Every person in college can relate how it is sometimes difficult to balance work and school.

Often, it’s more than just school and work, there is life in general to balance too. As adults, we have responsibilities that require attention whether we want to or not. Whether you are in part-time or full-time studies, the stress is still present when you have to manage school and working any job at the same time.

Tuition fees are definitely a factor for why students might have to work at the same time of their studies. However, going to college is an investment because you put in time, effort and obviously money for your education. In the end, with successful completion, you are given a specific skillset to be able to begin a new career. This is why it’s important to find the proper balance! So that your hard-work and investment literally pays off.

Don’t be scared! The good news is that anything is possible. Being a student is challenging and rewarding at the same time. It’s easy to say, “I can do it”, but it’s definitely harder to do than to say. If you put your mind to it and set goals, you can truly achieve anything. Read below to see the simple ways to find a balance between your work, school, and everything life!

Start by finding the best way to keep yourself organized.

Some people do this simply by writing things down. Some are more visual and need to see information literally in front of them, such as lists. Others are completely digital and enjoy virtual organization! There are many different ways that people can stay organized. Find what works for you and invest in the necessary tools to help you keep track of your schedule as a student and employee. This could include; an agenda, a calendar, a mobile app, a simple notebook, a specific electronic device, etc.

Obtain important school dates as early as you can.

Often enough, classes have a syllabus or schedule for the entire school year explaining the curriculum for the semester. This can be used to your benefit by taking note of the important dates. You’ll not only stay prepared, but will also be able to let your employer know ahead of time of these dates so you can take the necessary time off. It’s also important to take into consideration your study time to prepare for important dates or tests and quizzes. Study time is something you should definitely use time off work for too.

Practice your priorities.

Work and school can be overwhelming. Any other responsibilities on top of that can be difficult to manage too. With a lot on your plate, it’s a good idea to make use of your precious time. There are times when you may want to avoid school and do something other than school work with your free-time, but what you should remember is that school is your investment. It should be top priority and always number one on your list. Practice prioritizing so that you can fit all of your life the way you want, school, work and all.

Keep time for yourself.

Being a student can be stressful. It definitely requires a certain lifestyle that also requires sacrifice. Don’t let that sacrifice keep you from things that make you the happiest. No one is perfect and it’s okay! Focusing on time for yourself can reduce stress levels which is important because stress will only hold you back from achieving your goals. Find time to do something for yourself whether it is taking a bath, going for a walk, reading a book, anything. It doesn’t have to last a long time, but enough to make you feel good!

Being a student and balancing a busy life requires a lifestyle. Make it a lifestyle you like, that makes you happy and that you can thrive in.

Esthetics was made for you and you were made for esthetics. Have you thought about how to enhance your esthetic career?

Being in the field of esthetics is rewarding and challenging all at once, ask any esthetician yourself. The world of health and beauty is more than just meets the eye, as lots of estheticians have learned. What is so great, is that the esthetics industry is thriving more and more every year with passionate people who want to make a difference as well! With so much to learn and do, the esthetics industry has enough room for everyone to showcase their talent.

There are many reasons why the esthetics industry is relevant in today’s society. Plain and simple, we care about how we look like. Image, body image, and beauty are important in people’s lives. There are various ways to enhance beauty whether it is naturally or clinically. What makes estheticians’ jobs so special, is that they make people feel beautiful in their own skin. This is important because, at the end of the day, customer service is everything. It is a big role in the career of an esthetician.

You have the skillset, the experience, and the career to succeed in your field, but did you know you can enhance it? No matter what area of esthetics you are in, or want to be in, following these simple steps can make all the difference in your career! Let’s take a look at what these steps are and why they are important for an esthetician:

Find what works best for you.

There is a chance that you might not like or feel 100% comfortable with the type of esthetics you are doing. Whichever position you have, make sure that you feel happy doing it. If you’re doing something you don’t like just for money, or for an opinion, or because someone told you to and you’re not truly happy doing it, chances are you should stop. Doing something that doesn’t truly make you happy can not only cause emotional stress but could also reflect in your work ethic. It’s never too late to find something that works for you because at the end of the day you are in control of your own life and deserve to be happy in your career. If you have to spend extra time or money into figuring at what that is, we encourage you. Once you do, you will be happy and most importantly so will your clients. The better you are, the better the service is and the better your career will be! After all, once you love what you’re doing, you won’t have to work a day in your life.

