From Uncertainty to Opportunity: Embracing Change
In the past 5 years, I faced significant negative changes that left me in the uncertain position. The COVID-19 pandemic greatly impacted my life in China. Before the pandemic, I worked in an “old school” IT service enterprise in Harbin, China. Also, my duties were “old school” - client services (aka after sales).
In the pandemic, strict lockdowns restricted movement within cities, and almost all on-street stores were forced to close. It led me to lose my job in 2022. At the same time, the traditional sales-related job market shrunk. It was very difficult to find a similar job at that time. This stark reality highlighted the necessity of a steady income to maintain a normal life.
The pandemic was also a lesson to me. It moved many businesses and duties to the digital side of the world. When I looked back, many contract renewals, road trip presentations, and offline physical trade fairs were moved online. People can explore the larger part of the world easily without travel. All I could do at that time was adopt and embrace the change - aka learning new things.
A Leap of Faith: Moving to Canada
Determined to leave my comfort zone in China and adapt to this new pandemic reality, I decided to immigrate to Canada. Upon arriving in Toronto Pearson Airport, I initially felt lost and my brain was empty, I was unsure of how to start the new chapter of my life. I wish to apply my past marketing and sales work experiences as well as my engineering university education to a new life - it will ease my journey into a new chapter.
On a Wednesday late afternoon in September, I got to know graduate certificate programs. It was my dream program to kick off my journey - simple admissions procedure, budget tuition fees and a short period of only 8 months. At that moment I appreciated this education program as a guiding star. Then I deep dive and compare the universities and colleges that offer this kind of education program.
A New Beginning at York University School of Continuing Studies
I applied to York University School of Continuing Studies (YU SCS)’s digital and content marketing certificate program. Its website said this program would help students launch their careers in the digital marketing field in Canada - the field I was aspiring to learn by the pandemic. Fortunately, my application was accepted. It was marked as the beginning of my journey in Canada. My days before SCS schooling were filled with curiosity and the unavoidable fear of uncertainty. The unfamiliar living environment, English language barriers, long time no schooling and cultural differences came together and presented unprecedented challenges and pressure.
Embracing Diversity
YU SCS’s diversity, multiculturalism and friendliness towards international students eased my initial anxieties. To be honest, my stereotype of Western country’s universities was dismissed on the first day of schooling. My classmates, hailing from various countries, made me feel like I was not the only one away from home. At the first lecture, one Chinese guy greeted me and initiated a conversation - I felt like not even left China yet. The teachers at York University were not only humorous and approachable but also highly responsible, ensuring that each student felt supported. Especially many of them slowed down the speed for new international students - it was considerate as those first languages were not English. Their professional and engaging teaching approaches quickly helped me integrate into the learning style, catching the course pace and making learning enjoyable.
Industry Experienced Professors and Guest Speakers
Also, YU SCS broke my stereotype of higher education - professors were far away from the current industry. Instead, YU SCS has so many great professors. I can recall the course of digital marketing. The professor guided us to plan the digital marketing campaign step by step - the same steps and approach in the digital agency. In the guest speak section, all of the guests were either running marketing businesses or hired by major marketing agencies. I was really appreciating their wording - they lighted me up to start a digital marketing journey in the Toronto workforce.
Learning From Others
In the learning journey, we have experienced so much group work. I have been looped into a couple of groups. I have learned a lot from the ways international students from different countries approach problem-solving. As someone who had never worked outside of China (can be other countries as well), their thinking was very different from mine. Initially, I struggled internally and was reluctant to accept their perspectives, always hoping they would adopt my ideas instead. However, I eventually realized that in team projects, everyone should be open-minded and learn from others' strengths to refine their own views. I have benefited from this inclusivity, so I should also be inclusive and understanding of others. Don’t you think so?
Gratitude and Future Aspirations
As my course comes to an end, I am immensely appreciating YU SCS for providing such a valuable platform. This experience has enriched my knowledge and allowed me to establish meaningful connections with diverse individuals. The foundation laid here is crucial for my future career and personal growth. Moving forward, I am committed to continuous self-improvement, hoping to face future challenges with confidence and achieve success in all endeavors.
My journey at YU SCS has been transformative. The support, diversity, and opportunities provided by YU SCS have been instrumental in helping me navigate my path. I look forward to leveraging the skills and connections I've gained here, and facing the future with optimism and resilience.
Advice For Newbie
Even though my journey in SCS has almost reached the end, I really wish to have more time spent in YU SCS and get to learn from everyone. The following are my key takeaway and advice to newbies as well: