Back to School Again

For the past several seasons, guests have heard me thank my talented technical producer Corey Stroeder. This year, Corey decided to go back to school again to upgrade his skills.

Jackie Lessard spent over two decades working as an emergency room nurse when she decided to take her career in a slightly different direction and pursue a master’s in nursing.

A PhD was the final requirement Germaine Chan needed to land her dream job as a professor. Yet, the pathway to earning a PhD was anything but straightforward.

Bobbi Scott loved her work as a nurse and loved living in Northern Canada. However, she knew that taking on more duties and serving a wider range of patients meant needing to become a registered nurse.

Lola and Katelyn are a mother daughter duo who recently completed the Women Building Future program.

Microsoft executive Tim O’Brien always wanted to study law but he didn’t want to become a lawyer. It took 20 years to find the perfect program - a master’s in jurisprudence at the University of Washington.

Kristin Zabos had a successful business and loved her work as a wedding photographer. However, a medical situation which led to major surgery meant she had to wrap up that career and find something else.

Just as Allan Reid was ready to return to school his husband was ready to retire and travel the world. They found some middle ground with Athabasca University’s distance and online learning offerings.

HR specialist, Gabriel Wilhelm, recently completed a bachelor’s degree in human resources and labour relations from Athabasca University while also working as a recruiter.

How do you stay focused on completing your research when the world is falling apart? I’m joined by my MACT colleagues Cedric Cordero and Jane Duffy to hear how they made it work.

We're back! This back to school season is all about online learning and we're proud to partner with Athabasca University, Canada's online university.

Katrina reviews her final homework assignment for the Athabaca University PowerED course, Machine Learning for Competitive Advantage, with data scientist Marcin Mizianty.

Machine learning and artificial intelligence are transforming pretty much every aspect of our lives. How can non-technical people better understand ML and figure out how use it in their business?

Learning should seamlessly fit into your life, your workplace and be easily accessible on demand. That’s the premise behind PowerED, an exciting new offering from Athabasca University.

Online learning is a hot topic these days. Dr. Neil Fassina is the President of Athabasca University, Canada's online University. Athabasca U is celebrating 50 years as an innovator in delivering remote education.

This special mini-series created in partnership with Athabasca University explores online learning, micro-credentialing and machine learning. Launches April 14th.

A corporate restructuring gave Dan Chernyk the chance to return to the classroom. Building on the skills he gained as a manager in telecommunications, he decided to focus on studying Human Resources at MacEwan University.

Shari-Anne Doolaege’s early career in local government led her to pursue post-secondary studies. While working on a Master of Public Administration at Dalhousie University, she also launched a company and raised two teenagers.

Imagine working on a PhD for recreation that's also focused on the topic of recreation. That's exactly what Jane Hurly is doing. At the age of 67, she's in the final stages of a PhD in leisure studies with the Faculty of Kinesiology, Sport and Recreation at the University of Alberta.

When you hear the profession archaeologist, you might envision Indiana Jones, Tomb Raider or perhaps, Jurassic Park. Dr. Robin Woywitka is a real-life archaeologist who spent a large portion of his career working with the Archaeological Survey of Alberta.

Immigrating to a new country comes with many challenges. Often education attained in your home country is not recognized in Canada. That's one of the issues encountered by Nimaya Lodu, a former HR Administrator who came to Canada from South Sudan in 2011.

Identity and heritage. These are important themes for NorQuest staff member, Elliott Young, a Nehiyaw (Cree) from Ermineskin Cree Nation. Elliott is working on his master's in community engagement at the University of Alberta and he is part of the team helping NorQuest College implement its Indigenous strategy.

Managing school and work is tough enough when you have a regular job. How do you make it work when you are self-employed?

Season two features conversations with entrepreneurs who balanced school with running their business, a new immigrant rebuilding his life in Canada, a NorQuest College staff member enhancing his professional credentials and folks who chose to take on a PhD a little later in life.

Donna Dawson spent 35 years as a public health nurse and while she loved her work, she also loved music.

Many people have a mid-life epiphany that they should have followed their dream to pursue their passion in the arts. Darrell Pidner had the opposite experience.

Without the support of her family, Vanessia Baker found life as a student in her early twenties a real financial struggle.

Sgt. David Jones of the Edmonton Police Services is racking up the Airmiles commuting to Cambridge University in the UK as he undertakes a Master’s in Applied Criminology and Police Management.

Leanne Miller only applied to university because she was sure she would NOT get in. Imagine her surprise when MacEwan University accepted her application to the Public Relations program!

As a young mother with a special needs child, Rdina Danaf took the brave step of returning to the classroom. Her seven year journey started at NorQuest College with academic upgrading.

For forty years, Gordon Holub battled serious addictions. In his early fifties, he got clean and decided it was time to try a new path at NorQuest College.

Before Jessica Kelly decided to become an electrician, she had tried almost everything. Now, she’s in her 2nd year towards earning her journeyman papers.

Cary Williams has a plan for pretty much everything! This Certified Financial Planner is about to complete a close to a decade long journey to achieve his Chartered Investment Manager designation.

Former radio exec turned podcast host, Katrina Ingram explains why she left the media world to return to school and pursue a master’s degree. Special guests Jane Duffy and Kaly Vittala share their experiences in the MACT Program at the U of A.

Coming soon...Back to School Again. A podcast for mid-life learners. Generously supported by the team at NorQuest College.