Attention all those students eyeing St. James as their potential post-secondary home, or any students already studying at the St. James campus currently! Let me tell you four things you need to know about George Brown so that you can take full advantage of your time there. The information I am about to give you is specific to the programs that are taught on the St. James campus, so if you are interested in any of those programs, take notes!
Accomplished Professors
There are actually many professors that teach at this school who have jaw-dropping experiences all around the globe. Especially within the culinary program which is at the St. James campus, there are many professional chefs that teach you how to cook! It is not every day where you can say that. For instance, they have Chef Riley Bennett who has competed with Culinary Team Canada and Culinary Team Alberta. This means he has competed provincially, nationally, and internationally! Chef Bennett is just one of many professors who have these huge accolades, so you really will be learning from the best.
Experiential Learning
Students have repeatedly mentioned that the programs at this campus have a great emphasis on experiential learning, where you are not just learning theories in-class, but you also have the chance to use your hands to do the actual work outside of the classroom walls. Can you imagine learning how to cook with just a pencil and paper? That would be a nightmare. Thankfully, the school recognizes this and implements lots of chances for you to have hands-on learning. This can be done by allowing you to work in work placements, simulation facilities, laboratories, and studios. So learning will definitely be more fun as you really get the chance to test your practical skills as well.
Chance to Travel
Imagine waking up and going to school in Peru. How about Costa Rica? Or even India? Some of these programs have a travel component that is literally part of your education, so it gives you the chance to go and study abroad! For example, the Tourism and Hospitality Management Diploma program has a 14-week industry externship implemented during the fourth semester of the program. For this externship, you get to choose where you want to study in the country or outside of the country. This expands your knowledge as you get to learn more about the world that you otherwise do not get much exposure to here in Toronto. You also get to grow your network and it would look amazing on your resume and also sounds cool when you brag about it to your friends and family. There are also Experiential Study Tours that the school runs that you can choose to go to where you can develop your international tourism knowledge. Some of the options of countries that you can visit include Peru, Europe, Spain, Costa Rica, Thailand, and India. So if travelling is something that you really want to do and do not want to have to wait until you have time off after school to go, both of your wants will be met by travelling during school. And of course you get credits while studying abroad so not only do you get to explore the world but it allows you to progress in getting your diploma as well. That sounds like a win-win situation to me!
Progress to Attain Certifications
Since many programs at George Brown focus both on theory and hands-on learning, you actually end up learning and experiencing a lot about your major. Matter-of-fact, many programs at George Brown are made specifically to cater towards a professional association’s standards, meaning you will be learning in accordance to standards that are recognized either nationally or internationally. For example, in the Tourism and Hospitality Management Diploma Program, you work towards attaining industry certifications in food safety, responsible beverage service, the TICO Travel Counsellor Certification, and first aid. These are all well-recognized certifications that would be a boost on your resume. So if certifications are important to you or you need them for the industry you intend to work in, make sure you look at the programs and what they can provide for you carefully to see if there are any certifications you can attain while you are simultaneously earning credits towards your diploma. This is really convenient because it would have saved you the off-school hours you would have spent getting these certifications from other third parties.
Conclusion
These are some of the things you may not have been aware of about the school, so find out what you enjoy and how you learn best and if these are a match for you, then definitely look into the programs at the St. James campus!
