Joel Huculak is the CEO and founder of Motiversity, one of the largest motivational media companies in the world with over 10 million subscribers and 1 billion lifetime views on YouTube. In this episode, Joel discusses his journey from engineering to entrepreneurship including how his UAlberta degree prepared him for the career leap and his lifelong interest in motivational speakers. WTJ is sponsored by TD Insurance. Got a question? Email us at: wtj@ualberta.ca What the Job? is a University of A...
Nov 02, 2023•36 min
Part of the WTJ?'s series on entrepreneurship. Jennifer Keith had a great, stable job before she left it all behind to launch Epic Food and Drink with her co-founder. She tells us why she made the decision as well as some of the many lessons she's learned along the way including: how to juggle multiple priorities, the importance of knowing your strengths within a team and how to be adaptable in order to reap the benefits of entrepreneurship. WTJ is sponsored by TD Insurance. Got a question? Emai...
Oct 02, 2023•42 min
Part of the WTJ?'s series on Entrepreneurship. Faaiza Ramji is probably the only person you'll meet who makes booze out of peas. She and her business partner own Field Notes, a company that makes distilled field spirits. In this episode Faaiza discusses how her curiosity is a cornerstone for developing business ideas, how a school yard marble business got her started down the road to entrepreneurialism, and how she knew immediately what did and didn't fit her vision for a career. WTJ is sponsore...
Sep 05, 2023•33 min
When Iana Dogel came to Canada with her husband she was looking for a career change. She already had a PhD in Life Sciences, but decided to pursue an MBA from the UofA to gain career flexibility. Now, as a consultant with Grant Thorton, she uses her PhD/MBA expertise to access government incentives for tech companies. Previously she ran her own consulting and founded a med dev start-up that develops a solution for mental health. In this episode of WTJ?, Iana speaks about her experience of coming...
Jun 02, 2023•43 min
If you're looking to make a change there are few people better suited to offer advice than Paul Ingram. Now a partner with the Silverberg Group, Paul has had a long and winding career which started in accounting but quickly shifted to many different roles. In our conversation with Paul he gives great advice on interviewing, assembling a strong team, making changes in your career and asking for advice/mentorship. He also discusses his professional "ADD" and how he jumped from career to career. WT...
May 01, 2023•38 min
Featuring Kyla Amrhein ‘09 BA, Director for the Edmonton Public School Foundation, who discusses the importance of knowing your impact when you are fundraising and how to make career changing moves and celebrating your accomplishments as a way of keeping yourself moving forward.
Mar 29, 2023•38 min
Avid Alumni Association volunteer, Pooja Happy talks about how her Arts degree led her to a career working with large international engineering firms managing projects such as building the Anthony Henday. She discusses how people working together from a variety of backgrounds creates the best results. Pooja also speaks about the importance of awkward conversations, networking, and has concrete suggestions on how to move forward if you feel stuck in your career. WTJ is sponsored by TD Insurance. ...
Feb 27, 2023•38 min
Gwenna Kadima is a BIPOC Career Activator and Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Consultant. Through her consulting business, Gwenna works with BIPOC students and professionals to help them reach their career potential, and with diverse organizations to address systemic workplace barriers. In this episode of WTJ?, we discuss her unexpected career journey, how the pandemic played a role in her starting her own business, and how organizations can make DEI meaningful and impactful. Gwenna Kadima is a ...
Jan 24, 2023•38 min
Arden Tse '95 BSc, '99 BCom, '13 MBA Investment Manager, Yaletown Partners discusses the “talent scout” side of investing, his work history that includes working on cruise ships and in a casino, and how to become a great networker. WTJ is sponsored by TD Insurance. Got a question? Email us at: wtj@ualberta.ca What the Job? is a University of Alberta Alumni Association podcast Hosted by: Matt Rea Produced by: Jennifer Jenkins and Matt Rea Music: Cottages by Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) License...
Jan 04, 2023•42 min
Recorded live at the Arts and Business Student Career Conference, hear three alumni speak to current students about their complex but fulfilling career journeys from entrepreneur to heading a not-for-profit; Working on a cruise ship to investment management. Hear their tips on how to change careers and make the most of your education. Featuring Arden Tse '95 BSc, '99 BCom, '13 MBA Investment Manager, Yaletown Partners Kyla Amrhein ‘09 BA Director, Edmonton Public Schools Foundation Paul Ingram ‘...
