Justin Karch (ArtSci '18)
Justin was born and raised in Burlington, Ontario. While in high school Justin decided to attend Ryerson for a Social Work program. However, after his first year, Justin realized that social work and Ryerson were not the right fit. He decided to leave his home region to attend university in Kingston and study Global Development and Geography. The program at Queen’s offered Justin considerable flexibility in both curricular and extracurricular opportunities. Through his program, Justin was able to study in Shanghai, China, where he played on the Fudan University football team and completed a team research project at Foxconn. Upon returning to Canada, Justin’s international experience inspired him to become an orientation leader for incoming exchange students. During Justin’s time at Queen’s, he was involved with the AMS, including his positions as a Walkhome service staff and a manager at the Student Life Centre.
Justin’s experience at Queen’s culminated with finding the Queen’s Career Apprenticeship: Kingston program (then called Career Apprenticeship Pilot Program). Through this program, Justin found employment at Benefits By Design (BBD) as an operations specialist. Benefits By Design is a group insurance and enterprise solutions provider that specializes in small business. Justin’s position was rotational and allowed him to gain experience in a variety of roles, learning the many aspects of the business and the industry at large. The mentorship provided through the program allowed Justin to flourish and consider his options for the future. Justin has since received a promotion to business analyst and aspires to become a certified project manager, which he is on track to achieve.
Justin’s favourite parts of living and working in Kingston after graduation include: the ability to maintain close ties with Queen’s, including his friends and professors, the lifestyle of a smaller city, and the lower costs of living relative to many of his friends in larger cities.
Justin speaking about QCA:K: “It has truly been a great platform to start my professional career. Starting your first job after university is such a pivotal moment in a young person’s life. Having support from QCA:K has made this transition from student life to the workplace seamless.”
Carmen Song (Applied Economics '18)
Carmen came to Queen's from Vancouver, British Columbia. When considering Queen's, she was particularly interested in rowing, which she hoped to persue alongside her studies as it has a passion since grade 9. While at Queen's, Carmen was an active particpant in Queen's Rotoract, eventually becoming their treasurer. After her first year, Carmen worked in a fast-paced food truck during the summer and was eager to find a job that would better utilize the transferable skills she gained through her education.
Carmen transitioned from her time as a student into becoming a full-time Finance Specialist at Correctional Services Canada via the Queen’s Career Apprenticeship: Kingston program. This role enables Carmen to use her knowledge in financial matters through analyzation and processing of transactions, as well as interpreting and applying policies and procedures. Carmen’s role gives her a good work-life balance, given that she has a defined 8AM - 4PM schedule and an accommodating work environment. Living and working in Kingston enables Carmen to afford her ideal lifestyle of ‘downtown living’ in which she can walk to visit her favourite people and places.
After the formal 12 months of her apprenticeship concluded, Carmen continues in her role and is happy to take on more responsibilities and tackle complex tasks. Carmen is also working on achieving CPA certification to eventually transition into a leadership role within the institution.
When asked about the QCA:K program, Carmen mentioned that “I would not be working where I want in public service without this apprenticeship. I have met so many people through QCA:K that have helped boost my confidence in my abilities and encouraged me to make this bold move.”
