by Stacy Dunn
Holland College’s Office of Retention, Part-time Study, and Career Services offers academic support, academic advising, and career preparation support as students continue their educational journey.
The support offered for career preparation assists students to investigate their interests and goals through career preparation workshops, exploration tools and assessments and provides networking opportunities with potential employers.
Haley Doherty is new to her role this year as Employment and Career Advisor. She guides and supports students through the different questions and challenges that relate to employment and career services.
“I help students look at their values, passions, and skills, and use different resources to figure out how those translate to a career,” says Haley. “Many Holland College programs are career-focused with a specific employment outcome, while others offer more opportunity to explore different paths.”
Her role is to help students navigate labour market information and coach them on job searching skills. She can meet one-on-one with a student, facilitate group discussions, or organize industry panels and job fairs with employers.
Haley pursued a Master of Education and focused much of her coursework on career services in higher education. She returned home to PEI after nearly six years away working in different portfolios in the post-secondary student services/student affairs field. She is impressed with the career opportunities she sees on the Island.
“It’s exciting to see many sectors growing here, such as bioscience. I am also interested in how a shift to remote work could become an opportunity for PEI across many different sectors.”
Employer relations is another role Haley has. She looks forward to connecting employers to Holland College student talent and supporting them with their hiring and employment needs. “I think PEI is the best place for community. If we work together, we can ensure employers and students have the knowledge and resources they need to be successful.”
“Career planning is not about the job title you want. It’s asking what you are good at and what you like to do, and how you can do that in various industries or organizations. It’s amazing how you can expand your options when it comes to choosing a career.”
The Service Canada JobBank has a career planning tool that Haley recommends.
For more information on the Office of Retention, Part-time Study and Career Services, call 902-566-9368 or email Haley at [email protected]