Finding Niche-land

Two years ago I chose to enrol in one of the most respected programs that Winnipeg has to offer. And as of last evening, I hold in my hand a hard-fought piece of paper that officially declares my achievement in Red River College's Creative Communications program. In the past month I've seen several online comments from my classmates about our impending graduation. We've worked tremendously hard. It's a bittersweet time, but for many of us a new reality begins and we are faced with one of the biggest questions in our lives. Where do we want to work?

I, and as I learned of many of my classmates, have a wide range of interests. We may not yet feel that the world is our oyster–more like freshly-hatched newborn turtles scrambling to the safety of the ocean–but we must never forget that we've been taught well, and with a little self-reflection we will find an area of interest where we will excel. In CreComm, I chose from a course list that reflected my own interests and what I felt would provide the most value to my future employer. I chose Public Relations as my major, but on top of the required courses such as Journalism, Advertising, Media Production, and Oral Presentation, I chose:

*electronic desktop publishing

*image editing

*advanced website design

*non-profit communications

*freelance business management

*television documentary production

*photography

*and to top it off, a 200-page sci-fantasy novel

So how well will my course decisions deliver work to me overall? It ultimately depends on where I focus my energy and how I pursue my plan for employment.

My strongest interests are in food and music. Before I entered CreComm, I came very close to entering RRC's Culinary Arts program such is my love for food. I am always cruising the web looking for new ways to prepare food, and I am not afraid to try something different in the kitchen. I've learned to play a wide variety of stringed instruments and I even took cello instruction for three years before I entered college. I am eager to spend more time doing these things I love, and my plan is to focus my career efforts in one of these areas. In the coming weeks I will be visiting companies and organizations that fall into my sphere of interest. It's an exciting time for me and for those I will approach; I have a lot to offer.

My official RRC transcript arrived in the mail a short while ago. Seeing how well I had performed validated my efforts and performance in a program that, at times, can foster a love-hate relationship. But always when the dust settled, the former emotion held true. I look forward to finding the right employer for me. I've worked for many years in other jobs, but the past two years in college have re-molded me for something more purposeful. The same is for all of 2011's graduating class of which I am a part of. Our talents will find the niche for what suits us best.