By: Helana Mulder | November 6, 2018
By: Helana Mulder, reporter
Photographer: Rebecca Powell
As a way of combining a career fair with a look at what it means to follow God’s call for our lives, Redeemer’s Centre for Experiential Learning and Careers, aka CELC, held a networking expo and speaker event on Thursday, November 1.
According to Redeemer’s website, CELC “helps students connect their calling with a career through co-op work terms and individualized career guidance. The Centre also supports the student and employer experiences that put the classroom in the workplace, and bring the workplace back to the classroom.”
The event took place between 4-7pm; the networking portion of the night went from 4-6 and Don Morrison spoke from 6:15-7.
Wes Schilstra, a fourth year business student and student representative for CELC, states that “the CELC event went really well! When I was there, there were always around 20 students walking around and talking with employers. I saw many people grab business cards and contact information, and there were a great variety of students from different programs there.”
Some of the employers and businesses that were represented there were EduDeo Ministries, First Ontario Credit Union, Power to Change, World Renew, Faithlife Financial, and Christian Horizons.
Meghan Schenk, another fourth year business student here at Redeemer, went to the expo and found it to be very helpful. She says, “the Career + Calling event provided a great networking atmosphere that allowed me to further my understanding on companies that I was not familiar with, and gain insight about possible co-op opportunities. I think it’s important to remember that first impressions are key. You never know when these connections will be useful in the future!”
Don Morrison, the former COO of Blackberry, also spoke on combining a career with your calling. This part of the night allowed students to hear the true story about how Morrison was able to grow and expand the Blackberry company while he worked there. Joseph Nanda, a first year student at Redeemer, says that he “really valued Morrison’s insights, especially since he has been at the highest possible level in business. It’s really inspiring and encouraging to hear the philosophy of these types of people.”
Overall, this event was an awesome opportunity for Redeemer students to meet with potential employers and hear about finding a purpose in one’s career.