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Author: Susan Huebert

  • Dream Job: Illustrator

    Dream Job: Illustrator

    When you first learned to read, you probably enjoyed books with a lot of pictures and very few words. The pictures were important for making the book fun, but also for helping to tell the story. If you didn’t understand the words, you could look at the pictures for help. As you got older and understood longer words and sentences, you probably still enjoyed seeing pictures and maps in books or on the computer screen. Even for adults, pictures, diagrams, and maps can be very enjoyable and helpful. Most of these pictures and drawings are the work of illustrators.

    Most children learn to draw pictures when they are very young, and some people continue to develop their skills long after childhood. Knowing how to draw well is an important part of being an illustrator, but the career involves much more than that. In the past, most illustrators worked with a pen or pencil and paper. Some of them still work that way, especially when they do illustrations for books or magazines that come out in print. Now, however, many illustrators work with computer programs and software to create drawings with colour and movement. They might illustrate video games, movies, and television commercials. Anything with pictures can use the services of a good illustrator.

    Being able to draw and to use the right software is an important part of becoming an illustrator, but it is not the only important thing. Learning new techniques and developing natural talents can help people find work in the field and to make a good income. Some illustrators become successful in their field just through practice, but many people find it helpful to study their craft at a university or community college. A four-year Bachelor of Illustration degree can help give students the background information they need to get god jobs, and shorter community college programs can give a very practical basis for a career in illustration.

    Do you like putting pictures and words together? Maybe you should consider becoming an illustrator.

  • Don’t Grow Up Too Fast

    Don’t Grow Up Too Fast

    All throughout school you’ve probably heard time and time again about thinking about your future. Looming college applications and career aptitude tests pressure you into worrying about your future career or post secondary education long before you actually need to. Of course, while it is important to consider these things, you should also take some time and enjoy your youth. These can be some of the best times of your life so don’t stress yourself worrying too much about the future. You still have plenty of time to grow up and deal with these things as they come upon you.

    As a student and young person, you’re under a lot of pressure from a bunch of people; your parents pressure you to behave, your school pressures you to achieve good grades, your friends pressure you to hang out, and (if you have a part-time job) you have to work, go to school, and maintain a social life – all of which can be quite stressful.

     While it is important to consider the desires and opinions of those around you, ultimately you should try to do what makes you the happiest and leaves you feeling the most fulfilled. Youth is a time of exploration, of making mistakes and learning from them. When you get older you’re suddenly obliged to deal with a bunch of adult responsibilities, such buying your own groceries, paying your taxes and hydro bill, working a steady job and paying for a house or apartment.

    When you’re still young, you have plenty of time ahead of you that are without major responsibilities. Youth is a time for having adventures, trying new things, and stepping outside of your comfort zone. So don’t try and grow up too fast – you’ve got decades to be an adult but only a few years to be young and free of adult responsibilities. Take this time to explore your boundaries, learn new things and find out who you are as a person.

    The bonds of friendship that you make when you’re young are strong and lasting, and you’ll often find that some of the people you meet in elementary school, middle school or high school will remain some of your closest friends. Grades are important, but so is having a good and balanced social life. It is no fun to have straight A’s if you don’t get the time to see your friends, relax and pursue your hobbies.

    The key to happiness is keeping a well balanced life. By all means spend time studying or working a part-time job, but remember to leave yourself some free time for socializing and just plain having fun. You want to enjoy your youth, not spend most of it stressed out over assignments and jobs. Do what feels right for you and DO take other people’s opinions into consideration, but always remember that it is your life and in the end it is up to you to decide what to do with it. So spend some time having fun and don’t grow up too soon!

  • Happy New Year from JobsPeopleDo.com!

    Happy New Year from JobsPeopleDo.com!

    Welcome to a brand new year!

    If you’re like many people, you’re probably thinking about what sort of resolutions you would like to make for 2015. Maybe you want to get higher grades, save more money or get organized. Whatever you resolve to do, set small, achievable goals for yourself. As you cross each one off of your list, you will feel a great sense of accomplishment and you will find that it will motivate you to keep going.

