking for construction sites. Mallorie Brodie and Lauren Hasegawa had a hunch the building industry was ripe for some kind of mobile innovation – they just weren’t sure what. “

More about Bridgit  and its co-founders – both Western University grads – here

Go Bridgit !

Finding the Right Fit: Travis’ Story

By Annette Dawm, WorkStory Ambassador

Travis Tibbo, who is known for helping his own community in times of need, seems to have made the right career choice as a Community Support Worker. When asked why he loves his job, Travis replied:

“I love my job because it is very rewarding. Every day, the work I do is helping others to live the life they want. Hearing somebody say ‘thanks’ at the end of a shift always makes the job worthwhile.”

Raised in Chesley, ON, Travis “took the college route” and attended Fanshawe College in London for the Developmental Service Worker program. He graduated in 2013. Travis began working in his field while at school and has had various work experiences which led to where he is today:

“I work at Community Living Owen Sound and District. I started off working in Community Living London while I was going to school. While I was there, I worked in a residential house which was lived in by four gentlemen and one lady. Right before graduation, I had an interview to work in Port Elgin. I got a 20 hour contract and I also worked casual part-time.”

Unfortunately at this point, Travis was not receiving enough hours, so he took on a position at a youth correctional facility known as “Pine Hill”. Although this was outside of his field, Tibbo was used to working with different types of behavioural issues and was willing to give it a try. Then he was offered the full-time position at Community Living in Owen Sound, where he works now. Travis said that “it was the same district as Port Elgin, but just a new location.” He accepted the offer and he saw his hours increase, which made him very happy.

The Developmental Service Worker Program helped Travis a great deal in his career. He is very lucky that everything he learned can actually be applied on the job:

“I learned how to write SMART goals, which I use mostly every day. I also had 3 separate placements which helped me decide what I would like to do. I now support people who live mostly independently and help to support them with their everyday tasks. I help to assist them with their jobs or volunteer placements and also with their everyday needs like banking, shopping, hygiene, apartment supports (like cooking and cleaning) plus anything more they would need. Everything that I have learned in school I can use in my every day at work, from proper documenting to proper delivery of medication.” Travis also acquired knowledge of various disabilities while he was in college. With this information, he is able to “gain a rapport” with the individuals that he supports.

Travis Tibbo works very hard at what he does but he also has fun at the same time! So, if you have been considering a career similar to Travis’, then he thinks you are already on the right path towards doing what you love. Here is his advice for you:

“The only thing I can say to someone who would like to go to school for a Developmental Service Worker is, ‘DO IT!’ You will not regret it, as it is one of the most fun-filled, rewarding jobs I have had. Most days it doesn't even feel like a job. It's so much fun!”

Adam's Story

Elyse Trudell had the chance to interview Adam Ludolph today. Adam completed his undergrad in Movements in Science at the University of Windsor and was set on becoming a chiropractor for most of his life. However, Adam spent the majority of his free time enjoying business oriented hobbies and eventually wound up as the youngest financial planner at Investors Group Financial Services Inc. in Chatham, a spokesman for Toastmasters and a chairman for United Way. Watch the interview here!" 

Building a Greener Future: Crystal's Solar Story

By Karli Steen, WorkStory Ambassador

Crystal Allsop originally went to Sheridan College Institute of Technology and Advanced Learning to study Interior Design with the belief that it was the perfect mix of art and the science as applied to building. She learned much from the program, but soon discovered that not all aspects of the program aligned with her values: "It was great, but I quickly realized how big an impact that industry can have on our earth so I continued my education afterwards by taking a post-grad in Sustainable Building Design and Construction. I had a few jobs along the way before I found the ones that made me feel satisfied".

Although she moved in a different direction from Interior Design, she still found the lessons learned to be useful, and credits the Sustainable Building Design and Construction program at Sheridan with giving her the confidence and know-how to take on a job: "My Building Code and Architectural Drafting courses from the Interior Design program are very useful to me. Every day, I read building plans for homes and/or solar systems in order to be able to make the plan a reality; I am very happy that I have an in-depth knowledge of how to create and read plans. From the Sustainable Building Design program I am grateful for the hands-on education that made me familiar with tools; this allowed me to feel comfortable on a job-site before I even got there. This knowledge also allowed me to be prepared and quickly climb to a position of leadership”.

