Leah Manson
Why did you choose your program at UBC and what did you enjoy most about it?
When I started at UBC, I initially thought I was going to go into commerce and pursue a career in marketing. However, I found I enjoyed all of my Arts classes, particularly philosophy, far more than the economics and other commerce-oriented classes I was taking, so I decided to pursue a Bachelor of Arts instead. I loved the thinking and writing aspects of my philosophy classes, and the way they taught me to be willing to challenge my own views and see issues from all sides. From there, proceeding on to a law degree felt like a good fit.
What were some of your most meaningful experiences at UBC?
Some of my best experiences at UBC were ones I didn’t particularly plan for. One year, for example, I ended up taking a global comparative women’s studies class because it was the only thing that fit with my desired schedule. Not only was it one of the more interesting courses I have ever taken, it also exposed me to areas of study I wouldn’t have previously considered (cultural studies, women’s studies) but did afterwards. I also really enjoyed classes where some of the learning was done in creative ways – the Shakespeare class that required us to abridge and perform Shakespeare’s plays, for example.
What choices did you make in your undergrad that contributed to your career success / journey?
For me, it was important that I chose a path I was interested in and that played to my strengths (philosophy), rather than one that seemed to have a more obvious career path (commerce). Working on things that actually interested me was key to motivating me to try my best, which helped me get better grades and, of course, kept me sane during the endless hours of study! The other thing I did that ended up being important, although I didn’t know it at the time, was volunteer work. For me, volunteering ended up being a way to get experience in an area that I might not have been able to get paid work in (because I wasn’t experienced yet), but that gave me useful skills and knowledge I was able to draw on later in my career.
What was your first job after graduation and what other jobs did you have before landing your current position?
After I finished my Arts degree, I pursued a law degree, so my first real job after graduation was working as an articled student at a law firm. Once I finished articling, I remained at the same firm as an associate lawyer. I practiced corporate-commercial litigation, which mostly involved disputes between companies over breach of contract.
Is your current career path as you originally intended? What challenges did you face in launching your career?
Not at all! After law school, I of course assumed that I would be a lawyer for my whole working life. However, I found the practice of law very different from law school, and the practice didn’t necessarily play to my likes and strengths. I’d assumed most of my time would be spent drafting legal arguments and considering complex issues; in reality, I was expected to do a lot of networking and client development. I also found work-life balance a challenge. So after several years of practice, I decided to start looking for a different line of work. I came upon the opportunity in Indigenous Relations at BC Hydro, and the rest is history!
What do you like about your current job and what do you find challenging? How does it relate to your degree?
I like that my work is constantly changing. No project that BC Hydro completed with a First Nation is the same as the next, and the legal and policy context around Indigenous issues in Canada has also changed remarkably in the last few years with things like the Tsilhqot’in decision and the Federal and Provincial Governments’ commitments to implement the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples. I also like that my work is ultimately directed towards a broader social goal of fostering reconciliation with Indigenous peoples. The constant change can make the work quite challenging though – just when you think you have things figured out, they change. My particular role is responsible for policy and strategy, so while it doesn’t directly relate to my degree, I think lots of the skills I picked up during my degree (writing skills, the ability to see both sides of an issue) have been really important in this role.
From your experience, what has been the value of having an Arts degree?
The most valuable skills I took from my Arts degree were communication skills, without a doubt. The ability to write clearly and concisely, and the ability to speak with confidence to an audience, have been important no matter what role I was in. I’ve had managers allow me opportunities to brief and present to senior executives within the company because they had confidence I would be able to do so in a way that would resonate with those audiences. Interestingly, I’ve found that good communication skills are not necessarily all that common, so they can give you an advantage in scenarios where all your coworkers share equivalent technical skills.
What advice would you give to students and alumni interested in breaking into your industry?
In this job, or any job where you’re working with external communities, the issues can be very tough, and sometimes very emotional, for people. It’s really important to be able to separate the people from the issues (so that, for example, you’re not being unkind to someone just because you don’t like their position on an issue).
