Preparing for life after school
Education doesn’t only happen in the classroom. That’s why Concordia’s Advancement and Alumni Relations and the Concordia University Alumni Association offer the Backpack to Briefcase program, a series of workshops designed to help students make a smooth transition from academic to professional life.
“We try to bring in professionals and experienced alumni from different backgrounds to teach the students soft skills that they won’t learn at school, but that will be very useful once they graduate,” explains Rose Wangechi, the alumni officer in charge of student programs.
Wangechi has been organizing these workshops since 2007 and they’ve been growing in popularity ever since. Last semester, a record 700 students participated in the Backpack to Briefcase program.
This spring, five such workshops will be offered. The first will be the Presentation Skills Workshop February 8, which will teach students what they need to know about presenting themselves and their research — skills that are especially valuable in the corporate world.
Toward the end of the winter term, students can attend the Stress Management Workshop, hosted by Owen Moran of Concordia University Health Services.
“The ultimate objective of the workshop is to increase knowledge about stress and stress management. The session is also designed to help students build as well as implement skills and strategies to manage stress,” says Moran.
Perhaps the most popular workshop in the Backpack to Briefcase series is Dining Etiquette. The event on March 15 invites students to learn the basic rules of fine dining over a three-course meal at Club Atwater. The aim is to build student confidence so that they may shift their focus from ‘Which bread plate is mine?’ to the opportunity or business at hand.
“Often, people will be interviewed or conduct business over lunch or dinner so this workshop teaches students how to hold the wine, where to put the business card,” says Wangechi, noting that the workshop is especially valuable to international students, many of whom may not be familiar with Western culture.
Workshops are available to students at no cost, except for the Dining Etiquette Workshop which costs $25. Students from across all disciplines are encouraged to attend.
“These workshops are not targeted to a specific group,” says Wangech. “They are soft-skill workshops that every professional and, to a greater extent, every person can benefit from.”
Students who are interested in attending Backpack to Briefcase workshops may register online.
Related links:
• Backpack to Briefcase workshops
• Concordia University Health Services
• Club Atwater