Don’t want to commit to just one career path? Being flexible can lead you on some amazing adventures.

On today’s episode, Katy and Emma speak with Mark Leiren-Young who was UVic's second ever double major, in Theatre and Creative Writing and who currently works as a UVic professor in the Writing department, among many other roles.

We chat with Mark about:

• Working in creative fields as diverse as writing award-winning movies The Green Chain and the Hundred-Year-Old Whale
• Hosting the Skaana podcast, where he covers ocean-related environmental issues
• Touring Canada as half of the comedy duo, Local Anxiety
• Teaching classes on the Marvel and DC universes

…and much more!

Resources from this episode

• Skaana podcast
• UVic Writing Program
• The UVic Co-op Program
• Accessing career support

Connect with us

• Sign up for our weekly e-newsletter
• Follow UVic Co-op and Career on social media

• (00:00) - Music intro
• (00:32) - Welcome and host intros
• (02:18) - All about Mark Leiren-Young
• (03:20) - Stumbling into a journalism job after graduating in the late 80's
• (05:42) - Why it's important to study something you love
• (06:56) - A cornucopia of all the jobs that Mark has done in the arts
• (09:17) - What's the common thread in careers by creative people?
• (11:02) - How Mark started writing tv scripts in the 90's, starting with an episode of The X Files
• (12:22) - How Mark landed the writing gig for the Orca Exhibit at the Royal BC Museum and became "the whale guy"
• (16:05) - How Mark became a podcaster focused on stories about Orcas
• (20:15) - How Mark helps students from all disciplines tap into their creative side in FA 101 "Creative Being"
• (23:43) - Mark's advice on how to translate your passion for the arts into a career you love
• (26:02) - Rapid fire: what's something on campus that's stayed the same since the 80s
• (26:51) - Rapid fire: best place to grab food on campus

Wondering if you should come back to school for a graduate degree? It’s a big question, but we’re here to help.

This week, Katy and Emma connect with Allison Benner, the associate director of UVic’s Career Services team to talk about:

• What kind of research to do
• Whether it’s worth the time and money
• The reality of today’s economy and the job market

Resources from this episode

• Accessing career support
• Co-op for graduate students
• Applying to graduate school

Connect with us

• Sign up for our weekly e-newsletter
• Follow UVic Co-op and Career on social media

Photo by Kimberly Farmer on Unsplash.

• (00:00) - Intro music
• (00:32) - Welcome & introductions
• (02:32) - Introduction to Allison Benner, associate director of UVic Career Services
• (03:32) - Allison shares what she learned from dropping out of her first graduate school
• (06:16) - How to decide what the right grad program is for you
• (09:35) - How to stand out in your grad school application
• (13:00) - How to approach applying to grad school if you've been out of school for a while
• (14:34) - The cost of going to grad school
• (16:52) - Do you need to go to grad school to get a good job?
• (18:52) - How to make the most of your grad school experience
• (19:56) - How co-op can enrich your grad school experience
• (22:43) - What to research when you're looking at grad schools
• (27:02) - How grad school can help you follow your passion

Have a business idea? Not sure how to get it off the ground?

In this episode, Emma and Kate speak with Ashley and Robert Roulston, co-founders of Industrial Plankton, a company that makes equipment to grow live algae cultures that are used to stabilize the aquaculture food chain. Fourteen years into their business, they share tips on:

• How to form a partnership that combines different degrees and skill sets
• What it’s like to build a business from scratch
• Why they hire UVic co-op students

…and much more!

Resources from this episode

• Industrial Plankton
• The UVic Co-op Program
• Coast Capital Innovation Centre
• Accessing career support

Connect with us

• Sign up for our weekly e-newsletter
• Follow UVic Co-op and Career on social media

• (00:00) - Intro music
• (00:32) - Welcome and introductions
• (02:45) - The algae of it all: how is algae used in aquaculture and biotechnology?
• (04:20) - What technology does Industrial Plankton make and how does this help the world?
• (05:08) - How did Ashley and Robert come up with the idea for their business, Industrial Plankton?
• (06:35) - How to set yourself up for success when partnering in your own business
• (07:57) - How to start an entrepreneurial business as a student
• (11:05) - How have things changed 14 years into your business? What have you learned?
• (12:32) - What skills do you look for in an employee?
• (13:53) - Ashley and Robert share what they learned through the co-op program
• (15:42) - What do co-op students do at Industrial Plankton?
• (17:24) - What does a day-in-the-life look like as business owners?
• (20:12) - What are some of the most exciting problems that Industrial Plankton helps solve?
• (21:41) - How Industrial Plankton is tackling climate change and ecological restoration
• (23:46) - Rapid fire questions with Ashley and Robert about their time at UVic
• (29:10) - Episode credits

Learn what self-disclosure means in the workplace.