    This month, we have some tips for you on how to get higher grades this year, how to deal when you DON’T get the grade you want and, of course, scholarships and bursaries to help you reach your educational dreams.

    If you haven’t yet, check out our brand new Community Living page. It’s full of great information and resources for students with disabilities who are ready to make the transition from high school to university, or who are looking to enter the workforce for the first time.

    This year, we’ll be adding more videos and job profiles than ever before. We’re excited to help you as you get ready to conquer your exams and find the career path of your dreams!

    Happy 2015!

    Jasmin Bollman
    Content Editor

  • January Scholarships of the Month – Apply Now!

    January Scholarships of the Month – Apply Now!

    It’s a new year and a new opportunity to get your hands on the scholarships and bursaries that will help fund your post-secondary goals. If you’re entering university or college this fall, the time is now to apply for a number of great scholarships. Here’s what we found this month. As always, ensure to read the requirements to ensure you qualify.

    1. Canadian Right of Way Education Foundation Scholarship – Open to graduating high school students who will be pursuing studies in fields related to public infrastructure such as engineering, real property law, land use planning, real property appraisal, surveying and environmental studies. Amount: $2500. Deadline: February 2, 2015.

    2. Geodesy & Geomatics Engineering Entry Scholarship, UNB Fredericton – Awarded to a University of New Brunswick-Fredericton student beginning the Bachelor of Science in Geodesy and Geomatics Engineering degree program (B.Sc.GGE) upon graduation from high school. Amount: $1000. Deadline: March 1, 2015.

    3. The Generation Google Scholarship – Open to students pursuing a computer science or computer engineering degree, or a degree in a closely related technical field. Amount: $5000. Deadline: January 15, 2015.

    4. We the Living Essay Contest – Open to students across Canada studying any subject who submit an essay based on certain criteria. Amount: $3000. Deadline: May 6, 2015.

    5. David Mirvish Chancellor’s Scholarship – Open to students entering their first year at the University of Guelph. Amount: $34,000 over 4 years. Deadline: January 25, 2015.

    6. Schulich Leader Scholarships – For high school students entering their undergraduate studies at any school. Amount: $20,000. Deadline: February 2, 2015.

    7. 14 Women’s Memorial Award – Open to women at the University of Calgary entering their second, third or fourth year of study in any field. Amount: $4500. Deadline: August 1, 2015.

    8. GWIN Scholarship – Open to women studying in any field who are permanent residents of Wellington County (Guelph area). Amount: $1000. Deadline: May 31, 2015.

  • Bienvenue dans la nouvelle Communauté Chemin Vivant, sur JobsPeopleDo.com!

    JobsPeopleDo.com est fier de présenter sa nouvelle Communauté Chemin Vivant, votre lien vers l’information la plus actuelle en ce qui concerne les troubles d’apprentissage. Mettant en vedette des bourses, de l’information sur la transition entre l’éducation secondaire et post-secondaire et des liens vers toutes sortes de renseignements sur les universités et les collèges à travers le Canada, nous espérons que cette nouvelle section devienne votre « guichet unique » pour tous les outils dont vous avez besoin pour réussir.

    Ce chemin vers une communauté conduit à une vie pleine de sens dans une communauté pour personnes souffrant de troubles de l’apprentissage, et elle peut inclure des choses telles que des emplois, du volontariat, des loisirs, et une éducation continue.

    Si vous êtes un étudiant qui a des troubles d’apprentissage qui voudrait contribuer à la Communauté Chemin Vivant avec des conseils, pensées ou des histoires de réussites, veuillez contacter jasmin@jobspeopledo.com.

