Have a story to tell?

From January to March I teach a course entitled Professional Practice, which is part of the Advertising and Marketing Communications Management Program at Algonquin College. This is a program that I graduated from when typewriters were the norm, and which I eventually led in the nineties—until the internet lured me away.

The course is for students about to graduate from the three-year program and is intended to help with the transition from school to the workplace, the course outline reads:

“Attitude, communication, and human relations are the key to surviving in the ever-changing world of advertising. This course helps you prepare for workplace success by providing practical expectations and useful tools to make a successful transition from school to workplace. The course discusses self-management, workplace politics and etiquette, building relationships, and tools for the future.”

A key part of the course is the speaker’s program where professionals just like you share their wisdom and insights into the real world.

The main themes of the course are a personal brand, networking, and finance with an emphasis on the first two.  I try to bring in a variety of people from recent graduates to experienced mavens and not every speaker is from the communications industry. Some speakers dive deep into relevant topics while others simply tell their career story and engage in conversation.  Self-awareness and career success are two common themes we explore, usually within a marketing context.

If you have some insight to share or an interesting (and motivating) story to tell, I would like to hear from you. 

This year there are potentially 15, 45-minute speaking spots available on Thursday afternoons from January 10 to March 7.  The detailed schedule and other information is available in this google document.

Thanks, I hope the new year is good to you.

Thom

As many of you know, in addition to working in Open Government, I teach a course entitled Professional Practice,which is part of the Advertising and Marketing Communications Management Program at Algonquin College. A program that I graduated from when typewriters were the norm, and which I eventually led in the nineties—until the internet lured me away.

The course is for graduating students and helps students transition from school to the workplace, the blurb from the program outline reads:

“Attitude, communication, and human relations are the key to surviving in the ever-changing world of advertising. This course helps you prepare for workplace success by providing practical expectations and useful tools to make a successful transition from school to workplace. The course discusses self-management, workplace politics and etiquette, building relationships, and tools for the future.”

A key part of the course is the speakers program where professionals just like you come in for an hour to share their wisdom and insights into the real world.

The main themes of the course are  personal brand, networking, and finance with an emphasis on the first two.  I try to bring in a variety of people, and not every speaker is from the communications industry. Some speakers dive deep into relevant topics while others simply tell their career story and engage in conversation.  Self awareness and career success are two common themes we explore, usually within a marketing context.

If you have some insight to share or an interesting (and motivating) story to tell, I would like to hear from you. This year there are potentially 18, 45 minute speaking spots available on Thursdays from January 12 to March 16.  The detailed schedule and other information is available in this google document.

Thanks, I hope the new year is good to you.
Thom

As many of you know, in addition to working in Open Government, I teach a course entitled Professional Practice,which is part of the Advertising and Marketing Communications Management Program at Algonquin College. A program that I graduated from when typewriters were the norm, and which I eventually led in the nineties—until the internet lured me away.

The course is for graduating students and helps students transition from school to the workplace, the blurb from the program outline reads:

“Attitude, communication, and human relations are the key to surviving in the ever-changing world of advertising. This course helps you prepare for workplace success by providing practical expectations and useful tools to make a successful transition from school to workplace. The course discusses self-management, workplace politics and etiquette, building relationships, and tools for the future.”

A key part of the course is the speakers program where professionals just like you come in for an hour to share their wisdom and insights into the real world.

The main themes of the course are  personal brand, networking, and finance with an emphasis on the first two.  I try to bring in a variety of people, and not every speaker is from the communications industry. Some speakers dive deep into relevant topics while others simply tell their career story and engage in conversation.  Self awareness and career success are two common themes we explore, usually within a marketing context.

If you have some insight to share or an interesting (and motivating) story to tell, I would like to hear from you. This year there are potentially 16, 45 minute speaking spots available on Thursdays from January 14 to March 17.  The detailed schedule and other information is available in this google document.

