What did you study/what are you doing now?

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I've been out of that field for awhile now, as I haven't actively sought work in that field since 2006.

I had a hell of a time finding stable work in that field. Too many graduates and not enough openings. I worked a few 6 and 12 month contracts and had a bunch of unemployment in-between. In fact, the only reason I did my masters was because I didn't have a good job at the time and I managed to get a scholarship and teaching assistantship at Waterloo that covered all of my fees (plus extended how long I had to start paying back OSAP).

I personally don't like contract work because there is never a guarantee that it is going to be renewed or that you are going to find another one right away. That instability makes it hard to get a mortgage for a house or even settle down because who knows where you will be working with your next contract?

I went into environmental sciences in the late 90's because I figured there would be jobs there too, but I didn't find that to be the case. If you want a degree that will secure employment, get an engineering degree.

knowledge said:
Is contract work the norm in your field? Or is it just becoming the norm everywhere? It seems like everyone I know who gets a job from environmental sciences is on contract.

I'm a sub-contractor for 2 of my part-time jobs and aside from having to send in your own hours, I love the flexibility. I've never been a contract worker (not directly, at least). Is that basically just a normal job except with less benefits & no security? 'Cause environmental sciences seems to be a thriving industry and it can't be THAT hard to find a gig, can it? It's one of those degrees nowadays that actually has a decent chance of landing you a job after graduation
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I finished 4 years at U/T for pharmacy waiting for the results of my licensing exam, and in the mean time applied to Law School. Got in so now I'm gonna go there for another 3 years then write the bar. lol
 
Roasted said:
I studied Computer Science at U of Waterloo and have been working in software development since I graduated 6 years ago........exactly what I studied. Who could have predicted this strange turn of events?
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Computer Science degree as well, still in the field 24 years later, as an e-Commerce consultant. You've all likely bought products from the companies that I work for.
 
Did 1.5 years at Trent University for math, decided I didn't really want to be a highscool math teacher afterall. Started up the Tourism and Travel program in January, currently in the middle of my 2nd semester. Should graduate in April and then go to Mohawk for Event Management. All through school I've been working at bike shops to pay for it, maybe when I'm done all my schooling I'll work on planning motorcycle events, like the Supershow.
 
Have a diploma in Police Foundations from Centennial College
Now at York U getting my bachelors in Disaster & Emergency Management

Still in school and don't know what to do after I graduate :rolleyes:
 
CruiserGoneSport said:
Similar story here, only I wanted to be a fighter pilot, my eyesight wasn't good enough so they pushed me toward avionics (because I'm a geek lol). I tried it out with a weekend at RMC ... good thing I did, I hated military life. lol!
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Whats wrong with being woken up with a garbage can at 0500 hours? NCO's love working at RMC they get to yell at their future boss. I think the wife likes that I put hospital corners every morning. Hard to get in bed at night. LOL
 
university of toronto bachelor of computer science
went back to hong kong, got my masters in cs and also to 'find myself'...only to find out I really can't survive there.

Came back to Toronto, found myself a somewhat stressful but rewarding traveling job working 9-5 most of the time.

I've 'grown' to the point where I'm ready to start some side projects of my own, but in the meantime, day job paycheque is too good to pass up.
 
Undergrad: Sociology/Psychology double-major at UVic
Postgrad: MBA
Professional designation: CGA

Even though I have a knack for it accounting sucked in the beginning, dull as hell...career really took off after I had a few years under my belt. Now I'm exec-level and wouldn't trade my career for anything, lots of challenge and never boring...I'm still in finance but no more Debits & Credits. I've got a great job in the sporting goods industry.

The guy that pointed me into accounting after my BA (I was rudderless, having no idea what I wanted out of life) told me that I would never get rich being an accountant but that I would "always be comfortable". He was mostly right, whether times are good or bad business always needs guys to run the finance & accounting side.
 
Im originally from qc city, Ive been working all the time since i pretty much was 12 lol (for the family business and then for other jobs)
College diploma in Social Sciences with Math (full of B.S but it's a diploma)
one year off working full time and partying
Then 1 year studying for a bachelors in Translation... found out i didn't like working with words and books all the time.
Did a road trip out west with 2 of my best buddies, ended up living in whistler for 3 months.