  • Trucs pour aider les étudiants qui ont des troubles d’apprentissage à passer des examens de haut niveau

    Un nombre de plus en plus élevé d’étudiants passent maintenant des examens qui déterminent s’ils passent ou ne passent vers le niveau suivant. Si les étudiants ne passent pas ces examens, on peut leur demander de répéter une année, ce qui peut avoir des conséquences fâcheuses sur l’estime de soi, causer de la frustration et augmenter les chances d’éventuellement lâcher l’école. Un nombre de plus en plus élevé d’étudiants du secondaire passent maintenant des examens de sortie qui déterminent s’ils termineront l’école avec un diplôme standard. Les étudiants qui ne passent pas ces examens se trouvent souvent avec des options très limitées après avoir terminé le secondaire.

    Les examens de haut niveau peuvent avoir de sérieuses conséquences pour tous les étudiants, mais ils représentent un défi particulier pour les étudiants qui souffrent de troubles de l’apprentissage. À cause de leur format de type « même formule pour tous », plusieurs parents et éducateurs pensent que ce genre d’examens standardisés tendent davantage à montrer les difficultés que les habiletés des étudiants. Avec de si grands enjeux, il devient important pour les étudiants qui souffrent de troubles de l’apprentissage de bien se préparer et de recevoir le soutien dont ils ont besoin au moment de passer de tels examens. Les parents ne devraient pas confondre les examens de haut niveau avec les examens donnés à l’école pour répondre aux exigences de « Aucune Communauté Laissée de Côté » (NCLB). Ces examens prennent en compte les états et districts en ce qui concerne une pauvre performance, mais n’exigent pas aux états d’imposer une responsabilité personnelle aux étudiants.

    Accommodements raisonnables

    Les étudiants souffrant de troubles de l’apprentissage qui ont un Plan d’Enseignement Individualité (PEI), ont le droit de demander des accommodements raisonnables au moment de passer des examens de haut niveau.

    Les accommodements sont des changements apportés aux matériels des tests et à leurs procédures, qui peuvent aider à égaliser leur niveau. L’objectif des accommodements n’est pas de donner aux étudiants qui souffrent de troubles de l’apprentissage un avantage injuste sur les autres étudiants, mais plutôt de les soutenir en leur démontrant ce qu’ils savent déjà.

    Un étudiant qui souffre de dyslexie, par exemple, connaît peut-être les réponses d’un examen à choix multiples, mais n’a pas assez de temps pour lire toutes les questions. Un accommodement raisonnable pour cet étudiant serait d’avoir droit à un peu de temps supplémentaire. Selon les difficultés des étudiants, les accommodements peuvent être faits en pensant aux règlements, au temps alloué, à la planification du test, à la façon dont l’information est présentée, aux matériels additionnels qui pourraient être utilisés et à la façon dont l’étudiant pourrait répondre. Un accommodement pourrait être :

    • Avoir droit à du temps supplémentaire;
    • Utiliser un ordinateur avec un correcteur d’orthographe;
    • Passer l’examen dans une salle à part ou avec un petit groupe.

    Comment les parents peuvent aider

    Les parents devraient jouer un rôle important dans le soutien apporté à leur enfant, dans le contexte des examens de haut niveau. Il incombe souvent aux parents de travailler avec l’école de façon constructive pour s’assurer que leur enfant a accès à toutes les opportunités auxquelles il a droit. Voici quelques conseils pour les parents :

    • Parlez rapidement à votre enfant, à son professeur et à l’équipe PEI pour déterminer quels accommodements pourraient s’adapter à votre enfant en ce qui concerne les examens de haut niveau. (Note : idéalement, les accommodements devraient être les mêmes ou semblables à des instructions de salle de cours. Toutefois, quelques accommodements ne peuvent être que des instructions et n’ont pas le droit d’être utilisés dans le contexte d’examens provinciaux ou de district.)
    • Découvrez si les accommodements dont votre enfant a besoin ne sont pas permis par votre état, district ou école pendant ces examens.
    • Assurez-vous que le PEI de votre enfant liste clairement les accommodements adéquats pour les deux situations d’examens et dans le contexte de la salle de cours.  (Note : Vous devriez savoir avec certitude si votre enfant aura le droit d’utiliser les accommodements qu’il utilise quotidiennement dans le contexte de la salle de cours dans les examens.)
    • Vérifiez si le contenu et les compétences sur lesquelles il sera testé lui ont été montrés.
    • Ceci est important, puisque parfois, les étudiants qui ont des troubles d’apprentissage n’ont pas reçu les instructions nécessaires en termes de curriculum général d’éducation sur lequel ces tests sont fondés.
    • SI votre enfant échoue dans un test de haut niveau, assurez-vous qu’il a plusieurs chances de pouvoir le repasser.
    • Pour ce qui est d’un pourcentage moins élevé d’étudiants avec des troubles d’apprentissage, les accommodements pourraient ne pas être suffisants. Si vous décidez, avec l’équipe PEI, que votre enfant a besoin d’une autre forme d’évaluation, travaillez de près avec le personnel de l’école afin de déterminer quel type d’évaluation alternative et modifiée pourrait s’adapter à votre enfant.

