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Why pursue lifelong learning?

Past and present students discuss how continuing education changed their lives at The Chang School’s Fall Open House
By: Will Sloan
August 24, 2018
Open House

Photo: The G. Raymond Chang School of Continuing Education held its Fall 2018 Open House on August 16.

Just because your career has begun doesn’t mean your education needs to end. On August 16, The G. Raymond Chang School of Continuing Education hosted its Fall 2018 Open House. The event, held each academic term, gives prospective students the opportunity to discover program options available to help them pursue learning—whether developing, building on, or changing a career, learning a new skill, or pursuing an interest.

The event included with a panel discussion in which five Chang School alumni and current learners – ranging across generations from Generation Z to older adults  – shared their stories of why they decided to go back to school.

Joanna Tsanis is the writer and producer of Eleftheromania (external link) , an award-winning short film set during the Second World War. “I suppose I always wanted to go into film, but I didn’t end up studying it in university because I was so indecisive about what program to choose,” she remembered. “After high school, in hindsight, I should have done more research into not just what programs I was applying to, but also workplace trends and where the job market was going. Instead, I was just so excited for a new adventure in a major that I was interested in, I just went for it.”

After her undergraduate degree, she worked in office administration positions and did some freelance writing, but her desire to work in film remained. She discovered The Chang School’s 12-week Summer Film School (CDMP 999), a one-stop intensive program in the basics of film production that earned her the Certificate in Film Studies. “I knew my dream was to be a screenwriter and to be a film producer. It was just a matter of getting those practical and fundamental skills so I would have the confidence to put myself out there and network and really go for it.”

Jenny Shin also looks back at her undergrad years with the clarity of hindsight. “I did a triple major in all the usable things: philosophy, psychology, and sociology,” she joked. “It was great for expanding my mind, but not so much for job prospects after graduation.” Following her undergraduate degree, she pursued a career in business development and retail management, finding herself gravitating towards the public relations side of her work. “That’s when I decided to go back to school and get some really practical skills to jump into that side of the career,” Shin graduated with the Certificate in Public Relations, and is now the president and CEO of Milestones Public Relations.

Clinton Reid, who came to Ryerson through The Chang School’s Spanning the Gaps – Access to Post-Secondary Education program, found himself looking to continuing education when he hit a wall in his professional life – he didn’t have a degree. “When I interviewed for a position … they chose somebody with a master’s degree over me. I had 10 years of experience working in the community, but I just didn’t have the degree. … At that moment, it triggered to me that no matter how much experience you have, that piece of paper makes a big difference.”

 Reid graduated from The Chang School’s unique transitional program in 2012 and is now taking a Public Administration and Governance degree at Ryerson. He is manager, business development and relationships, for Housing Services Corporation, and finds balancing work and education a stimulating challenge. “When you go to school, your life changes. Your support system changes; the people you hang around with and your time commitments change, because you have to have that assignment done at the same time you have to be working,” he said. That’s what I’ve always done – I’ve always worked full-time, and I’ve always gone to school part-time. I’ve been on this journey part-time because I’ve had to support myself full-time. It was a mental shift.”

Alex Nazareth, a current student in The Chang School’s Certificate in Data Analytics, Big Data, and Predictive Analytics, is looking to begin his career. He is taking his Chang School certificate while also pursuing a Ryerson undergraduate math degree; by diversifying his skills, he has gained a competitive advantage. “I’ve been talking to a lot of employers who have noticed that I jump out from my resume, and I’ve been able to answer a lot of interview questions because of my certificate.” This year, he secured a summer job as a big data developer at BMO Financial Group.

The Chang School also offers a variety of programs for older adult learners. Through Programs for 50+, Michael Treuman has been able to pursue his interest in acting following his computer-industry career, and has become an active participant in local theatre productions. “When you stop working, you suddenly realize you can go to daytime courses,” he said. “I had some friends who were actually performing as actors in their 60s, 70s, and 80s. I saw them and said, ‘Wow – who would have thought you could do this?’”

Treuman’s interest in acting has led to others, including music. “I had an interest, and I discovered it led to another interest. I think that’s fairly typical of people in our age range – we see one thing and it leads to another thing. We can develop an interest that maybe we thought about but never spent any time on, or maybe we can take an interest and strengthen it, or we can start something brand new. We have all these choices for new interests, and The Chang School has courses for everything you’d want to name: cooking, playing chess, exotic travel, history of religion, etcetera.”

Find out more about lifelong learning at The Chang School of Continuing Education.

Panel

Photo: Five Chang School alumni and current learners shared their stories of why they decided to go back to school.

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