CASE Study 16: The Bigger Picture Series

The Bigger Picture workshop and speaker series was developed by Innovation Guelph and the Centre for Business and Social Entrepreneurship (CBaSE) in 2014 to address a need we saw in the post-secondary student population. Namely, these students have no idea what life was like after graduation. They have no concept of what a career could look like, how they might chart their own path, maximize their skills to get/create the job of their dreams.

The Bigger Picture series uses guest speakers and some workshop activities to help students explore topics linked to ‘the real world’. Guest speakers include business leaders, educators, innovators, entrepreneurs, and people who have carved interesting career paths that might not be directly connected to what they studied in school.

The series also helps students think about their personal branding – how they appear to employers and colleagues from a professional point of view. The students learn about building strong resumes, creating social media profiles on key platforms, and how to repackage their skills and knowledge to maximize their career (and job) possibilities.

Students that participate in the series can learn about

1. Adaptability – optimizing your career opportunities
2. The importance of soft skills in the job market;
3. The power of networking;
4. Personal branding;
5. Career risks and opportunities;
6. The power of failure;
7. Creating your own career path thru entrepreneurship;
8. The qualities of leaders;
9. Social innovation and entrepreneurship;
10. Life skills and stress management;

and much more.