Five Fast Facts: A New Look For Career Day 2023
For the first time in three years, Grade 11 Career Day at St. Michael’s College School (SMCS) is back, in-person!
This year will mark the 19th edition of the event at SMCS, focused on offering Grade 11 students some food for thought on what the most sought-after jobs of the future could be and the potential experience of working in them.
“Our goal is to provide students with a look at different career paths and industries and how they connect with the world,” says Dr. Daniel Lumsden ’96, Community Engagement and Learning Lead. “It also provides an opportunity for members of the community to connect and engage with our students.”
As with today’s workforce, Grade 11 Career Day at SMCS is also evolving to become a more collaborative and engaging experience for students. This year’s event will adopt a conference feel, featuring a keynote speaker in the morning followed by fireside chats and speed rounds with guests in the afternoon. The new format is focused on allowing students as much opportunity to meet as many of the guests as possible, with a variety of touchpoints to ask questions in a small and interactive setting.
“We want our students to be more engaged with the presenters and we feel this change in format will provide that to our students,” says Lumsden. “The move to a full-day format allows students to get the most out of the day in smaller settings where more fruitful conversations can occur.”
Headlining this year’s event is Rob Nickerson, an actor, writer, producer, and teacher, who is best known as a pioneer in using improvisation as a teaching tool in non-theatrical applications. For the past 25 years, Nickerson’s high-energy, experiential, improv-based lessons have taught thousands of accountants, marketers, engineers, bankers, IT technicians, doctors, lawyers, senior executives, and salespeople how learning skills and techniques from the art of improvisation can help individuals, teams, and whole organizations maximize creative and collaborative potential.
Joining the headliner will be a variety of other guests representing traditional as well as modern and innovative career paths including finance, international development and fundraising, law, architecture, retail, human resources, and heating, ventilation, and air conditioning.
“The day is a great opportunity for students to learn what it feels like to collaborate as a team and how critical and creative thinking plays a role in organizations,” adds Lumsden. “It is also a wonderful opportunity to network with our presenters.”
Check out these fast facts about this year’s event:
- Badges will be handed out to students in their homerooms to provide more of a conference feel.
- Afternoon fireside chats moderated by John Connelly, Director of Student Affairs, along with two guests. An informal setting for a Q & A about their chosen field and career path.
- Different, non-traditional careers are represented such as trades, international development, and a life image coach.
- Speed Rounds, ten-minute sessions with each guest allowing students to ask questions before moving on to the next professional.
- First-time in SMCS history that the keynote speaker will be an improv professional.
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