After graduating, I felt extremely lost... but between the Career Centre, Alumni Benefit, and SCS, U of T has been an amazing resource. From building connections to enhancing my skills, my alma mater supports me as I build the career of my dreams.
“I am a firm believer that learning never stops,” says 23-year-old Sarah Hasan, who is currently earning her Privacy Management in the Digital Enterprise Certificate. While completing her BA in Criminology and Political Science at the University of Toronto, Sarah worked with the Durham Regional Police during her summers. “Dealing with confidential and sensitive information, such as criminal records, grew my interest in privacy” says Sarah, who graduated in 2017.
“A month after graduating, I felt extremely lost” she reflects. “I didn’t know what I wanted to do, what my passions were, or how to build a career. The future felt daunting. When you are in school, everything is mapped out for you, but then you graduate and the future is in your hands! I was lacking direction, and knew I needed to take action.” Sarah turned to U of T Career Services, attending resume building and networking workshops. She also began exploring continuing education opportunities, and learned that her U of T Alumni Benefit could help subsidize a course at SCS.
Sarah decided to explore her interest in privacy, and landed her first job at Telus, working in the privacy department. “I wanted to enhance my on-the-job skills, and fill in some gaps in my knowledge,” she says. “So I started pursuing a certificate at SCS, using my Alumni Benefit to get started.” After completing Fundamentals of Privacy, Information Governance, and Access in the Digital Enterprise, the first of three courses in the certificate, Sarah landed a new job at OpenText, a provider of Enterprise Information Management (EIM). “The interview panel was really impressed by my continuing education efforts, and intrigued by the knowledge I was learning at SCS. I am confident this played a role in my selection.”
Recently, Sarah completed Privacy Risks, Protection, and Ethics in the Digital Enterprise, the second course in the certificate. “For me, the fact that these courses are offered online is a huge selling point, because I can integrate learning into my schedule, on my terms,” she says. “The courses have been super flexible, allowing me to learn at my own pace.” Sarah also appreciates the real-life examples provided by her instructors. “We discuss actual privacy breaches, how they could have been prevented, and how they were corrected,” says Sarah. “My instructors pull from their own experiences, which is really helpful.”
Next, Sarah will take Developing a Privacy Management Program in the Digital Enterprise, and complete her SCS certificate. She is also working towards earning two industry designations: the Certified Information Privacy Manager (CIPM), and the Certified Information Privacy Professional (CIPP). “Learning at SCS is a launch pad to prepare me for my designation exams, which I plan to take at the end of this year,” she asserts. In fact, she is collaborating with some classmates to study. “Class sizes were small, so I really got to connect with my peers, who came from a wide range of backgrounds,” says Sarah. “It’s been great learning with people who have similar goals as me.”
In the future, Sarah plans to pursue a law degree, to enhance her understanding of legalities around privacy and access. “I want to become a privacy thought leader, and maybe go abroad,” she says. “Every country has its own policies and regulations, so working in an international environment would be interesting.”
Reflecting on her journey thus far, Sarah is confident that pursuing continuing education soon after graduation was the right move. “Between the Career Centre, Alumni Benefit, and SCS, U of T has been an amazing resource,” she smiles. “From building connections to enhancing my skills, my alma mater has made me feel supported as I build the career of my dreams.”