News

Career life Education Speaker Series

This week our Grade 11s got to hear first-hand from Shawnigan alumni the opportunities that lay ahead of them beyond Shawnigan. Over three evenings this week, the Career Life Education 11 class Zoomed in with several graduates who shared where they are now and what it took to get them there. A part of the curriculum, career life education is critical in preparing students to determine the pathways they will need to take for their future plans. Choosing a profession can be daunting, and evenings like this allow students to ask questions and explore their options. The alumni who participated came from various disciplines, each having very different paths to get them there. Some went to post-secondary institutions while others entered the trades or started their own business, showing that not everything has a strictly academic route to get you there.
Elements of career planning that may not be obvious include personal growth, connections, networking, and mentorship – and at Shawnigan, we have a great initiative designed to help with these things. Shawnigan Connect, administered by our Alumni Relations team, is an exclusive online professional networking and mentorship platform for Shawnigan alumni that provides a place for graduates to connect with other alumni and share potential job opportunities and internships. It also offers mentorship opportunities where alumni can choose to become either mentors or mentees. Shawnigan Connect is a great tool that our graduates can use to remain a part of the School community beyond graduation. For our Grade 12 students, learning how they can become a part of this mentor network means they can give back to the School in a meaningful way.

Some of the highlights from their Zoom calls this week include visits with an orthopedic surgeon, a Boeing 747 pilot, a firefighter, a senior program manager for Microsoft, and an engineering project coordinator for a large utility infrastructure contractor. The common words of advice given to our students over the three evenings were to take full advantage of everything that Shawnigan Lake School offers, not just the academics, and to focus on what makes you stand out above the rest. Thank you to our alumni who remain dedicated to the School and are willing to share their experiences with current students.
Back
We acknowledge with respect the Coast Salish Peoples on whose traditional lands and waterways we live, learn and play. We are grateful for the opportunity to share in this beautiful region, and we aspire to healthy and respectful relationships with those who have lived on and cared for these lands for millennia.