 Crystal installs solar panels on the roofs of homes and buildings within communities.  A day on the job is always different for Crystal and she is proud of the work she does.  "A sample day on the job could include a drive to a client's home/farm/or commercial building. Unpacking tools, setting up safety gear on the roof. Analyzing the site roof access points to bring solar panels and materials; assessing whether we can use a ladder or whether we will require a machine to lift  material. A quick peek in the attic to see if the structure is sufficient to hold the solar array (if it does not we visit the attic again later in the project to add sufficient supporting members to the roof structure). I analyze the construction plans and layout the roof with chalk; I have my workers begin to drill and add the required fasteners for the racking system which I will prepare based on the construction drawings. Once the racking is in place we begin to prepare the electrical components (which is either strings of PV wire or Micro-Inverters) then we are ready to install the panels. We install one panel at a time paying close attention to keep the array 'square' and complying with ESA electrical standards when plugging placing wires from the solar panels. A Junction box is created on the roof and the panels are plugged into this. From here tech cable is run from the junction box to the inverter and/or the meter base of the home/building then our job is complete! An electrician comes to finish all wiring connections and connect the system to the grid! We pack up our tools, clean up the site, and thank the client before we leave."

 Crystal did not always know this was the path for her. She took opportunities as they came, and hopes to eventually expand her skills in carpentry, design, and the solar industry, to build small off-the-grid homes, for average and not-so-average home owners.

 She admits that it can sometimes be difficult working in severe weather conditions of  -50° weather, or dangling from a harness on the roof, but it's the difference she makes that keeps her going: "Sometimes I work in remote Northern communities that cannot  be accessed by roads. The people here do not live on electricity generated by hydro lines but rather diesel generators; this is extremely expensive and harmful to the environment. It also limits the communities to a  certain energy consumption. Last winter we flew to a First Nations community and spent 1 month installing a solar array on the roof of their school. This took the school off the grid which had several positive effects in the community! They were able to use that extra power to connect 5 new homes, out of 25, that were abandoned and boarded up in the community. They were able to keep the school open longer for the kids to participate in extra-curricular activities (and the kids were so excited about that!). It saved them $30,000 a month in diesel and shipping costs, and it helped them to reduce their environmental impact. The "Thank you's" I get and just the sheer thought of how many people I am able to positively impact makes me feel so happy about what I do."

 Crystal had this to say for those interested in the field of solar work: "My advice for working the field is to consider job stability. Government incentives and a good sales team can generate demand for solar work; Government incentives vary in different provinces and countries. The work is contract based so it's not for those who need a regular, steady schedule and are made uncomfortable by unpredictability in job stability. I have been lucky to work so steadily in this field of work but just moved out of province to continue working as I had no contracts this winter. However for anyone who is passionate about solar power there are many positions which can be help on-site and off the site. The electrical engineers and sales teams all work full-time, all year round."

Painting a Different Path

By Karli Steen, WorkStory Ambassador 

Self-employed artist Alicia Wishart always knew her career path would be one that accented her creativity. Her original interest was Animation, so she started her journey with the Art Fundamentals program at Sheridan College, in order to prepare. After finding that the program wasn't for her after all, she took time to re-evaluate, and then pursued Graphic Design.

Though Graphic Design is not a main focus, Alicia says the techniques taught are still very useful: "I can do many of the things that cost people a lot of money. Steve (her husband), designed my website, but I maintain it and do any changes. I do all my own promotional materials, can scan and prepare all my art for reproduction for many other products. I am also able to layout large projects like my book and make it print ready. I tend to follow colour trends that I think people would enjoy in their art."

Alicia had never really considered turning her love for art into a profession, in spite of loving it since high school. She recalls being told that making a living as an artist was an impossible feat,  but she decided to take a chance and try it after she knew her position at the time,  in graphics, was coming to a close.