Thanks, I hope the new year is good to you.
Thom

As many of you know, in addition to consulting I often teach part-time. This winter I am doing a course entitled Professional Practice,which is part of the Advertising and Marketing Communications Management Program at Algonquin College. A program that I graduated from when typewriters were the norm, and which I eventually led in the nineties—until the internet lured me away.

The course is for graduating students and helps students transition from school to the workplace, the blurb from the program outline reads:

“Attitude, communication, and human relations are the key to surviving in the ever-changing world of advertising. This course helps you prepare for workplace success by providing practical expectations and useful tools to make a successful transition from school to workplace. The course discusses self-management, workplace politics and etiquette, building relationships, and tools for the future.”

A key part of the course is the speakers program where professionals just like you come in for an hour to share their wisdom and insights into the real world.

The main themes of the course are  personal brand, networking, and finance with an emphasis on the first two.  I try to bring in a variety of people, and not every speaker is from the communications industry. Some speakers dive deep into relevant topics while others simply tell their career story and engage in conversation.  Self awareness and career success are two common themes we explore, usually within a marketing context.

If you have some insight to share or an interesting story to tell, I would like to hear from you. This year there are potentially 16, 45 minute speaking spots available on Thursdays from January 8 to March 5.  The detailed schedule and other information is available in this google document.

Thanks, I hope the new year is good to you.
Thom

As many of you know, in addition to consulting I often teach part-time. This winter I am doing a course entitled Professional Practice,which is part of the Advertising and Marketing Communications Program at Algonquin College. A program that I graduated from when typewriters were the norm and which I eventually led in the nineties until the internet lured me away. The course is for graduating students and helps students make the transformation from school to the workplace, the blurb from the program outline reads:

“Attitude, communication, and human relations are the key to surviving in the ever-changing world of advertising. This course helps you prepare for workplace success by providing practical expectations and useful tools to make a successful transition from school to workplace. The course discusses self-management, workplace politics and etiquette, building relationships, and tools for the future.”

A key part of the course is the speakers program where professionals just like you come in for an hour to share their wisdom and insights into the real world.

The main themes of the course are  personal brand, networking, and finance with an emphasis on the first two.  I try to bring in a variety of people, and not every speaker is from the Communications industry. Some speakers dive deep into relevant topics while others simply tell their career story and engage in conversation with the students. If you have some insight to share or an interesting story to tell, I would like to hear from you.

There are potentially 18 one hour speaking spots available on Wednesdays from January 8 to March 12 between 12:00 and 2:00 PM. Lectures take place in the J building at the Woodroofe campus of Algonquin College in Ottawa.  We should be able to offer web conferencing if you are outside of Ottawa.

The detailed schedule and other information is available in this google document.

Thanks, hope 2014 is good to you.
Thom

Update: December 13, 2013
I will be doing this again in the new year, if you are interested, let me know.———————————————————–

As many of you know I sometimes teach part time. This winter I am doing a course entitled Professional Practice,which is part of the Advertising Creative program at Algonquin College. A program that I graduated from when typewriters were the norm and which I ran for a number of years until the internet lured me away.  The course is for graduating students and is intended to help with the transition from school to work place, the blurb from the program outline reads:

“Attitude, communication, and human relations are the key to surviving in the ever-changing world of advertising. This course helps you prepare for workplace success by providing practical expectations and useful tools to make a successful transition from school to workplace. The course discusses self-management, workplace politics and etiquette, building relationships, and tools for the future.”

A key part of the course is the speakers program where professionals just like you come in for an hour to share their wisdom and insights into the real world. There are potentially 18 one hour speaking spots available on Friday mornings,  January 11 to March 15 between 10:00 AM and 12:00 AM.   Lectures take place in the Room J209 in the J  building at the Woodroofe campus of Algonquin College in Ottawa. I am pretty sure that we should be able to accommodate a web conferencing if you are located out of town.

The schedule of available times is in this google document.

If you have experience or thoughts to share that might be useful to someone entering the marketing communications workforce, please let me know what you would like to speak about and we can work something out.

