Sidrah Khatoon

Why did you choose creative industries and which modules did you choose?

The combination of business and creative courses that would allow me to explore different industries was really appealing. I chose Curatorial History and Storytelling in Media as my two modules, which provided a good balance of theory and hands on experience.  

How did you start in your career and where are you working now?

I gained graphic design experience through a Career Boost position and taking up freelance projects, and when I graduated, I worked as a graphic designer within TVO’s Independent Learning Centre. From there, I decided to do my master’s in education to see how I could bridge design and education together. I now work as a Digital Communications Specialist at the Future Skills Centre, where my role predominantly revolves around branding, graphics and creating marketing collateral. This allows me to showcase important information and data in a visual manner to help fill the gap in skills development across Canada.

How have you applied what you learned in the program to your professional life?

The Storytelling in Media module taught me about broadcasting, and the Digital Design Studio course gave me the opportunity to play around with different software and learn video editing. The business and entrepreneurship classes have also been helpful when it came to kickstarting my freelance business. When I work with others from different industries, it feels good to understand the process and have an idea of what is going on, and I’ve applied a lot of what I learned in the program to both my professional and personal life. 

What advice would you give to current creative industries students wondering about their professional futures? 

Try to get hands on experience as early as possible and try different things. That’s what’s so great about the program – you’re learning from different modules, which helps diversify your experience. Additionally, having a job or even working freelance can help you apply your work experience to your courses, and vice versa, which can also be extremely beneficial.