For Alicia, there are two types of work days - days at home and days at art shows. Days at home usually involve being fully immersed in painting, with a current show of interest playing in the background. Up to 7 to 8 hours can be spent painting; and the process can get so intense, that needs like showering can easily be forgotten.

Alicia described the various elements of a show day: "When I'm at a show, I have to drive to the show and set up my tent. Good situation will mean I can drive up to my spot and unload there. Bad situation means I have to find a parking spot, unload my stuff into my wagon, drag it two blocks and then down a ravine to my spot. Repeat about 5-6 times until all is unloaded and then set up the tent. Takes about two hours to make the tent nice. On show day, I get up and put on comfy clothes that are also decent looking. I'm usually set up in my tent in a park so I have to consider the weather… will I be cold, is it raining, will I be sweating like a pig and likely get heat stroke again? It's not much different than working retail – I talk to tons of people and sell my gear. When the show is done, I have to take everything down, pack it up and drive to wherever I'm sleeping. It can be a very tiring end to an already long and tiring day."

When asked what she found most rewarding about being an artist, Alicia had this to say: "The most rewarding thing is seeing how much I can accomplish. I did 6 paintings in a 6 month period for school and I thought that was insane. I worked so hard! Now I have done somewhere around 225 paintings in 7 years and feel like I need to work harder. I've made some really great friends from being on the show circuit and feel like I've gained an extended family. Everyone wants to help each other succeed so having that community is very helpful when you need advice. Most people have no idea what our life is like other than fellow show people. I have also had opportunities to do things that I wouldn't have had the chance to do if not for meeting my fans. They treat me well and send me greetings or come to see me whenever I'm in town. I got a behind the scenes tour at the Calgary Zoo and got to pet my favourite hippo, Sparky."

Although Alicia is happy in her work, she admits she does well when the economy does. She will continue painting, but also hopes to expand her artistic talent with cake making. Aside from artwork, Alicia has a fur/shell family, consisting of two dogs, a cat, and two tortoises. They keep her life just as colourful and busy as painting does; and she hopes to one day establish a tortoise sanctuary.

For those interested in the world of art, Alicia stresses the importance of being able to adapt. Art is always evolving and, if you can't evolve with it, it will be hard to last. If you plan to be a self-employed artist, Alicia recommends taking some marketing and business courses, as they will teach you how to sell the art you produce. She also has some advice on art in particular: "As for producing art, go with your own voice and not what others tell you. You have to make it, not them. Art doesn't have to be overly introspective and deep. It can be fun or beautiful or just something awesome. When you follow your own voice, it will show in your work and others will see your passion too." 

Check out Alicia Wishart’s work here: https://www.facebook.com/AliciaWishartArtist

Meet Waffles & Mango
https://www.facebook.com/WafflesTortois
https://www.facebook.com/MangoTortoise

Retail Associate Reaches for the Stars

By Annette Dawm, WorkStory Ambassador

Danielle Smelko is a Retail Associate at Maurices (stylized by the company as “maurices”).

She spends most of her time at the women’s clothing store, located in the Seaway Mall in Welland, Ontario and she wouldn’t have it any other way!  Not only is fashion her passion, it’s her job! Danielle says her position enables her to be “so much more than a retail associate” and describes her role at Maurices as “a customer and community focused fashion advisor”.

When asked why she loves to work for this company, Danielle  mentioned that it is “fun and exciting” and there are many reasons why.  As she put it, her work “allows me to get to know the women in my community,  as well as get involved with charities, fundraisers, and the like, all while expressing my passion for clothing, trends, and personal style.”  Danielle  also finds Maurices to be an inspiring place to work. She feels motivated in many ways to keep “reaching for the stars” and believes that the sky truly is the limit at Maurices.

 Like many people trying to find their way in the world of work, Danielle took a “confusing and unexpected path” in terms of how she got to where she is today.

 “I have always been in customer service. I started with call centre work and bounced from business to business finding my niche. As time went on, I decided I wanted to go to school and start a business, preferably in the nail lacquer industry or [something] fashion related.  So, off I went to Niagara College in Niagara-on-the-Lake to study business.”