Thanks, hope 2013 is good to you.

Thom

UPDATE

We brainstormed some ideas last class and some of the topics that students would like to hear about inlcude:

As many of you know I sometimes teach part time. This winter I am doing a course entitled Professional Practice,which is part of the Advertising Creative program at Algonquin College. A program that I graduated from when typewriters were the norm and which I ran for a number of years until the internet lured me away.  The course is for graduating students and is intended to help with the transition from school to work place, the blurb from the program outline reads:

“Attitude, communication, and human relations are the key to surviving in the ever-changing world of advertising. This course helps you prepare for workplace success by providing practical expectations and useful tools to make a successful transition from school to workplace. The course discusses self-management, workplace politics and etiquette, building relationships, and tools for the future.”

A key part of the course is the speakers program where professionals just like you come in for an hour to share their wisdom and insights into the real world. There are potentially 18 one hour speaking spots available on Friday mornings,  January 6 to March 11 between 9:00 AM and 11:00 AM.   Lectures take place in the N building at the Woodroofe campus of Algonquin College in Ottawa. I am pretty sure that we should be able to accommodate a web conferencing if you are located out of town.

If you have experience or thoughts to share that might be useful to someone entering the marketing communications workforce, please let me know what you would like to speak about and we can work something out.

Thanks, hope 2012 is good to you.

Thom

As many of you know I sometimes teach part time. This winter I am doing a course entitled Professional Practice,which is part of the Advertising Creative program at Algonquin College. A program that I graduated from when typewriters were the norm and which I ran for a number of years until the internet lured me away.  The course is for graduating students and is intended to help with the transition from school to work place, the blurb from the program outline reads:

“Attitude, communication, and human relations are the key to surviving in the ever-changing world of advertising. This course helps you prepare for workplace success by providing practical expectations and useful tools to make a successful transition from school to workplace. The course discusses self-management, workplace politics and etiquette, building relationships, and tools for the future.”

A key part of the course is the speakers program where professionals just like you come in for an hour to share their wisdom and insights into the real world. There are potentially 18 one hour speaking spots available on Friday mornings,  January 14 to March 11 between 9:00 AM and 11:00 AM.   Lectures take place in the N building at the Woodroofe campus of Algonquin College in Ottawa. I am pretty sure that we should be able to accommodate a web conferencing if you are located out of town.

I already have six great folks lined up to speak on the following topics:

• Managing a national ad campaign program (client side) and the client/agency relationship
• Selling yourself for a job/client/date…same message
• Strategic Roadmap to Social Media for GC communicators
• Puzzles and Mysteries
• Government vs private sector
• Starting your own business

I have room for up to 12 more people and topics.  If you have experience or thoughts to share that might be useful to someone entering the communications workforce, please let me know what you would like to speak about and we can work something out.

Thanks, hope 2011 is good to you.

Thom

As many of you know, I teach part time. This year it is 4th year students in the BIT Program at Carleton University. The course is called Advanced Topics and the idea is to explore new topics, add depth to some already covered in the program. Students will be graduating at the end of this term and looking for work.

At our first class last Friday,  we talked about some of the areas they would like to explore in more depth.  These are listed below.  I am looking for folks with experience in these areas to speak to the class for 60-120 minutes. Depending on the topic and your style, it may be a lecture followed by Q&A , a demo, or simply a discussion. There is no payment.   The class occurs on Fridays from 2:30-5:50 until April, at Carleton University in Ottawa.

The Topics:

• After Effects
• Flex/Air
• Mobile programing
• 3D projection, TV and other technologies
• Interactive interfaces with reality
• How to find a job using the internet
• Audio; music, SFX, and production
• Promotion, of the tradeshow variety
• Professional networking
• Social Media (Ap Dev for)
• Branding (partly covered, but could use more)
• Open source
• other topics relevant to Interactive Multimedia and Design

If you are interested please let me know and we will organize something.
Here is the Course Outline for more detailed information.

Thanks

Thom