Making the MOVE to the Workplace is Easy for Humber Grads

At Humber we focus on applied learning, ensuring that our grads have what it takes to make it in the workforce. International students come to Humber in Toronto, Canada not only to obtain an education but to expose themselves to the working environment in Toronto. Most of our international students take advantage of the opportunity to work after graduation, applying the skills that they have acquired in the classroom immediately.

Jamie-Lee is a recent graduate from our Business Management program and she writes:

“My name is Jamie-Lee & I have successfully completed the Business Management Diploma Program, with Honors, from Humber College. I am currently employed as a Claims & Settlement Customer Service Representative. My responsibilities include processing insurance claims for Total Loss vehicles, corresponding & assisting customers with queries & insurance concerns via email & online services. The Business Management program at Humber College has introduced me to Accounting, Management, Financing and Sales which is pivotal to effectively complete my tasks for my role. It offers a wide range of courses that has enabled me to transition easily in to the working world. Being educated in all these areas has broadened my capabilities & also made me more marketable to employers. My experience at Humber was pleasant and amazing; one I will never forget. My professors were experienced in the courses & offered insights that were quite helpful for the completion of my program. What I enjoyed most was the hands-on experience. I was not only introduced to text book materials but Humber incorporated both practical as well as theoretical methods of teaching & learning. For instance, in my Business Management class, I had to operate and manage my own business that was computer simulated. Even though the business was not real, it offered the concepts needed to be an effective manager & leader. I also worked in teams for the completion of several projects at Humber. I now realize that team work is essential in the work world. Based on my experience doing this for my projects, this transition was comfortable and easy. Being educated in a wide range of courses, receiving positive insights & feedbacks from experienced professors, team work & hands-on experiences have enabled me to be an effective employee, as I embrace my role with confidence & excellence.”

Oriana Barros came to study English and post-graduate studies in Canada in our Global Business Management program. The experience was invaluable for Oriana:

“My name is Oriana Barros and I am from Colombia. Currently I work at the English School of Canada as a Marketing Coordinator for Latin America and Spain. I took the University/College Transfer Program at the English School of Canada in June 2009, and then I went to Humber College to take the post-graduation program called Global Business Management in September 2009. I decided to take this program at Humber College due to my background as Industrial Engineer, and I wanted to focus on the Business area; when I looked into the program and the curriculum, I got very interested because it was related to what I studied at University in my Degree program. Taking the 2-year Global Business Management Program at Humber College was one of the best decisions I have made in my life because it gave me the opportunity to progress in different ways. In terms of my professional skills, I learned a lot of things that helped me got the job I have now. The program has a focus on International Marketing and when I did my Internship at the English School of Canada, I started as a Marketing Assistant for Latin America and Spain; this position helped me apply what I learned at Humber College such as marketing concepts, different business strategies in order to define the target market for the school, developing effective marketing strategies to market the school, as well as conducting analysis to penetrate the market in an international environment. After doing the Internship and when I graduated from Humber College, I had the chance to start working full time at the English School of Canada as a Marketing Coordinator. Now, my position requires some travelling and I still remember everything I learned from my teachers at Humber College and all the advices they gave us when travelling to another country, and how important is to do the research in order to succeed when doing International Business.”

Michiko Ishiyama came from Japan to study English and start her new career in Canada. She studied in our Tourism Management Post-Secondary Program. Michiko reflects on her experience at Humber:

“My experience at Humber College was very valuable and eye-opening. I studied in Tourism Management, and Tourism and Hospitality Administration. The first thing that amazed me was the faculties. They have come from different field in hospitality and have specialized in them for a number of years. Based on their experience they gave me informative but fun classes that I could never get only from textbooks. Some classes were very hands-on, and we were given a lot of projects where I would interview and communicate with people in the actual industry such as hotels and tour operators. This had helped a lot to know about the industry and made me want to pursue my career in hospitality even more. In these programs I had opportunities to have internship. I had classes and seminars that provided me information about many employers so I had enough contacts to reach in order to look for a placement. I had never worked in Canada before that, so I was very nervous about finding a job by myself. But support from teachers was very reliable and they were in touch with me throughout my internship duration to observe how I was doing and how accommodating the employer was. Also, as an international student I often needed to renew my visa or had difficulty understanding the immigration process. All the staffs at the International Centre were always there to help me explaining step by step. It was very important to have the place to go to when I needed help, and the International Centre was the one to rely on. From all these experience, when I look back, I know how much I have accomplished, and I am very happy that I have chosen Humber College."