Catching up with a Career Advisor

by Shannon Tigert, Co-operative Education and Career Action (CECA).

A familiar campus landmark, the Tatham Centre is home to both the Co-operative Education department as well as the Centre for Career Action (CCA).  CCA provides students across campus with many services, but what Waterloo staff may not be familiar with is the variety of services that CCA can provide for them.

Since joining CCA in 2011, Staff Career Advisor Rebecca Burwell has created a safe, welcoming environment for Waterloo employees in which to come in and explore their career options, and learn how to market themselves for future opportunities.

Rebecca assists staff with:

• Résumés, cover letters, LinkedIn profiles, and interview skills
• Decision-making around career changes and planning for future career development
• Exploration of further education opportunities

“The bulk of my day is working one-on-one with staff,” says Rebecca, “but I also offer a number of different workshops throughout the term. Many people find it beneficial to attend a workshop, say on resume writing, and then come in for an individual appointment to discuss the details of their resume.” In terms of career planning workshops, one of the most popular is “I’d do what I love…but what is it?” This workshop takes staff through condensed self-assessment process. Other career planning workshops take staff through formal career assessments, such as the Strong Interest Inventory or the Strengths Finder.

The fact that CCA caters to staff often comes as a surprise, says Rebecca. “Most staff are only aware that we offer career services for students.  This is a unique program.  Very few universities or organizations provide career services for their employees.” The career advising service is free for all contract and regular full and part-time Waterloo staff (with the exception of unionized staff and staff who work at the University colleges), and is fully confidential. 

There are many ways Waterloo staff can take advantage of CCA.  Log in to the Centre for Career Action website to book an appointment or register for workshops.  Individual advising appointments can be made anytime throughout the year, and new workshops are held every term.  Look for an email mid-September about the Fall 2013 workshops for staff.

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The wettest July since 1991

After the meteorological mayhem of this past July I'm sure I wasn't the only one waiting for the University of Waterloo Weather Station's report on the subject.

The verdict? "Although July finished off with a cold snap, this was offset by the very hot start making it a warmer than average month," writes station co-ordinator Frank Seglenieks. "Overall it was about a degree above average, but this was all because of the daily low temperatures that were 2 degrees above average, as the daily highs were close to average."

"There were not that many days with precipitation in July, but when it happened, it really came down with 4 days over 30 mm resulting in a total of 173.1 mm for the month." writes Seglenieks. "This was almost double the average of 92.9 mm and the most since 1991 (when we had 182.6 mm).

The Weather Station's report has this to say about the mid-month storm:

"A dramatic change in temperature occurred when a cold front moved through the area on the 19th bringing with it winds that caused a lot of damage from southern Ontario to Quebec.  From 5:15 p.m. to 5:30 a.m. that day, the temperature dropped almost 9.5 degrees, this was the largest 15 minute temperature drop in the 15 year history of the UW weather station."

"Also interesting is that it only got down to 24.7 C the morning of the 19th," the report continues. "This would make it the one of the warmest nights on record, however as the temperature dropped that evening the official low for the day was less than 20."

July's overall sogginess puts the total for the year at 741.9 mm, which is "well above the average" end-of-July tally of 509.0 mm. According to Seglenieks, this also makes it the second wettest first seven months of the year since records began in the region almost a century ago, behind 1947 at 764.5 mm of precipitation.

July's temperature and precipitation results are graphed online.

As always, the Weather Station invites comments on its blog.

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Health Services traffic issues and other notes

"For the month of August, landscaping will start on the west side of the Health Services addition, some additional curb and asphalt installation along with remediation of green space," writes Senior Construction Coordinator Don Haffner. "A section of the roadway will be down to one lane for a period of time."

According to Haffner, the asphalt on the road has already been cut, but excavation may not begin for a few days. A flagperson will be utilized to protect pedestrians and cyclists while the work is completed.

"Come on out for an afternoon of fun, food, family and friends to the UWSA Miniature Golf Social & BBQ on Thursday, August 29 from 4:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.," writes Melissa Holst of the University of Waterloo Staff Association (UWSA). "Join us at Bingemans for unlimited rounds of miniature golf and a delicious BBQ for the low price of $10.00 per child, $15.00 per adult (UWSA) $20.00 per adult (non-UWSA)." Full details and registration information are available on the UWSA website.

The Third Annual Conference on Quantum Cryptography or QCrypt continues today at the Institute for Quantum Computing. Today's highlights include lectures on quantum systems, quantum computation, an excursion to Elora with opportunities for shopping, tubing in the Elora Gorge and swimming in the quarry, and an after-dinner talk on something called "insecurity engineering."

Examinations continue as well, with study space available on every floor of the Student Life Centre courtesy of the Federation of Students.

Human Resources is reporting that retiree Vera Leavoy (right), one of this university's first administrative staff members, died on July 27. Vera began her employment with the university—when it was still a project known as the Waterloo College Associate Faculties—in June 1956 as a "junior clerical staff member" working. By 1960, Leavoy was working in the university's financial services department, where she was in charge of accounting for research grants and contracts. Eventually, she became International Programs Officer, a position that saw her travel to Nigeria, Ethiopia, and, in 1976, Brazil for an 18-month stint administrating the Brazil-Waterloo Program in Engineering at the Universidade Federal da Paraiba. Leavoy was among the inaugural members of the University of Waterloo's 25-Year Club. which was established in 1982. She retired in January 1991. She was 85.

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