Nov 16, 2022•1 hr 20 min
How do you make a living doing large scale Design? Alixandra Jade’s work is prominent (and lovely to look at) across Edmonton and for international clients such as Lululemon, Amazon, Porsche, Mercedes-Benz, Rogers Place, Boston Pizza, and Nascad. Jade discusses the importance of business savvy, focus and drive in creative careers. To see more about Alixandra Jade and her work, click here. https://alixandrajade.ca/?gclid=CjwKCAjwwL6aBhBlEiwADycBIGVtsNwz8_gJ_2ogRzwCqsihpEzQej9RgToYfSbNGbQv9unF77ZS...
Oct 19, 2022•35 min
Robert Gardner ‘86 Education, ‘00 MEd, retired teacher, discusses how to get the most out of your career as a teacher. Gardner has been involved in curriculum and textbook development and managed to add a lot of variety to his career teaching. This podcast Includes advice about how to avoid politics, burnout and how he managed to get a master’s degree while teaching full time!
Sep 19, 2022•46 min
This episode was recorded as alive session for the Life After University Conference to demonstrate how professionals from various backgrounds have had non-linear career paths and overcome adversity to find success in their careers. Panelists: Christina Rinaldi, Professor, Faculty of Education (Educational Psychology) Evan Hu, ’87 Eng and Founder, Alto Sante Jessica Vandenberghe, ‘00 Eng, ’03 MEng, Asst. Dean Faculty of Engineering, President Elect of the Alumni Association Nisha Patel, ’15 BCom ...
Aug 22, 2022•1 hr 20 min
Reeve Bunn thought he would be a sportscaster -- he even got a degree in radio and TV broadcasting. But throughout his life he'd always had the itch to run a company. So, he left broadcasting and, after making his way through positions in a variety of fields, he eventually became president of a 105 year-old company. After that, he went to university. Learn about how Reeve came to the leadership position, his concrete advice for moving around and why getting a university degree is beneficial, eve...
May 26, 2022•38 min
Hear from Professional Coach and host of A Resilience Project podcast, Cindy Thompson, as she gives concrete tips on building resilience whether you're just graduating, changing careers or just emerging out of post-covid work from home. We also discuss how Cindy came to coaching, the benefits of receiving coaching, her favorite episodes of A Resilience Project's podcasts. This is a special episode to celebrate International Coaching Week May 16-22, 2022 and promote the fabulous coaches who offer...
May 02, 2022•35 min
If you've played Call of Duty: Vanguard chances are you've heard dialogue written by Shelby Carelton, ’19 BA. In this episode, Shelby discusses how she became narrative designer at Sledgehammer Games and what it is like to work in the industry. She also discusses the benefit of taking part in the innovation and interdisciplinary Computer Game Development program at the University of Alberta and how that helped launch her career journey. Connect with your UAlberta community on Switchboard at uab....
Apr 19, 2022•44 min
Vince Tedjasaputra, ’17 PhD, always had a knack for translating complex scientific ideas into language that made sense to the common person. After he finished his PhD, he saw a need for that skill in the world of fundraising. So, he wrote his own job description and proposed it to a prospective employer. Now he's the Director of Scientific Communications at the American Lung Association. We talk to Vince about his career journey so far, as well as a few of hobbies including his background as a p...
Mar 31, 2022•54 min
If you're ever feeling like a fraud at work, you're not alone. It is estimated that nearly 70 per cent of us go through feelings of "imposter syndrome" at work or at school. For this episode, we talk to registered psychologist Rebecca Ponting, '04 MEd. Rebecca currently provides psychological services at the University of Alberta and delivers workshops on imposter syndrome. Listen and learn about what imposter syndrome is and some tricks for working through it. Rebecca also discusses what it has...
Feb 24, 2022•32 min
Hear from BlackCan co-founder about his career in consulting at Deloitte and how he utilizes it to further social justice. Petros served as Students' Union President at the University of Alberta and went on to study at the London School of Economics. he was also a contestant on CBC’s gameshow, Canada’s Smartest Person. The UAlberta Career Centre is a resource for alumni looking for all kinds of career assistance. Check them out at: uab.ca/cc WTJ is sponsored by TD Insurance. Got a question? Emai...
Feb 08, 2022•48 min
How a human rights lawyer became a Hollywood composer, with Amritha Vaz '97 Arts, '02 Law When Amritha Vaz, got tendonitis at the age of 17, she thought her path in musical performance was at an end. But, after earning her law degree and working as a human rights lawyer, a few chance encounters led her back to music, this time as a composer. Vaz got her start as a composing career assisting Academy Award winning composer Mychael Danna on "500 Days of Summer". Nominated for her second Annie award...
