- Did You Know? -

The English Department features regular “Did You Know?” segments that provide students with relevant information related to writing, careers, and any other information of interest. Below is an archive of our features:

Issue 5

Why Another English Class?

Many students at Niagara College are required to take business, technical, or report writing courses as part of their program requirements. But why? Many feel that companies will hire them based solely on their professional or technical skills.

Certainly a student’s core technical skills are central to landing a good job; yet many articles and surveys have demonstrated that even in entry-level positions, workers should expect to spend 10, 20, even 30% of their time on communication tasks. These tasks may involve activities such as presenting at meetings, sending routine e-mail messages, writing progress reports, or even composing lengthy proposals. In management positions the amount of time spent communicating can easily reach 50%. It makes sense then, practically and economically, to hone workplace writing skills.

Besides, if you’re trying to land your “dream job,” you’ll have to organize high quality resumes, compose effective cover letters, and perform well in interviews, all of which represent only the beginning of the many communication tasks one can expect to do in the workplace.

Issue 4

Libraries: “The Missing Link”

Do you have a research assignment due? Are you wondering where you’ll find good quality information for you essay? If you haven’t spent much time in a library recently, perhaps you’re missing out on an important opportunity. The Niagara College library—or the Learning Resource Centre (LRC)—gives you access to a wealth of information and learning services.

Did you know that one of the most exciting services available at the LRC is the access to electronic databases? If you haven’t already learned to use the research databases, ask a librarian for assistance as soon as you can. Not only do the databases give you access to articles in scholarly and scientific magazines; they also provide you with access to hundreds of popular magazines that may relate to your own personal interests: sports, camping, music, and so forth.

Of course, many books, videos, and magazines are available at the LRC—right off the shelf. Remember, visiting the library isn’t just a necessary evil; it may be good for you, as a recent Globe and Mail article pointed out. John Allemang cites recent research showing a strong connection between increased test scores among students and the presence of libraries and teaching librarians. Consider visiting the LRC today.

Issue 3

English Class: It Might be Useful After All

Will you actually work in the field for which you are currently studying? A recent Globe and Mail article raised this issue. The author, Judith Timson, noted the experience of many people who, after spending years at college or university in a particular program, find themselves working in another, completely different area. There was the man who studied engineering and now practices law. There was the biochemist who works in computers, and the dentist who “put down one set of tools and picked up another to become a renovator and property manager.”

None of these people, according to the author, see their years of specialist training as a waste of time or money despite the fact that they are not directly applying their education. Timson argues that we have become “too limited and pragmatic about higher education ….we forget … how the in-depth study of a certain subject can lead to an agile intelligence that could be applied in multiple ways.” In other words, the skills you learn in college or university might be useful in a wide variety of job settings, not just the specific field you’ve trained in.

This is an important point for students to keep in mind. Who knows what might be useful to you when you go out to look for a job, after graduation or 10 years after graduation? Even your ability to write clearly and logically, honed in that less-than-beloved English class might be the factor that lands you the job you want. As one of Timson’s contacts says, “no educational experience is wasted.”

For the full article, see: Timson, Judith. “A higher purpose.” The Globe and Mail 1 October, 2003:C5.

Issue 2

Good Communication=Job Success

The # 1 way to succeed in your career is to develop your communication skills. According to an article in Career World, “Employers today look for excellent reading, listening, writing, and speaking skills. The job search alone requires good communication skills. You need to compose resumes and cover letters, speak intelligently at interviews, and skim through volumes of employment-related materials” (“10 tips” 6).

“10 tips for career success.” Career World 1 January 1999: 6.

Issue 1

Jobs Requiring Writing Ability

As of May 29, 2003 there were 324 jobs posted at workopolis.com that listed “strong communications skills” as a requirement for successful candidates. The positions that list this requirement include some of the following:

· Administrative assistant

· IT professionals

· Junior sales representative

· Director of fabrication

· Computer Programmer

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