 Unfortunately, the stunning campus and all of Danielle’s amazing professors and peers were not enough to keep her there:

 “I hated it. It was so hit-and-miss for me and I ended up finding myself down-right miserable.... Business wasn't for me, so I decided to continue obtaining work experience. I stayed with customer service, seeing as my strongest quality is dealing with the public. I bounced around between the food industry and the fashion industry and found myself more drawn to fashion.”

 Danielle faced a few “gruelling years with some very unappealing, unorganized, and ethically awful companies”.   Eventually she found herself at a turning point in her career and knew that making a change was essential to maintain her positive outlook on life. Although she cannot name where she worked at the time, Danielle explains that the difficulties she had in the past led her to a job she loves at Maurices as well as a better life in general.

 “There was a point after a certain company where I realized I would never again tolerate being miserable at work. I have no room in my positive mentality to not feel valued or appreciated in my work place. Growth within is important to me.”   Looking back on these experiences, Danielle would now like to thank the unmentionable companies for the hardships she went through, “because if it wasn't for them, I would never know just what I stand for in my career!”   She has also learned that there are things she has no tolerance for in her life as well. She concluded the interview by saying, “Now that I’ve found Maurices, I couldn’t be happier!”

 If you are interested in an internship, a career opportunity,  or a new outfit from Maurices,  here’s the link www.maurices.com .

“Because I love working with the kids”: A Supply Teacher’s Story

As told to Abigail Kong, WorkStory Ambassador

My name is Karen Kong.  I am currently working as a supply teacher with the Toronto District School Board in the Elementary panel. Some people may think that being a supply teacher is an easy job, going into different classrooms everyday with no major responsibilities. I can tell you now, it can be tough job, especially if you want to be good at your job! A typical day starts at 6:00 a.m., when the dispatcher system starts calling teachers to fill in jobs. Once you receive the call, you have to get ready as quickly as possible and dash out of the house. Since you are sent to a new place almost every time, it is important to leave early in to find where it is and arrive before school starts and to get prepared. Once you arrive at the school, you will receive your assignment at the office.  If you are lucky, the teacher has left a day plan for you to follow, but if you are not, you need to have back-up lessons to engage the students for the whole day. The toughest part about this job is classroom management. Some students take this as the perfect opportunity to rebel and not do their work. But, if you're willing to side with them, there is always a group of students in the class that loves to offer tips about their daily drills and to help out. I tend to remind them that I will leave a note for their teacher and I pretend to put names down when they are not on-task or are being disruptive, which usually works. No matter if the class went well or not, as a substitute teacher, you should always leave a note letting the homeroom teacher know what happened during the day.    

To become a teacher, besides getting a degree in education, it is very important to do lots of volunteering, especially in the classroom. Not only do you get first-hand experience in teaching, you get to network and get resources and tips from working teachers. I started volunteering back in my first year of university, at my former high school, and I really did enjoy working with students. I applied to the Concurrent Education program in my second year and got in during third year, when I started doing my placements. It was very exciting and daunting at the same time to handle a class on my own. The teaching part was the best part, but besides what you actually see, I learned that there is a lot of additional work behind the scenes - writing lesson plans, supervising extracurricular activities, marking assignments/tests, and so on. Taking the full load of a teacher, while attending university, wasn't exactly a fun experience. It was very difficult to balance both course work from school and work from my placement. In terms of school, in addition to the education courses, I also had to take courses from my first degree - double major in visual arts and mathematics. It was almost triple the work. It is amazing that I survived when I think about it now.

Doing well school was only part of the struggle, the real challenge was finding work after I graduated. Like most recent graduates, I didn't find a job right away, and I didn't expect to after talking to some alumni and friends in the same field. However, I didn't lose hope. I continued to volunteer, but I widened my scope a little bit. I had tons of experience working with high school students, but I also wanted a taste of what it would be like working with younger students, so I volunteered with both a high school and elementary school for about a year. I enjoyed both my experiences, so I decided to apply for teaching in the high school and elementary level. Another thing I believed that helped me get the job was my dedication to learning. During that year, I also enrolled in graduate studies (Masters of Math for Teachers) and took additional qualifications (Special Education, Part 1 & Junior Basic). These courses continued to fuel me with theoretical and practical knowledge to work with a wide range students in the classroom.

