International student finds pathway to work in her field through volunteering
Carol Rincon made the most of her time at Algonquin in more ways than one. Coming to Ottawa from Colombia, she chose a program that was a good complement to her background in film and television production, studying Interactive Media Design. While the program was mostly online, she got to know the campus well in her role as a volunteer International Peer Mentor, and then through her student part-time jobs as Student Navigator at the AC Hub and International Mentor Lead at the International Education Centre. She also earned a Student Leadership certificate, which helped to build her skills. During her time at Algonquin College, Rincon sought counsel from the Employment Support Centre, where advice to volunteer in her field led to her gaining experience with digital marketing agencies.
Today, Rincon has a job helping small businesses assess and improve their social media presence. “I’ve learned a lot already in the short time I’ve been there,” says Rincon. “I started part-time while I was studying and then I got hired full-time,” she explains, adding that her volunteering both with the International Education Centre and those digital media agencies helped her to stand out.
Rincon says she especially appreciated the practicality of her program. “I think it is a nice overview of different topics and it makes you prepared for jobs when you have the opportunity to work with real clients.” One of her favourite projects in the final term was contributing to the Noopimok E-Learning Project, an interactive platform to teach Indigenous and non-Indigenous children the basics of the Algonquin language. As an international student, she also appreciated the online elements of her program (due to COVID restrictions), particularly the recorded lectures which were helpful because she could go back and review if needed.
Through volunteering at the International Education Centre, Rincon says she gained valuable work experience in her coordinator position, organizing coffee chats for informal mentorship. “I was there for two terms, and I’m glad to say that this term they’ve even hired two people for this role. Because of good attendance and engagement, they want to make it bigger.” In tandem, Rincon says that the Student Leadership Certificate helped her formalize some of her leadership skills. “There were a lot of resources on leadership, and mentorship, problem-solving and listening skills. I put a lot of work in with my mentor and I was really grateful for that,” says Rincon.
Rincon says that being an international student can be a hard road because everything is so different and your family is not nearby. “Everything is different at the beginning. It’s hard to adapt to the new educational system,” she says. Yet her advice to others is to look into what supports and workshops are available. “If you engage with the resources, it’s really useful and makes it easier for you to adapt.” For her, volunteering was the key to everything. “Starting with volunteering at the college was a really big deal for me. My mentorship skills and experience gained through the college were an asset in finding a job.”
Her final advice for international students to be successful is to work consistently and keep heading toward your goals. “My advice is to stay active, find your volunteer opportunities, and go out of your comfort zone. Then you grow, as a person.”