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Outreach
Caprice Boisvert Builds Pathways to Success
By Jen Hsu
Alumna Caprice Boisvert (Mech 9T3) helps ease a growing fear that is felt by many students. Too often, students find that securing a decent job after university comes down to who you know rather than what you know.
A Canadian Policy Research Networks (CPRN) study reveals that 23.7 per cent of Canadians under age 25 feel overqualified for their jobs, which uncovers a clear discrepancy between the type of jobs being offered to educated young Canadians. The University of Toronto’s Skule™ Mentorship Program is trying to counter this statistic through the assistance of dedicated volunteers like Boisvert, who Chairs the Program. The Program pairs Faculty of Applied Science and Engineering students with established Engineering Alumni who become their mentors.
“Most job openings are not advertised, creating what seems like a ‘hidden’ job market. Information about available work is circulated through manager’s network of co-workers, business associates, friends and acquaintances,” says Service Canada. For this reason, Skule™ Mentorships are especially valuable to students who are preparing to enter the workforce.
“I graduated from Mechanical Engineering at U of T in 1993. It wasn’t a good year to look for a job. A number of my classmates decided to stay in school to complete master's degrees. I managed to find a position, but only because I had the foresight to participate in the Professional Experience Year program. Without that, I would’ve had a very hard time getting my career off the ground,” explains Boisvert. Her understanding of how difficult landing that first job can be is what drives and motivates her to commit so much energy to the Program. She has personally matched over 100 students and alumni for Skule™ Mentorships.
Thanks to volunteers like Caprice Boisvert, Faculty of Applied Science and Engineering students no longer have to worry about who they know. Instead, they can freely showcase their talents and begin receiving recognition for what they know.