Leah Manson
Why did you choose your program at UBC and what did you enjoy most about it?
When I started at UBC, I initially thought I was going to go into commerce and pursue a career in marketing. However, I found I enjoyed all of my Arts classes, particularly philosophy, far more than the economics and other commerce-oriented classes I was taking, so I decided to pursue a Bachelor of Arts instead. I loved the thinking and writing aspects of my philosophy classes, and the way they taught me to be willing to challenge my own views and see issues from all sides. From there, proceeding on to a law degree felt like a good fit.
What were some of your most meaningful experiences at UBC?
Some of my best experiences at UBC were ones I didn’t particularly plan for. One year, for example, I ended up taking a global comparative women’s studies class because it was the only thing that fit with my desired schedule. Not only was it one of the more interesting courses I have ever taken, it also exposed me to areas of study I wouldn’t have previously considered (cultural studies, women’s studies) but did afterwards. I also really enjoyed classes where some of the learning was done in creative ways – the Shakespeare class that required us to abridge and perform Shakespeare’s plays, for example.
What choices did you make in your undergrad that contributed to your career success / journey?
For me, it was important that I chose a path I was interested in and that played to my strengths (philosophy), rather than one that seemed to have a more obvious career path (commerce). Working on things that actually interested me was key to motivating me to try my best, which helped me get better grades and, of course, kept me sane during the endless hours of study! The other thing I did that ended up being important, although I didn’t know it at the time, was volunteer work. For me, volunteering ended up being a way to get experience in an area that I might not have been able to get paid work in (because I wasn’t experienced yet), but that gave me useful skills and knowledge I was able to draw on later in my career.
What was your first job after graduation and what other jobs did you have before landing your current position?
After I finished my Arts degree, I pursued a law degree, so my first real job after graduation was working as an articled student at a law firm. Once I finished articling, I remained at the same firm as an associate lawyer. I practiced corporate-commercial litigation, which mostly involved disputes between companies over breach of contract.
Is your current career path as you originally intended? What challenges did you face in launching your career?
Not at all! After law school, I of course assumed that I would be a lawyer for my whole working life. However, I found the practice of law very different from law school, and the practice didn’t necessarily play to my likes and strengths. I’d assumed most of my time would be spent drafting legal arguments and considering complex issues; in reality, I was expected to do a lot of networking and client development. I also found work-life balance a challenge. So after several years of practice, I decided to start looking for a different line of work. I came upon the opportunity in Indigenous Relations at BC Hydro, and the rest is history!
What do you like about your current job and what do you find challenging? How does it relate to your degree?
I like that my work is constantly changing. No project that BC Hydro completed with a First Nation is the same as the next, and the legal and policy context around Indigenous issues in Canada has also changed remarkably in the last few years with things like the Tsilhqot’in decision and the Federal and Provincial Governments’ commitments to implement the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples. I also like that my work is ultimately directed towards a broader social goal of fostering reconciliation with Indigenous peoples. The constant change can make the work quite challenging though – just when you think you have things figured out, they change. My particular role is responsible for policy and strategy, so while it doesn’t directly relate to my degree, I think lots of the skills I picked up during my degree (writing skills, the ability to see both sides of an issue) have been really important in this role.
From your experience, what has been the value of having an Arts degree?
The most valuable skills I took from my Arts degree were communication skills, without a doubt. The ability to write clearly and concisely, and the ability to speak with confidence to an audience, have been important no matter what role I was in. I’ve had managers allow me opportunities to brief and present to senior executives within the company because they had confidence I would be able to do so in a way that would resonate with those audiences. Interestingly, I’ve found that good communication skills are not necessarily all that common, so they can give you an advantage in scenarios where all your coworkers share equivalent technical skills.
What advice would you give to students and alumni interested in breaking into your industry?
In this job, or any job where you’re working with external communities, the issues can be very tough, and sometimes very emotional, for people. It’s really important to be able to separate the people from the issues (so that, for example, you’re not being unkind to someone just because you don’t like their position on an issue).
