“Every career has advantages and challenges, even the ones I’m most interested in. But these experiences are what help us grow as a person,” remarks Jeremy W. (Grade 10), reflecting on last month’s High School Career Day.
This year, Concordia welcomed 18 speakers from 15professional sectors ranging from Engineering to Entrepreneurship, and from E-commerce to Biotech. These experts joined us on campus to share their knowledge and insights with our grades 9 to 12 students.
This annual event is a practical source of inspiration and information for our students. It offers them a glimpse into professional opportunities that align with their interests, and frequently kindles enthusiasm for career paths they had not previously considered.
A Glimpse into Diverse Professional Worlds
Our guest speakers, who included passionate professionals—some of whom are Concordia parents—shared their personal journeys in the professional world. They detailed their paths to securing their current roles, highlighting the challenges and failures that ultimately contributed to their success.
One guest, an executive from a medical technology company, discussed how business managers can prepare for a tech-driven economy. A speaker specializing in psychology research enlightened our students about the various disciplines within psychology and shared insights into practicing psychology in different countries. Additionally, a speaker involved in scientific research at Stanford University offered our students a window into the real-world scientific research environment, including the narratives behind a scientist's entrepreneurial endeavors.
Students also received information and advice on integrating their education and passions into their future career choices. This type of guidance is useful, as it gives them an edge in career planning and aligning their choices with their passions and goals.
Here are some takeaways shared by our high schoolers:
“My takeaway is that they fell in love with their job by seeing the way people enjoyed
what they do.”
– Allison H. (G11)
“All of the speakers did a good job explaining how they ended up in the jobs they have now, giving pros and cons, and explaining different paths you can take to get there.”
– Harper C. (G11)
