Many university graduates are finding that employers are looking for practical skills and experience in addition to a degree. To fill this void on their résumés they are enrolling in post-graduate programs at Loyalist College, gaining hands-on experience and building professional networks as they obtain certificates in specific fields of study. Loyalist currently offers five post-graduate programs: 3D Video Production, International Support Worker, Public Relations, Sports and Entertainment Sales and Marketing, and Sports Journalism. These programs enable students to build upon their degree or college diploma and become job ready within a short period of time.
Alex Sancton, from Dartmouth, Nova Scotia, built upon his International Development degree from Dalhousie University by completing the Loyalist Public Relations (P.R.) program. “I knew that my undergrad degree alone would not get me far in the competitive field of international development; although it was a strong starting point,” said Alex Sancton, Manager, Internal Communications, Strategy and Internal Communications at World Vision Canada. “I saw Loyalist’s P.R. program as an opportunity to fine tune my skills. It enabled me to apply the theory of my university degree to the hands-on, practical skills gained through college. Now I’m responsible for helping to provide compelling Canada-wide communications – between leadership and staff, as well as across divisions and regional offices – so employees are more effectively informed and engaged to accomplish World Vision Canada’s goals, objectives and mission. I couldn’t be happier about where I am in my career, the projects I get to work on, and the opportunities I’ve been given to grow.”
Some students complete a post-graduate program as a building block in their post-secondary education path. Kristen Shilton is one of these individuals. A graduate of Wilfrid Laurier University, Kristen chose to combine the Sports Journalism program at Loyalist with her English degree. She is now completing her Master’s in Magazine, Newspaper and Online Journalism at Syracuse University. “I wanted the Sports Journalism program to fill in the gaps for me by teaching me how to use my writing skills effectively in a journalism sense instead of an academic one. I think the fact that the program focuses so intensely on just one aspect of journalism is a positive. Everything we learned related to sports journalism – so for people like me, who know that’s the only facet of journalism they want to be a part of, it’s perfect. I was taught how to be a good journalist at Loyalist and I got the hands-on experience to actually practice what was being taught – in just one year. Coming to Syracuse without this background would have been difficult. I am so grateful I did the program. It prepared me to take the next step.”
University and college graduates alike are finding that post-graduate programs help them gain focus, practical skills, work experience, industry contacts and, perhaps most importantly, confidence. As Alex Sancton added, “After university I would approach an employer by saying I think I know how to do it. At Loyalist I gained the confidence and practical skills to walk up to a potential employer and say I can do it.”
For information about the Loyalist College post-graduate programs click here.