Incorporate a little bit of marketing.

It’s time to show everyone what you can do! If you don’t already have any social media pages, you need to do this now. In a world of personal image, social media is huge and where all your clients probably are. This is a way to not only showcase your work but continue to build relationships with customers/clients. Whether you work from home or at a salon, you can start by telling your clients about your social media pages. This way they can keep up with what you’re doing, communicate easier, and once again feel closer and comfortable with you. On social media, you can not only show the work that you do, but customers can have a sense of pride to be shown on your page. Some social platforms let you include location, hashtags and many other tools to enhance or optimize your social media posts. This is definitely something to look into to continue to grow your customers and to build relationships with them.

Build your clientele strategically.

No this does not mean literally steal other people’s clients. Whether you’re beginning or already have some sweet loyal customers, it is important to know how to manage them and keep them coming back. Going the extra mile does not hurt to do and ends up being worth the time and effort. Good examples of tools you can use for your customers are; business cards with your information, light refreshments, gift certificates, a small guide for aftercare in whichever service that you provide. Treat your customers like friends and family; make them feel at home whenever you provide a service. It is also good to maintain healthy relationships with clients too. This could include; keeping up a good and safe conversation while maintaining cleanliness of your work area. If you are still new to these customer service ideas, that’s okay. There are many tools online to help you with people skills. If you have to practice this, practice it. As mentioned, try to literally make your clients feel at home. If you already do your work from home, make them feel as comfortable as possible. This will leave them coming back and spreading the word.

Have an open mind.

Like a lot of things in the world, change is inevitable. Not everything stays the same which means the world of esthetics probably doesn’t either. It is a good idea to stay in the know of the esthetic community somehow. Whether it is by following online or attending events, the more knowledge is an asset for you! It would be like staying one step ahead of a lot of people. There are always new tips, tricks, products, skills and much more to look out for in the esthetics industry. Other ways to stay in the know are to; follow blogs, follow social media accounts on either Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, etc., talking to your co-workers, talking to clients, and attending network events. Continue to regularly do these things so that you can not only stay updated about your field but grow inspiration. Even if something sounds outrageous at first, don’t be quick to judge. Keep an open mind and stay eager to learn!

Be patient.

Last but not least. Things don’t always happen overnight. Remember real success takes hard work and effort. As long as you make goals and stay on track, anything can happen. You’re passionate about what you do, and it will show in your work. Whether you are beginning or continuing in esthetics, stay inspired and be patient. Some days might feel long and maybe like you’re not getting anywhere. Don’t doubt yourself and remember why you love what you do!

If you or someone you know wants to enter the exciting world of health, beauty and esthetics, check out what our program has to offer here!

Whether you’re experienced in it or not, accounting and payroll is beneficial and a great skillset to have.

You enjoy financing, you’re good with numbers, you want to do bookkeeping, you’re experienced in administrative work, or maybe you’re simply interested in accounting and payroll. There are many reasons you may want to consider a career in accounting and payroll. Whatever reason that may be, accounting and payroll provides great opportunities, amazing benefits and skills, especially at times that you probably wouldn’t expect.

Can you think back to a time when you wish you would have known something? You think to yourself, ‘having or knowing this skill would be so useful right now’, or ‘I wish would have learned this earlier’. This is definitely something that can occur in accounting and payroll because these skills become so useful and significant in times that we would not be so quick to think of. Here is a list of situations when accounting and payroll skills come in very handy:

Start-up companies.

This one is a money-saver. As an entrepreneur, money is definitely always on your mind. It’s really useful to be in charge of all finances and transactions rather than having someone else do this. Ultimately, this can be a personal choice also. It saves the worry and risk of errors. Knowing how to file your own taxes and doing payroll are perfect ways to use these skills as an entrepreneur/small business owner. It’s also important to remember the responsibility behind these jobs. It’s an important job to do and you definitely don’t want to make any mistakes in payroll and tax filing.