Jan 17, 2022•59 min
Sheetal Mehta Walsh is a frequent TEDx speaker and has received awards from Her Majesty the Queen and the UK Prime Minister for her work in social entrepreneurship In this podcast Mehta Walsh speaks about learning and working around the world. After earning her Arts degree at the University of Alberta, it was expected that she would enter Law- instead she studied at London School of Economics, worked for Bill Gates at Microsoft and in investment banking in the middle east, Silicon Valley and Van...
Dec 09, 2021•43 min
As a Trinidad-born Black teacher in small town Alberta, Selwyn Jacob, ’70 BEd, turned to filmmaking to tell the stories of Black settlers in the province. Today, the documentary producer continues to explore the experiences of Black Canadians and Canada’s multicultural communities. Hear Selwyn Jacob’s thoughts on being a new Canadian telling local stories, the importance of community as a sounding board and taking a pragmatic approach to a career in the arts. Connect with your UAlberta community...
Nov 08, 2021•51 min
Nisha Patel, ‘15 BCom, is an award-winning Indo-Canadian poet, artist, and public speaker as well as the former Poet Laureate for the City of Edmonton BUT her career almost took her on a very different path. Listen in to find out how Nisha learned to trust her gut and made the life-altering decision to pursue her passion. This episode of WTJ was recorded with a live audience over Zoom as part of the 2021 Life After University Conference. Connect with your UAlberta community on Switchboard at uab...
Sep 07, 2021•47 min
Jessica Vandenberghe, ’00 BSc(ChemEng), ’03 MSc, shares her career journey from small town Alberta to the office of the assistant dean of outreach in the U of A’s Faculty of Engineering. Find out how the values of hard work and community taught by her parents, have served Jessica well in a career that has spanned industries. Hear Jessica’s thoughts on developing ‘soft skills’, what an Indigenous approach to engineering looks like, and her commitment to preparing the next seven generations of eng...
Jun 01, 2021•42 min
Kory Mathewson’s (BSc ‘10, MSc ‘14, PhD ‘19) career path has taken him from the stage to the lab - but it’s not as long a journey as you might expect. We talked to this self-described polymath about what improv and AI have in common, the role of creativity in science, and what, exactly, a research scientist at Google’s DeepMind lab does. WTJ is sponsored by TD Insurance. Got a question? Email us at: wtj@ualberta.ca Want to connect with your UAlberta community? You can do that at uab.ca/sboard Wh...
May 04, 2021•45 min
Lack of energy, inability to concentrate, chronic stress: the signs of workplace burnout are real and they are a problem. In this episode, we speak with Michelle Innes, assistant dean of Equity, Diversity and Inclusion for the Alberta School of Business, whose research helps us understand what causes burnout, how can it be prevented or treated, and — importantly — what the downstream effects of it are. Share this episode with your boss if you think burnout might be an issue in your workplace! Co...
Apr 06, 2021•36 min
Isha Datar, ’09 BSc, is the CEO of New Harvest, a donor-funded research institute dedicated to producing food products from cell cultures rather than whole plants or animals. Her advancement of the field of cellular agriculture has even caught the attention of actor Robert Downey, Jr. In this episode, we talk to Isha about the role of lab-grown meat in securing the food supply chain, the importance of interdisciplinary experience and how getting rejected from medical school can sometimes be a go...
Mar 02, 2021•39 min
In our most existential episode to date, we talk to Jacquelyn Cardinal, ‘14 BA, the co-founder of Indigenous consultancy Naheyawin, about her long-term goal of putting herself out of business. Hear about Jacquelyn’s “heart work” helping clients better understand treaty relationships. Sharing the advice she wishes she had been given, Jacquelyn encourages listeners to bet on themselves and not be afraid to mess up. Connect with your University of Alberta community at uab.ca/sboard WTJ is sponsored...
Feb 02, 2021•42 min
Jacki Glick, ‘10 BA, teaches us the fine art of cold calling and tells us how her persistence landed her a job as Adam Sandler’s personal assistant. From there, she went on to work on an academy award winning film, and is now a producer on Hollywood hits including, most recently, The Broken Hearts Gallery. We asked Jacki how she leveraged her education to launch a career that could have been written for the big screen. WTJ is sponsored by TD Insurance. Got a question? Email us at: wtj@ualberta.c...
Jan 05, 2021•36 min
You don’t need an engineering degree to start a brewery…. but it helps! Brett Ireland, ‘04 BSc(Eng), is an engineering grad from the U of A and the CEO of Bearhill Brewing, a company that he and two school friends started about 16 years ago. We talked to Brett about how his education helped him start a brewery with operations in four locations, the skills needed to make it in the restaurant industry, and the importance of hiring the right people. By the end of the episode we just MAY have answer...
Dec 01, 2020•40 min
