Cheryl S. has just graduated from the Administrative Assistant/Legal Assistant program with two diplomas and has landed her dream job at Burr Properties as a conveyancer! Three years ago, Cheryl moved to Victoria from Ontario with her family of six kids and her husband, who is deaf. To help support her family, she worked for various fast food companies, with no hopes of going to school because of her life situation and as Cheryl says, “Probably fear of taking the next step.
A few of her co-workers who attended Sprott Shaw at the time encouraged her to explore her options. When she found out she was going to have to write an entrance test, she was terrified! Cheryl explains, “Finally I got the nerves to call Joe, booked the appointment to write the test, he made me feel at ease, and yes, the thoughts were going through my mind of whether I could actually complete this.” Once she found out she was accepted, she was very excited and also scared.
Going to school and juggling her family life was not easy as she was working full-time to support her eight-member family and putting in many hours of studying. During her program, Cheryl faced many obstacles including her daughter needing to have major surgery. Her husband stepped up as “Mr. Mom” and her family rallied behind her to see her through the dark days.
“Being back in school has given me the strength, guidance, and support that I was lacking and Sprott Shaw gave me all of the tools, resources, and education to fulfill my dreams of being a college graduate.
Cheryl put her heart and soul into the program and what impressed the faculty at Sprott Shaw most was her ability to fully utilize the resources available. Through her Career Planning course, she learned how to create a proper resume, do an effective job search and chase the career she wanted. She also actively participated in the employer career sessions where potential employers visited the campus and presented to the students (See the upcoming events section). She told us that she was able to land her dream job because she remembered names, took business cards, and sent follow up thank you notes. She was a shining star in the interviews!
We are very proud of Cheryl and want to extend a big CONGRATULATIONS to her! As she explains, “If you put your mind to something, strive for it, and give a lot of commitment, you will be able to accomplish anything that you want to. Don’t be afraid of going after your dreams.”
Cheryl S.
Victoria Campus
Administrative Assistant/Legal Assistant Program
