Aaron Ames
Why did you choose your program at UBC and what did you enjoy most about it?
Across the Political Science and Sociology course offerings is huge range of research topics for students to learn about from some of the brightest minds in academia. I wanted to get outside of my comfort zone and learn as much as I could while at UBC before deciding how to proceed on my next step in my career.
What were some of your most meaningful experiences at UBC?
I endeavoured to gain as much exposure and experience during my time at UBC, and so I signed up for things like Arts Co-op and volunteered in a few initiatives. It’s hard to say which of these were the most meaningful experiences, but I would definitely highlight the summer programs I participated in through the Faculty of Arts. One of these is the Summer Institute for Future Legislators program, which involved deep discussion about democracy and government with some important political figures in Canada from every level of government. We got to actually create and participate in a simulated parliamentary session within the Legislative Assembly building in Victoria. Another was the Urban Ethnographic Field School, a joint program between the Anthropology and Sociology departments. Each of these programs exemplify the kind of deeply immersive experiences students can get during their time at UBC.
What choices did you make in your undergrad that contributed to your career success / journey?
Experience, in one form or another, has become a premium in today’s labour market. I feel very fortunate to have recognized that early enough in my degree so that I could explore opportunities across UBC. Generally, being open to new fields and topics was a major benefit.
What was your first job after graduation and what other jobs did you have before landing your current position?
The first thing I did upon graduation was take a three-month vacation overseas. It was the best decision after a long and hard final stretch of graduate school applications, volunteer work, and 4th-year courses to round off the degree. From there, I made decisions about where to go for grad schools and moved to Toronto to complete my Masters in Public Policy.
Is your current career path as you originally intended? What challenges did you face in launching your career?
I would say “not sure” to this because I never had a concrete path in my head until attending grad school. I knew I wanted to make a difference through my career but I was not sure what that necessarily looked like. Even today, I try to remain open-minded about my career path so as to never miss any opportunities that may come my way.
What do you like about your current job and what do you find challenging? How does it relate to your degree?
I really enjoy my current job at the Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care. It’s a fantastic opportunity to apply a lot of the principles relating to social structure that I learned during my undergrad. It’s also challenging because a lot of the strategic work that we are trying to achieve is technical.
From your experience, what has been the value of having an Arts degree?
My UBC degree has been extremely valuable in moving on to a career trajectory I find to be meaningful and rewarding for my skills and what I want in a changing labour economy. I definitely worked hard to gain a real-world understanding of what my options and potential choices were before leaving UBC. This involved uncomfortable discussions – sometimes with professors, other times with people in various fields I might have had an interest in at one point or another.
But UBC opened up many opportunities for me to seek out people and resources and find answers to my questions about the state of the labour market and various sectors, so I could make an informed decision about the next steps in my career. It also ultimately provided me with the kind of rigorous training and exposure I needed to move into my field of public policy.
What advice would you give to students and alumni interested in breaking into your industry?
Do your homework and actually research which areas of policy are of interest to you, what value you can provide to employers or what kind of training would best set you up for success. In addition, the right attitude matters especially today in this field. Above all, be open-minded.
What advice would you give your graduating self?
It’s the journey that matters most, not the destination. We hear this all the time, but it’s especially true when we talk about careers. Take the time to develop your personal attributes, skills, and story as it will pay off nicely when it counts most.
Aaron Ames
Why did you choose your program at UBC and what did you enjoy most about it?
Across the Political Science and Sociology course offerings is huge range of research topics for students to learn about from some of the brightest minds in academia. I wanted to get outside of my comfort zone and learn as much as I could while at UBC before deciding how to proceed on my next step in my career.
What were some of your most meaningful experiences at UBC?
I endeavoured to gain as much exposure and experience during my time at UBC, and so I signed up for things like Arts Co-op and volunteered in a few initiatives. It’s hard to say which of these were the most meaningful experiences, but I would definitely highlight the summer programs I participated in through the Faculty of Arts. One of these is the Summer Institute for Future Legislators program, which involved deep discussion about democracy and government with some important political figures in Canada from every level of government. We got to actually create and participate in a simulated parliamentary session within the Legislative Assembly building in Victoria. Another was the Urban Ethnographic Field School, a joint program between the Anthropology and Sociology departments. Each of these programs exemplify the kind of deeply immersive experiences students can get during their time at UBC.
What choices did you make in your undergrad that contributed to your career success / journey?
Experience, in one form or another, has become a premium in today’s labour market. I feel very fortunate to have recognized that early enough in my degree so that I could explore opportunities across UBC. Generally, being open to new fields and topics was a major benefit.
What was your first job after graduation and what other jobs did you have before landing your current position?
The first thing I did upon graduation was take a three-month vacation overseas. It was the best decision after a long and hard final stretch of graduate school applications, volunteer work, and 4th-year courses to round off the degree. From there, I made decisions about where to go for grad schools and moved to Toronto to complete my Masters in Public Policy.
Is your current career path as you originally intended? What challenges did you face in launching your career?
I would say “not sure” to this because I never had a concrete path in my head until attending grad school. I knew I wanted to make a difference through my career but I was not sure what that necessarily looked like. Even today, I try to remain open-minded about my career path so as to never miss any opportunities that may come my way.
What do you like about your current job and what do you find challenging? How does it relate to your degree?
I really enjoy my current job at the Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care. It’s a fantastic opportunity to apply a lot of the principles relating to social structure that I learned during my undergrad. It’s also challenging because a lot of the strategic work that we are trying to achieve is technical.
From your experience, what has been the value of having an Arts degree?
My UBC degree has been extremely valuable in moving on to a career trajectory I find to be meaningful and rewarding for my skills and what I want in a changing labour economy. I definitely worked hard to gain a real-world understanding of what my options and potential choices were before leaving UBC. This involved uncomfortable discussions – sometimes with professors, other times with people in various fields I might have had an interest in at one point or another.
But UBC opened up many opportunities for me to seek out people and resources and find answers to my questions about the state of the labour market and various sectors, so I could make an informed decision about the next steps in my career. It also ultimately provided me with the kind of rigorous training and exposure I needed to move into my field of public policy.
What advice would you give to students and alumni interested in breaking into your industry?
Do your homework and actually research which areas of policy are of interest to you, what value you can provide to employers or what kind of training would best set you up for success. In addition, the right attitude matters especially today in this field. Above all, be open-minded.
What advice would you give your graduating self?
It’s the journey that matters most, not the destination. We hear this all the time, but it’s especially true when we talk about careers. Take the time to develop your personal attributes, skills, and story as it will pay off nicely when it counts most.
