Tag: alumni profile

Next up in our alumni spotlight series, we catch up with Jordan Audas! Jordan has been working at Digital Nova Scotia since he graduated from the MI program. Jordan offers great insights into how he translated the skills he learned in the MI program to the workplace. Thanks for taking the time, Jordan!

When did you graduate from SIM? What was your favourite class/subject of study when you were in the program and how have your interests expanded since then?

I graduated from SIM in April 2022. I really enjoyed both archive classes, taught by Patti Bannister, and Information in Society, taught by Dr. Mongeon. Both of these, I suppose, boil down to how people interact and engage with information. This is still something I’m passionate about, especially when it comes to accessibility and usability.

What is your current role and how long have you been in it?

I am a project manager at Digital Nova Scotia, a role I was just promoted to just about a week ago. Prior to that promotion, I had been working as a project analyst here since August.

How have you translated the skills and competencies you learned in the MI program into the workplace?

Ignoring the more obvious technical skills, such as navigating databases, visualizing data, and performing research, I think the more overlooked non-technical, or “soft” skills, are truly important in a workplace. Being able to communicate and collaborate effectively, for example, may seem like a given, but this is crucial to an organization’s culture and success, not to mention when interacting with stakeholders. These skills are much harder to learn than we often give them credit for, but I think SIM prepares students well for actually taking these non-technical skills into the real world.

In what ways is working as an IM professional different from the classroom?

It’s no one’s job to teach you anymore. Sure, you may be lucky enough to have learning opportunities and professional growth is extremely important, but everyone else in an organization has their own duties and responsibilities to focus on. So, that being said, if you need guidance in your work, ask! Most people are happy to help, but they won’t know what you can and can’t do until you make it clear.

If you could go back and give your first year self one piece of advice, what would you tell them?

I’d probably slip them the answers to a few tests; is it cheating if it’s coming from yourself?

Our new Alumni Spotlight Series will highlight recent SIM grads. First up we have Kydra Mayhew, 2022 graduate! Kydra shares what her experience at SIM was like as she started her degree during the Covid-19 pandemic, her new position at Mount Saint Vincent University as Engagement Librarian and instructor at SIM, and offers some advice for current students. It is wonderful to see you shine in professional settings, Kydra, and we are lucky to have you teaching out of SIM!

When did you graduate from SIM? What was your favourite class/subject of study when you were in the program and how have your interests expanded since then/how have you translated these to the workplace?

I graduated from SIM in the Spring of 2022. During my time at SIM I focused on Bibliometrics and scholarly research. I really loved taking reading courses in my areas of interest that allowed me to curate my own learning experiences and study topics that I was passionate about. During my reading courses I was able to hone my research skills at both the quantitative and qualitative levels. These courses gave me the opportunity to work on projects that I would eventually submit to conferences all over the world. 

What is your current role, how long have you been in it?

I am currently working at Mount Saint Vincent University as their Engagement Librarian – a position that I started at the beginning of 2023. In this position I am responsible for engaging with the MSVU and greater Halifax community, as well as being a liaison librarian for several different departments. In addition to this I am also a part-time instructor for SIM, I teach an undergraduate course on information networking systems.

In what ways is working as an IM professional different from the classroom? If you could go back and give your first year self one piece of advice, what would you tell them?

During my first year in the MI program we were completely online. It was isolating and difficult, and it left me worrying that I wouldn’t have the practical skills required for a job in my field. If I could go back and give myself some advice, I would tell myself that this may have seemed like a challenge at the time, but it was a fantastic learning opportunity that allowed me to gain a new set of skills that are now crucially important to have in modern workplaces; such as remote work capabilities, problem solving, online communication skills, flexibility and adaptability. My time as an online student provided me with a unique knowledge of the online learning landscape which has opened more doors for me than I ever thought it would.