It was a long road getting to where I am today, but hard work really does pay off. Although the road of a supply teacher is still slippery and tough, I will persevere because I love working with the kids! 

Doing What Comes Naturally

By Karli Steen, WorkStory Ambassador

Developmental Service Worker Amber Whayman was introduced to helping disabled children through an elementary school co-op program.  With the original goal of being a teacher, all it took was one question to change her mind: "An EA in the class asked me if I wanted to learn about autism. I of course said yes, and if it wasn't for her asking me, I don't know what I would be doing now. I fell in love with working with the students as an EA and learning about disabilities and how to support people".

However, it wasn't just a question that inspired Amber's path: "I also believe that my dad had an influence on my career. When I was 8 he was in a car accident that left him with an acquired brain injury. I watched supports come into the house to help him recover, and I took on the role of helping him from a very young age. Helping people is just my nature! It's what I have always done."

Amber followed her natural instincts by going into Fanshawe College's DSW program. When asked what she found most useful about the program, Amber says that she took a little bit of knowledge from every course, but the most useful were the stories of first-hand experiences shared by the professors, because they  provided insight on what to do and what not to do in important situations.

Amber recalls that in school she was shy and reserved. Now that she is working with Forward House, and has gained more experience, being shy is a thing of the past.  When asked what a typical day on the job would look like, Amber had this to say: "Well it depends on the day. I work in  supported living houses where there are at max two people living in each location. I assist people with the activities of daily living such as showering, dressing, meal prep, feeding, and medications. Basically anything you do for yourself in the day, I assist people with those things.We go to medical appointments, grocery shopping, and fun stuff like hockey games, the fair, and festivals."

Amber is unsure of where the road will take her, but says she is happy where she is now. She shared the best part of her job: "Just being able to do what I love every day and seeing the people I support being happy. Knowing that by helping the people I support complete the daily activities that most people take for granted every day is so rewarding."

Finally, these words of advice were shared for those interested in the field: "VOLUNTEER. Get a volunteer position working with people who have disabilities. I volunteered at a day program in my hometown before I started at Fanshawe. I also think it is very important to keep an open mind. With this career there are many places you can work. For example, a group home, the school board, or a day program; and you may be surprised where you like and don't like to work."

Marketing Assistant Makes it in Music Industry

By Annette Dawm, WorkStory Ambassador

Kendra Sauder is a Marketing Assistant for Audio Blood, an artist and brand development company based out of Toronto, Ontario. With the Audio Blood team, Kendra is able to work in her “dream field”, which is the Music Industry. Kendra has worked very hard to be where she is today. Coming from the small town of St. Jacobs, she moved to the big city of London, Ontario where she spent seven years. She currently lives in St. Catharine’s and commutes to the even bigger city of Toronto. She says it’s been difficult, but “hands down, [it was] worth it!” Something that has helped Kendra on her journey is the support she receives from the people she works with:

“My co-workers and the Audio Blood team are all amazing individuals and work together amazingly! They are always supportive of each other and willing to help anyone else out on the team in any way they can. I love that the Audio Blood team is more like a family!” (She even has a furry co-worker, “Dug the Pug” and he gives out advice to bands on the Audio Blood blog!)

Sauder is not only enthusiastic about her immediate “family” of co-workers, but she also loves helping the entertainers that Audio Blood promotes: “I get to work with artists and musicians and help them accomplish their goals.”  Kendra is also “making it easier and more accessible for music fans to reach amazing artists like HIGHS, Amos the Transparent, Royal Tusk and Jeremy Fisher (just to name a few.)” Audio Blood has also worked with Pat Maloney as well as big-name brands/events like The Juno Awards.

