Am I going to end up working at Starbucks when I graduate? Are Arts degrees really valuable to employers? What can I do to build up employable skills while I’m in school?
From 12:30 to 2pm on November 29, Arts Career Strategist Carli Fink will be answering all your career questions on r/UBC, along with student, staff and alumni experts. A full list of panelists will be announced soon.
If you’re looking for a more in-depth career planning session, consider signing up for the Arts Career Design Studio December 7–9 – a 3-day virtual program where you’ll dive deep into design thinking and how it can help you explore what’s possible, connect with Arts alumni about their career stories, and learn the practical skills needed to find and land jobs. Registration closes December 5.
Looking for 1:1 advice? Carli also offers drop-in and scheduled advising appointments for Arts students.
The AMA post will open for questions on r/UBC on November 28, and we’ll share a link here once it goes up. Questions will be answered live on November 29, 12:30–2pm.
Meet the panelists
My fascination with questions about how life experience shapes our development drew me to a career in education. My experiences have afforded me the opportunity to work in numerous educational systems: public and private, K-12 and post-secondary, Canadian and American. I have served as UBC’s Arts Career Strategist since September 2021. It is an honour and a joy to work with students, staff, faculty, and alumni in support of undergraduate Arts students’ career development. I am also a proud Arts graduate myself, with a BA (Honours) in Psychology from Queen’s University in Ontario.
Ask me about: What you can do with your Arts degree, how to make career decisions, and how to communicate all that you’ve gained from your classes and experiences.
As a UBC Arts grad with a BA in English and Poli Sci and MA in English, I’ve experienced first-hand the power of an Arts degree in building a meaningful career. Looking in the rearview mirror, I can see how getting involved with student clubs as an undergraduate, working as an RA and then a TA as a grad student, and doing the BC Legislative Internship program after my undergrad really set me up for success. In my 25 years in UBC Arts I’ve worked to create programs and opportunities so all Arts students can gain experience during their degrees and graduate with a sense of confidence in their skills and knowledge.
Ask me about: ways to gain and leverage experience during your degree, including through the Arts Co-op program; how to connect with employers or sectors you’re interested in; and how design thinking can help you build your way forward from wherever you are right now.
I am a 4th-year international student majoring in Economics. I hope to pursue a master's in data science or analytics to obtain a tech job. I am currently working as a Data Access Assistant for Population Data BC. During my time at UBC, I have made sure to take advantage of the numerous opportunities given to students to obtain professional experiences and develop various skills.
Ask me about: Work Learn, international students, and the Arts Career Design Studio program.
Arts Career Design Studio is part of a series of events in The Compass: Arts Students Engagement Hub. Learn the fundamentals of design thinking and how it can be applied to your career planning.