Came back to Qc
Left 6 months later to start a new life in Toronto to get away from my safety cushion of partying and working a lame job, wanted to start a career and a life.
Found a job right away with RBC Royal Bank and been climbing the ladder ever since. 4 years later im still with them at the HQ and lovin it!
 
Studied Aviation Management and Business Administration.

Currently training as an air traffic controller at Pearson Control Tower. Couldn't ask for a better job.
 
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Started out with an undecided undergrad in first year, discovered that I loved psychology.

Qualifed for a honours double major program in psych, had a research topic picked out, and the plan was to go do a Masters, then a PhD and the full academic route - I love teaching.
I panicked year 3 of 4 because almost all of my school was funded through OSAP, as despite the thousands of resumes and the willingness to wash floors it wasn't easy to find part time work in the early '90's. I decided to convert my 4 year honours double major to a 3 year ordinary BA, a cut and run. I very much regret this decision.

Got hired by a collection agency - phone work. Did that for a year, and it sucked in all the ways you'd expect. Bad economic times in the 90's meant great times for collection work, I suppose. It was terrible, so when I heard that IBM was hiring in a new call centre they were putting together, I jumped, and was hired to work a 1-800 line.

I worked my way up in the call centre, ended up in sales and in business development in 5 years, but was bored and was thinking about going back to school. Going back to psych was out of the question without that honours degree - there were tons of candidates coming out of undergrad with the exact same plan I had, so an MA / Phd in psych just wasn't in the cards. I wrote my GMAT for fun, and ended up scoring in the 92nd percentile.

I applied to a couple of schools, figuring I wouldn't be accepted, and I was, so with work paying for part of it, I started to do my MBA part time at York. Ended up taking a leave of absence from IBM to finish up the degree, and I was hired by Bank of Montreal.

That was 11 years ago. At BMO, my career's looked like this:
- Divisional Operations Support - Sr. Manager
- Technology Strategy - Sr. Manager
- Information Security Business Analyst - Sr. Manager
- Business Process Improvement - Sr. Consultant
- Term Investments - Sr. Operations Manager
- Credit Card Products - Sr. Manager

I've had a seriously diverse career, and that's one of the things I like about the company I'm at.
 
I studied marketing at Humber College, graduated and worked as a salesman for a nameplate/decal company for a few years. I was really interested in aviation as well, got my private pilots license, then applied and got accepted to train as an air traffic controller. That led to 6 months of school in Cornwall, followed by training and qualifying at Toronto Island airport. I'm now a controller at Pearson Tower. Just Curious is right...it's a great job!

Just Curious: I ride the silver Vstrom. Another guy in the building is on GTAM (can't remember his name) and rides the blue Ninja.
 
- Moved to Toronto from small town to go to York in English Lit
- dropped out of my only English course
- waited tables in the summer
- did a 2nd year of general arts classes & hated it
- moved to K/W for a year to hang w best friends / worked in camera store
- hated it
- applied to York Fine Arts and was accepted, likely due to clerical error
- did three years of individualized study in film, photography and writing
- graduated Bachelor of Fine Arts Hons
- worked in mail room at Revenue Canada disparate to save money for trip to Europe
- REALLY HATED IT
- lived in Europe for year, taught Greek to American students in Greek Islands
- moved back to Toronto
- waited tables at York student centre
- bought a new computer & a modem
- got on the Internet before the web had graphics (yeah, I guess I'm dating myself)
- obsessed with Internet before there was Internet porn. Ok, before GOOD Internet porn...
- joined an Internet start-up, became head of business development
- worked 16 hrs/day, 6 to 7 days/week
- Internet company acquired, ran Toronto office of new company
- became a consultant
- joined large phone company, oversaw large consumer web content projects
- Joined friend & became partner in tv documentary company
- helped found organization for interactive content producers in Ontario
- left tv company to run that full time
- spent 8 yrs promoting / lobbying for developers of video games, web, mobile in Ontario
- got to travel all over the world, attend & speak at video game conferences
- Now run similar org at national level
- Recently in start-up phase of new kids edu game company with partners in MTL
- getting ready to pitch investors

In the end, I'm glad I dropped that English course. Who knows how crappy things would have turned out if I had stuck with it!
 
B.A./M.A. - Criminology, thought about law school then realized there are too many lawyers in my family as it is, so spent the next 13 years in advertising. Went back and completed a Ph.D in critical information studies, now teach as a lowly sessional at the big blue beaver... in addition to teaching at RTI ;)
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