The Latest

The Vancouver Aboriginal Friendship Centre, a non for profit charitable organization, has been meeting the needs of aboriginal people making a transition to the urban Vancouver community since its doors opened in 1963. Read about one 17 year-olds summer experience.

We believe there is a need to restore the traditional Aboriginal values of honour, respect and equality. The Circle of Life includes elders, lifegivers, men, and youth. All have a right to live in non-violent families and communities.

Needless to say, we all want to succeed while being interviewed. Yet it seems no matter how much we prepare, we always come across at least one question that stumps us. This three-part series explores the 12 most commonly asked, commonly-feared interview questions - and gives you the tools to rock the socks off your interviewer!

This entry of Diary of a Marketing Co-op asks how you can balance a level of assertiveness necessary to get your job done, without steamrolling everyone around you.

You’ve done all you can do to prepare for that big interview. You’re professionally dressed, confident and ready to roll. Here are some last minute tips that will ensure you make the best impression possible. 

Do telephone interviews intimidate you? Increasingly, more and more companies are using phone  interviews to weed out potential employees and decide who will move on to the next round. If you're scared of phone interviews, read on for some tips!

Open letter to my friends, relatives, colleagues and supporters of  c̓əsnaʔəm. Calling to Action.

Just think how easy it is for young children to answer the question, "what do you want to be when you grow up?" Most kids won't hesitate to answer, even if their responses seem unrealistic, even impossible to our imaginatively-impaired minds. Not surprisingly, the answer to that question becomes much more evasive as the natural ease and strength of our imagination fades. Is there a way to get it back?

BC Ideas is an online competition, which asks British Columbians like you to bring forward innovative ideas and programs that address the challenges facing our province.

Get connected to employers, mentors and career development opportunities through the Aboriginal Human Resource Council!

The Canadian Cancer Society is a national, community-based organization whose mission is the eradication of cancer and the enhancement of the quality of life of people living with cancer. 

The Cariboo Chilcotin Aboriginal Training Employment Center (CCATEC) is a nonprofit society, training unemployed First Nations for employment, First Nations, living in the Cariboo Chilcotin.

More than just a job! Join our public safety team! At the Correctional Service of Canada (CSC), putting in a day’s work means helping to keep your community safe.

Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce (CIBC) is dedicated to providing financial services to North American Indian, Inuit and Metis people through our Aboriginal Banking Team. Join this team of experts and you’ll bring the new skills and training we provide to help meet the changing and diverse needs of the people in your community.

Portfolio tips straight from the employers, they share with us what they look for in online portfolios and how they decide who they’re bringing in for interviews. 

During the lightning round Natalie was shortlisted for a third job interview and was ultimately offered a co-op job! She reflects on her latest interview experience and shares some very important insights you should know to succeed at your next job interview.

Have a cold? Take this medicine. Feeling sad? Take these pills. Not sure what to do with your life? Find someone to give you the answer. Anything will do, as long as it doesn't involve a significant personal investment of our own time, effort, or mental energy - after all, we've got better things to do.

Take a read at this interview with Paul as he shares with us his first co-op experience at Drexel University in Philadelphia. 

Jessica Humchitt, a graduate of SFU Continuing Studies' Aboriginal Pre-Health Program, was recently awarded the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada Undergraduate Student Research Award for her work.

Vancouver Indigenous Media Arts Festival is an Aboriginal-run media arts organization rebuilding the West Coast’s film, video and media arts festival.  The organization endeavours to develop a crucial piece of infrastructure that has been missing from the Aboriginal cultural sector, as well as British Columbia’s creative industries.

Why talk about your work when you can show it?  Good portfolio pieces will help set you apart from other candidates. Here are some important tips from Co-op students, coordinators and employers on showcasing your portfolio during interviews.

You've always heard about how to prepare for interviews from your peers and your coordinators, but what about from an employer? Kim Steinbart of the BC Forest Service discusses common interview mistakes and provides tips on how to put your best foot forward.

Beat Nation: Hip Hop as Indigenous Culture is a website that focuses on the development of hip hop culture within Aboriginal youth communities and its influence on cultural production.

Vancouver Aboriginal Child & Family Services Society is a non-profit society providing service to urban Aboriginal children and families living in the Greater Vancouver area. We function across three offices as the largest designated urban Aboriginal agency in Canada. 

We strive to deliver a seamless, consistent and rewarding employment experience globally by developing policies and programs based on shared global principles. 

"I could, and should, expose the sickness that plagues Canada after a century of ignoring the many facets of aboriginal experience. And it empowered me to confront the darkness that I’ve witnessed in our own communities – substance abuse, corruption, and prejudice." Learn more about Duncan's journey...

The Aboriginal Pre-Health Program is a bridging program designed for Aboriginal high school graduates and mature students. The program helps students explore health career options and get the academic prerequisites they need to pursue post-secondary health or health science programs such as nursing, midwifery, or public health. 

Summer travel offers opportunities to explore, relax, and hang out with friends. Plus, if you are an open-minded and curious person, travel can be a eye opening, resume enhancing experience. Here are some ways that travel might make a difference in your career.

This fictitious and funny article provides you with some insight into important elements to consider in your cover letter. Communication Co-op Coordinator Marcia Shimizu gives the dirt on what not to do when writing a cover letter. 

Are you having a difficult time placing a co-op placement? You're not alone! Read about Natalie's disappointment with her second job interview, how she coped with her frustration and the lessons she took away from this experience to improve her interviewing skills and increase her chance at landing a job. 

To support Indigenous students that are in need of additional educational support the First Nations Student Association matches the Office for Aboriginal Peoples contribution of $5000 to the Indigenous Student Centre.