    En conclusion

    Aucun examen ne peut mesurer avec exactitude toutes les compétences, les connaissances et les habilités d’un étudiant. Lorsque les étudiants qui ont des troubles d’apprentissage passent des examens de haut niveau, ils méritent d’avoir les mêmes chances que les autres étudiants pour démontrer ce qu’ils savent. Lorsque les parents et l’école travaillent ensemble, les étudiants avec des troubles d’apprentissage peuvent avoir tout le soutien dont ils ont besoin pour ces examens, qui peuvent avoir un impact déterminant sur leur avenir.

  • Grants for Students with Disabilities

    Grants for Students with Disabilities

    Am I eligible?
    You are eligible if you:
    – apply and qualify for a Canada Student Loan;
    – are enrolled in a full-time or part-time program (minimum 32 weeks) at a designated post-secondary institution;
    – meet the criteria for students with permanent disabilities; and
    – include one of the following with your loan application as proof of your disability: a medical certificate, a psycho-educational assessment, or documentation proving receipt of federal or provincial disability assistance.

    What’s available?
    $2,000 per academic year (August 1 to July 31).
    This grant is available for each year of post-secondary studies, provided you continue to meet the eligibility criteria. This includes post-secondary studies beyond the undergraduate level. Grant money is issued by your province or territory of permanent residence at the beginning and in the middle of the school year.

    Since grant amounts are fixed, the amount you receive may exceed your assessed need.
    Example: If you qualify for the grant and you have an assessed need of $1,400, you will receive a $2,000 grant. In this case, the grant would cover your assessed need, so you would not need a student loan.

    How do I apply?
    The application process for this grant differs in each jurisdiction. To make sure you meet all the application requirements, contact your province or territory’s student financial assistance office.

  • Learning Disabilities and Work

    Learning Disabilities and Work

    We most often think of learning disabilities that impact a student in school, however, LDs are lifelong and don’t magically disappear once a student has graduated and entered the workforce. The National Center for Learning Disabilities lists five areas where people with LDs may experience difficulties:

    Inefficiency – this could be working at a slower pace than coworkers, having organizational challenges or needing additional time to complete tasks

    High error rate – this could be errors resulting from poor reading or math skills or could be because someone takes longer to process information and react to situations.

    Problems with sequencing – this could cause problems with completing tasks requiring multiple steps or following directions

    Time management – this could be poor planning, tardiness or having problems with meeting deadlines

    Social skills – this could be problems with interactions between coworkers, customers or vendors or in verbalizing the impact of a LD to the employer to receive needed accommodations/modifications

    The following list of examples is to provide ideas only. Please adapt to your specific situation:

    • Written instruction cards, laminated to help with performing multi-step job duties
    • Adjusting the font or background color on the computer screen to help people with dyslexia
    • Receiving company communications in written form, such as via email or memos. Written communication can be provided either before a company meeting to provide the person time to process information or after the meeting to allow the person to have a written copy of what was discussed.
    • Use of spell-check software or having a coworker edit written work.
    • Use of assistive technology, such as software that translates the spoken word into the written word
    • Using a tape recorder during company meetings or when given instruction.

    Again, these are ideas to help people with learning disabilities think about what may help them perform their job duties. By thinking about how you learn, how you work and problems you have had in the past, you will be able to determine what accommodations or modifications you may need in your job.

