Congratulations On Your Degree, But What Comes Next?

Alyssa McGuire says the practical component of Georgian College’s Therapeutic Recreation program allowed her the opportunity to perfect her learning in an applied setting.

So, you’ve graduated from university and can’t wait to land your first job, but you’ve had no luck finding it because you don’t have enough experience or specific knowledge. What should you do?

Consider a graduate certificate program through the University Partnership Centre at Georgian College in Barrie. Graduate certificate programs are typically one year in length, with two academic semesters. An industry internship, placement or project component will give you that critical applied experience and job-specific skills for your resumé.

Graduates of these programs are valued by industry. More than 87 per cent of Georgian graduates find employment within six months of graduation (the average across all Ontario colleges is 83 per cent). Courses are relevant, hands-on and taught by professors with academic and industry-specific credentials. Classes are small, which allows students to learn from each other as well as from their professors, and to participate in group projects.

Alyssa McGuire enrolled in Georgian’s Therapeutic Recreation (TR) graduate certificate program after graduating from university with a biology degree.

“After graduating from university, I didn’t have the expertise or qualifications to achieve the career of my dreams. The TR program at Georgian was exactly what I needed to gain the specific techniques required in my field,” she says.

Alyssa now works as a recreational therapist in a specialty care facility in Toronto.

Georgian’s 15 graduate certificate programs cover a wide variety of sectors including Event Management, Human Resource Management and Research Analyst. Admission requirements include a university degree or college diploma. In some cases, you may be required to submit a resumé, letter of intent and/or letters of reference.

In today’s complex and ever-changing world, having both a broad-based education and a specific set of skills is necessary to succeed. Georgian College’s graduate certificate programs can provide you with those much-needed skills and the opportunity to increase your earning potential.

There’s still time to apply for September. For more information, visit choosegeorgian.ca.