A vision for the future

“What career path should I take?” The path following high school is seldom linear. Some people dive headfirst into a post-secondary program while others try a few different things before arriving at their career choice. Sometimes it all comes down to knowing what opportunities are out there.

On a brisk November morning, a busload of TCHC youths arrived at Centennial College’s Progress campus to spend the day learning about different career pathways, hearing from career counsellors and staff, and touring the facilities. The day was billed as “Career Day,” made possible by Centennial College and TCHC’s True Vision program.

Developed in 2021, True Vision is an eight-week youth career development and employment program funded by the Wealthsimple Foundation. It provides workshops in job hunting, networking, scholarship applications and financial literacy. “True Vision provides the first step on one’s successful academic journey” explains Philip Auguste, Tenant and Community Service Program Coordinator, and founder of the True Vision program. “Learning about other pathways through the True Vision program has been helpful,” said Adolphina Wilson, who is seeking a career change and dreams of becoming her own boss one day. Over the last two years, different groups of young people have had the opportunity to tour McMaster University, Seneca College King Campus and now, Centennial College.

Michelle Solomon, Outreach Coordinator at Centennial College, says that Career Day is about “providing students with the opportunity to view post-secondary education opportunities that are available and helping them build a career path that works best for who they are and where they are at.” She says that helping underserved communities is a shared objective between TCHC and Centennial College. “Working with underserved communities and marginalized youth builds confidence and allows them to grow. We both want to provide them with support and resources that help them get where they want to be.”

Matthew Jordan, a TCHC tenant youth, agrees and says that “events like Career Day help me understand what topics I need to consider looking into, as well as helping me to get a better perspective on what I need to focus on further for my future.”

Are you interested in applying for the True Vision program? You can find out more on our website at True Vision program. To learn more about Centennial College and what they can offer you, visit centennialcollege.ca.