Jazzy_T's Web Log: June 2008

Well, people: it's official.
I have called the high stakeholders: family, friends, colleagues, references, declining offerers...

And Yes! I recognise that it has been nearly half a year with no blog*... but alas! here it is.
(*and I will make up for this blunder below with some pics)

I HAVE A NEW JOB. IT'S STILL IN VICTORIA.
IT'S WITH THE BC GOVERNMENT: Ministry of Public Safety and Solicitor General.
"Yep. I know! Me too."

How Did That Happen?
- well... it started as a neat alternate idea alongside B.Ed. degree and Work Visa in New Zealand.
Alternate to what?
- to another year in working in Student Affairs / ResLife.

Then I got pretty excited about it: great opportunity, new experiences, gaining new skills, discovering new possibilities... + Living Off Campus, Staying in Victoria, having my nights and weekends to myself... it sounded pretty good.

Then the interviews started. Interviews on the phone, in person, delivering presentations, in front of panels, with directors -- across the country. No need to mention names here.
Needless to say I have now finally seen a good amount of Ontario!
And betwixt and between all these flights, and phone calls, and time differences, and nomenclature, there was one University I was very very interested in, and a couple who were interested in me (and of course those who were not, or who had not yet decided if they were or not).

And then it came down to it. A few job offers. And a few favourite schools that were still undecided (or not yet visited). But job offers don't last forever.
And after soliciting choice#1 and determining that there was not going to be an offer in the time that I needed... Hello MPSSG, here I come.

Not to say it was easy to say good bye to Student Affairs - far from it! And I can't help but hold on to the notion that, well, I fancy myself back at a university in some capacity within the next couple years (be it Grad Studies (Uni Admin, Public Policy, etc), B.Ed., Student Affairs/ResLife, jobs who knows)-- but its time to
MOVE OFF CAMPUS (possibly try my hat at living with roommate(s), and/or pets!)

And so, there you have it...
(A) Thank-you UVIC for an awesome first year in the professional working world.
to my colleagues, supervisors, staff and students -- many thanks indeed!
(B) To my Victoria friends (same goes to those on Mainland, and including Family) -- thanks for supporting me through any decision... I'm sure most of you are excited about this one!
(C) To Victoria and the Island... get ready for another fabulous year or so!

BUT TREV! WHAT'S THE JOB EXACTLY?

Well, to be honest - I have a lot to learn about what it is, exactly.
- It's a 18-month internship position ("General Project Analyst N14")
- Three 6-month stints with different branches of the ministry to...
... get a sense of how these different branches operate, function, and communicate between other parts of government.
... develop skills and experience in policy writing, research, implementation and enforcement.
... provide the ministry a recruiting opportunity: evaluate my skill-set, develop my niche, and possibly transition me into a full time permanent position.

Do you know which branches you'll be working in yet? or under which supervisors?
- Nope. Not Yet. Soon.

But what about Res and UVic and Student Staff, won't you miss it!
- TERRIBLY. I tremble at the thought.
BUT! UVic classes are on my radar; as are intramurals, and other engagement opportunities... in fact, UBC Alumni Association involvement from across the water sounds like a neat idea, too... hmm....

Well that must be it for now... I am off to one of my five scheduled weekly nights of volleyball.
(haha... that is, when I'm not across the country, or it isn't raining like a monsoon out here).

~T~

Flickr Photos to Follow.