Laura looks into the top 10 reasons for Volunteering and explores why she chose to volunteer with the Vancouver Aquarium's Marine Mammal Rescue Center. Read more about what she discovered... 

So you applied for a co-op, internship or full-time position and the organization wants to schedule a pre-screen interview with you. Are you scratching your head and wondering what a pre-screen interview is and how you can prepare for it? Here are some must-know tips and questions that can increase your chance of moving on to the next round of the selection process!

Trying to get that dream job? More and more employers are now using search engines such as Google to find out more about potential employees. If you’re not sure if social media is enhancing your online presence, there are some things you can do.

So you went through the workshops, you took BOL I, and you’ve had your one-on-one with your advisor. Now what? Natalie asked herself the same question when she completed all the initial steps of Co-op. Read on to find out more about Natalie's job search and the lessons she took away from her first job interview.

Every day presents you with numerous opportunities to learn and improve yourself. Here are 5 tips to maximize every moment of your day to live your life to the fullest.

"Not only was I gaining experience, but I was making connections to people in my field who were always looking for innovative ideas, ways to create more business, and opportunities to network beyond our respective communities."

What would the characters in A Game of Thrones major in, if they went to a modern day university? I focused on the characters that I found most interesting or noteworthy in my reading of the series - you might have some of your own favourites that I don't get to - I invite you to join in with your own opinions!

Never give up. No matter what anyone says? As I say to my kids: “Stand tall, shoulders back and walk proud. You have to beleive in yourself, because you can do it!"

Have you ever thought about how amazing it is that we have the capacity to ​imagine​? What is it that gives me this ability to picture what my future might be like, or for artists to create and portray entire fantastical mental worlds, or for children to spend countless joyful hours pretending to be something or someone else? And what benefit can imagination have on our careers?

Do you have anything that you’ve always wanted to do – from baking to backpacking the wilderness to speaking in front of a crowd – but never muster up the courage to try?  If you are even thinking about tackling a “first”, you may be ready to stretch yourself and do something new.

Want to add to your portfolio but don't know where to start?  Why not try starting your own blog?  See how this recent Communication graduate landed his dream job while writing about his favourite sports team, the Canucks!  

Your résumé is your opportunity to demonstrate your skills, strengths, interest in a position and "appeal" to potential employers and express what you have to offer.
 

Dave knows full well the value of talking to a career professional (if he didn't he'd be in trouble). It's knowledge that he takes for granted, and every now and then he's made aware of the fact that the knowledge he knows, isn't common knowledge - in fact, most people probably have no idea what they can get from working with a career professional! Read Dave's advice on talking with a career professional, and how it will boast your professional developpment. 

Lindsay enjoys helping people achieve their goals and this experience has allowed her to follow and achieve her passion for improving services available to Indigenous students and potentially their overall academic success. Learn more about her experiences.

Mogouei shares with all women that are thinking of Mechatronic Systems Engineering as an ideal fit, because it allows you to explore various engineering disciplines and industry application. Armaghan Mogouei is following her dreams through her work with Ballard Power Systems.

Fusing the world of Business and Mechatronics, Brendon Sauer has shown that MSE students really can have the bFusing the world of Business and Mechatronics, Brendon Sauer has shown that MSE students really can have the best of both worlds. Read more about his experience at Discover Energy.

Chris Stewart is a junior engineer at Brock Solutions. He works in the development of control systems for airport baggage handling systems and has been working with Brock since November 2011. 

Professor Hunter, my family (Uncle Kelly, Mom and Grandparents) have and have always had great confidence in me. This is where my strength comes from. Like most youth/students (First Nations, Aboriginal, non-Aboriginal), there is a mixture of confusion, fear and excitement about what to do next.

The content of your resume should allow your reader to step into your shoes and see the value you brought to your previous employers, as this is where your potential worth as a future employee is best expressed. So do yourself a favour, and don't sell yourself short!

Is career advancement on your mind? Whether you are a current student, a recent grad, or have been in the workforce for a couple of years, for many of us, improving our position never seems far from our minds. Read on to find out about how you can move up the corporate ladder as a student.

Janine Roller looks back at her SFU co-op experience while speaking at her convocation. She shares how the path you take may not lead to where you expected to go, but it could end up somewhere better.

Janine Roller looks back at her SFU co-op experience while speaking at her convocation. She shares how the path you take may not lead to where you expected to go, but it could end up somewhere better.

Ronil landed not one but two co-op placements with The Vancouver Canucks. He shares with us his success tips in landing the back-to-back contrast contract. 

Alissa volunteers because she want to receive experience relating to areas of her studies in Criminology and her to fulfill her passion to help First Nations communities. Each of these organizations allows her to engage with Urban Aboriginal people. Learn more about her experiences.

"We lived the Metis life as my father hunted and trapped when he wasn't
 working to keep the family fed. My mother tanned hides, did beautiful beadwork and made clothing and bedding. We danced to the fiddle and sang." Read Bruce's story of how he became President of Metis Nation BC.

"We lived the Metis life as my father hunted and trapped when he wasn't
 working to keep the family fed. My mother tanned hides, did beautiful beadwork and made clothing and bedding. We danced to the fiddle and sang." 

Many of you will be saying farewell to dear SFU and to the life of a university student in a couple days. Now you are part of more than 118,000 SFU graduates all over the world. Before you say goodbye, know your benefits for being an SFU Alumni and take advantage of them.

As a co-op student, it's not a bad idea to explore your options by going to other interviews if you can, even when you have a job offer already. Check out Natalie's experience going for her fourth interview and a potential second job offer!

"With the uncertainty and changes in healthcare systems for our people and a separate health authority plan that will marginalize our people, I decided to be where my skills and services will be most beneficial." Read more to find out how a girl from Wetsuweten Nation became a leader in the Nursing field.