  • Career Profile: Medical Sonographer

    Career Profile: Medical Sonographer

    When you injure an arm or a leg, your doctor might send you to an x-ray technician. If another part of your body is in pain, you might go to a medical sonographer to have pictures taken of things that an x-ray can’t show. Medical sonographers work with doctors and nurses to help diagnose diseases and other health problems that people might have. Without these technicians, diagnosis of disease would be much harder than it is now. If you become a medical sonographer, you can be an important part of keeping people healthy.

    Have you ever heard of medical sonography before? You might have heard of its more common name, the ultrasound. Most people think that ultrasound tests are only for pregnant women, but medical sonography can be about much more than that. Sonography is also about checking and treating the heart, blood vessels and even the skeleton. It works by sending sound pulses through the body to create an image on a screen.

    Medical sonographers operate the equipment that takes pictures of these and other areas of the body to check for problems. They check the quality of the images, write out reports for doctors, and take care of and sometimes repair the equipment. Some medical sonographers also train students and help to make sure that the quality of the work is good.

    The equipment used for medical sonography can be complicated, and learning to use it properly takes some time. Normally, medical sonographers study for about three years after high school to learn what they need to know. While they study sonography, they can also learn to work in the laboratory and to perform medical tests. That way, they have the skills to work in different areas of a hospital or doctor’s office and can work in a variety of contexts.

    Medical sonographers need to have a basic understanding of the technical aspects of their work, such as how to use and repair the equipment and how the imaging helps with diagnosing diseases. However, they also need to be able to work with people.

    Often, the patients who come to have the test done are feeling sick or unsure of how the medical system works. Medical sonographers should be able to help patients through the process by explaining what the test will be able to tell the doctor and by making sure that they understand what is happening. When the job also includes supervising other workers, the ability to deal with people is especially helpful.

    Working as a sonographer is much less visible than many other jobs in the medical field, but it is very important. Medical sonographers never perform surgery or save people’s lives with treatments, but diagnosis would be difficult or sometimes even impossible without them. The job pays about $80,000 per year. People in this field can usually expect to work fairly regular hours, and job prospects are likely to improve in the next few years. If the idea of medical sonography appeals to you, consider it as a career option.

  • Dream Job: Painter

    Dream Job: Painter

    Imagine that your work is famous across Canada. That might not happen for a plumber or an electrician, but it can happen for the kinds of people who paint pictures. Do you know about any famous Canadian painters? You might have heard of some artists called the Group of Seven, who were well-known artists in the twentieth century. If you are interested in becoming an artist and you develop your talents, you might also become a well-known painter.

    In 1920, several Canadian artists were beginning to develop a new style of painting. These painters were especially interested in painting using the same modern style as the well-known painter, Tom Thompson. They decided to support each other by forming the Group of Seven. Artists such as A. Y. Jackson and Franz Johnson thought that by working together, they would be able to develop their skills much better than they could by working alone. They travelled throughout Ontario and studied European painters to learn more about art. The style of art that they developed is still easy to recognize now.

    Tom Thomson, who had inspired the artists of the Group of Seven, died in 1917 and was never part of the group. However, artists who followed his time also followed the style that he had preferred. The landscapes around Lake Superior were some of their favourite subjects to paint. Later, their style influenced artists like Emily Carr and others.

    You might never be as famous as the Group of Seven, but you can still become a painter if you are flexible and willing to work in all kinds of areas. Painters can work for businesses, schools, magazines or museums. A special type of education is generally not a requirement, but a degree in the fine arts can be helpful. Under half of the artists in Canada have formal training from a university or college.

    Special festivals and fairs are good places for painters to sell pictures to people, and art shows give customers the chance to look around for what they want. If people like your art, it might even end up in an art gallery.

    An important part of becoming a painter is developing a personal style. You might use only bright colours or darker shades. You can work with others to develop your favourite type of art or you can work alone. Whatever style you prefer, you can become an effective and successful artist.