It’s clear that Kendra loves her team but she also loves the job itself: “I love so many things about my job! It’s hard to fit it all into one answer…. I also love the fact that my job is different every day, and that no matter what I am working on, I’m contributing to a larger goal and bigger picture. No two days are the same, and I am constantly learning. It keeps me on my toes and I couldn’t be happier about it.”

Kendra Sauder’s path to the music industry began at Fanshawe College in London, where she was enrolled in the Music Industry Arts Program. While she was in school, she was heavily involved in Student Government and event planning, among other things in order to succeed in her career: “I took part in as many music, branding and industry conferences as I could (which is where I first heard about Audio Blood) and was constantly trying to improve my craft while at school. I took time to learn about different companies and positions within the music industry to hone my skills.”

Once she graduated from the program, Kendra had planned to start her own company with some friends in St. Catharine’s, however she was offered a position with Audio Blood and she “couldn’t turn it down!” Sauder was able to assist them with their work at the events for Canadian Music Week. This opportunity proved to be valuable work experience for Kendra as it lead her to her current position as a Marketing Assistant for the company: “During my one-month contract, I pushed myself to go in early, stay late and do whatever was needed to get the job done. After my contract was up, I was asked to stay on. I guess the short version is, ‘I fought for it.’”

Finally, when asked what advice she had for those interested in working in this field, Kendra Sauder answered, “Play hard. Work harder! The music industry is an amazing place, but it takes determination, drive and a lot of gusto to make it. Work your connections, and fight for your goals.”

If you would like to learn more about Audio Blood, you can visit their website at www.audioblood.com    

Working in Active Learning: Stephanie's Story

For Taylor, Managing Matters!

 Facilitated by Raba Anum, WorkStory Ambassador

Volunteer Soars with Wild Ontario

By Annette Dawm, WorkStory Ambassador

Samantha “Sam” Manner works as volunteer Team Leader for the Wild Ontario program in the city of Guelph, where she is also attending university. Currently, Sam is working towards her Bachelor of Science. Her major is animal biology and her minor is in nutrition. Her future plans include either to attend the Ontario Veterinary College or to “work in the field of animal behaviour and welfare”. Although Sam has a very busy student life, she is still able to volunteer with the Wild Ontario program at least 4 times a week! Part of why Sam finds volunteering so rewarding is that she gets to educate the public while working with her team at Wild Ontario.

“I manage the daily health, training, and nutrition of a non-releasable American Kestrel, named Artemis, while also overseeing three of her other handlers. With our ten non-releasable birds of prey, Wild Ontario travels across the province delivering educational programs to the public on a variety of topics ranging from: ornithology, [the study of birds] ecology, conservation and stewardship.”

Artemis is considered to be “non-releasable”, which means that she will never be able to live in the wild. Now, with the help of Sam and her other handlers, she “is serving as an ambassador for her species through her story.” Sam relates Artemis’ story below:

“Artemis is a 5 year old female American Kestrel, the smallest falcon species in North America. Unfortunately, Artemis was taken from the wild at a young age and was likely being kept as a pet by someone. Housing wildlife without proper licensing is illegal. As a consequence of people taking her from the wild, she did not get the opportunity to learn the skills she would need to survive in the wild. In 2009, Artemis was surrendered to the Toronto Wildlife Centre. Here, they do tests to determine the bird’s fear of humans. Artemis was not afraid of humans and willingly took food from [them], which means it would be dangerous for her and for humans if she was released back to the wild.”

Sam has a few favourite things about volunteering with Wild Ontario and they involve working with others in the program as well as with the public. She tells us that, “One of my favourite things is working with my team towards a training goal for either the bird or the handler and seeing all that hard work come to fruition. At the programs we deliver, one of my favourite things is sharing information about the birds with members of the public and having them get really excited and wanting to share what they learned with all of their family and friends.”

For anyone who is interested in getting involved with Wild Ontario, Sam advises that it is a “big-time commitment”. Potential volunteers should be mindful that they will be required to dedicate a certain amount of their time to the program. If you wish to apply, you should either live in Guelph, Ontario or “have the ability to travel to Guelph at least 4 times a week.” The volunteer application and more information about the program can be found on their website, www.ourwildontario.ca .