Budgeting.

Creating, making and maintaining budgets can be done through many industries. Though it can be electronically done as well, money management is always an important and in-demand job. Companies and corporations rely on you to help them with finances. A popular strategy is saving money and there’s actually many ways to do this. Some quick tips to give an idea of how to avoid errors in budgeting is by keeping receipts all year, keeping track of money, using a spending sheet, deducting expenses accurately.

Looking for a work-from-home job.

An up-rising job in the field of accounting and payroll is jobs from homes. There are many companies who hire remotely because of the flexibility of the job. Often, companies will have someone do payroll once a week or for a few days for a few hours. If the job isn’t manually done, it is also done through software that companies use for payroll. This is definitely something to consider if you are someone who wants to look for flexibility in your career.

Life is filled with so many paths and doors that we never know where we may end up. The future is never certain, and each day is new. It’s exciting, yet scary, but mostly exciting because you’re always in charge of your own story.  Whether you change your career or a lifestyle, you always get to be in control. Life brings us to places that we sometimes wouldn’t expect, but we ultimately have to stay prepared. Ultimately, Trillium College can help you no matter where you want to go or where you end up. Let’s talk about your goals and a career today.

If this opportunity comes knocking at your door, you definitely should not turn it away.

It is one of the best and smartest things you can do for yourself, for many reasons. You should remember that it doesn’t matter how old you are, or what stage you are in life. Whether it’s your first time attending post-secondary or not, there’s always a spot for you. You woke up one day and wanted to make a change in your career? We applaud that! You’re finally chasing the dream you had as a little girl/boy? Go get ‘em.

The great thing about education is that anyone who wants to do it, can do it. As an adult, you are also actually at many advantages when you return to school. If you want education to be your goal, you can make it happen, especially at Trillium College!

Here are the many amazing advantages of returning to school as an adult:

Starting fresh.

Yes, you get to start on a blank, clean page. This is the time to set new goals and leave the rest in the past. This is a new opportunity for you and you’ll do great! It’s time to get organized and show what you’re really made of.

Let’s be honest, you’ll be more mature than the rest.

You’re not straight out of high-school, which means you’ve already experienced what’s out there. You’re an adult, you know the secrets to adulting and you’re so over teenage drama.

You will probably take this more seriously.

You know what your priorities are. You have a daily routine at home, work, whatever you were doing prior to returning to school. You’re already good at getting stuff done, which means you’ll kill it in school.

Experience is on your side.

You already have a job or have had multiple jobs. You have more than enough experience on your resume compared to the rest of the class. This is a great asset to have when you end up finishing the program!

Networking will be a breeze.

You stepped out of your comfort zone and came out of your shell a long time ago. Meeting new people, making friends and growing your network for this new career will be easy for you.

Explore more.

Remember, school isn’t just the classrooms, it’s the environment and community too. You won’t believe all that can happen on a campus and it’s actually quite exciting. There’s enough to get involved in for everyone for whatever you may like. It’s a good idea to keep an eye out for posters on campus and social media activity.

Up to date.

This is definitely something to look forward to. Whichever program you decide to study, know that you will be up to date with everything in that industry! Sometimes, workplaces can be outdated, but that won’t be you. You can bring in your fresh knowledge to the new job that you land.

We could go on forever about all the advantages of returning to school as an adult. What we’re really trying to say here, is that we encourage this so much. As mentioned earlier, education is for anyone! We encourage everyone to chase their dreams and crush all of their goals. Plus, have you seen Life of the Party? That could basically be you as Melissa McCarthy in college. Seriously though, if you are looking or thinking about applying to Trillium College, click here to learn more information. Another great thing about Trillium College is that we have career coaches. They basically help you out from start to finish in the entire application process making this transition as easy and helpful as possible.

Let’s start your career today.

Where digital creativity, design, writing, art and software technology all meet.

No this doesn’t mean you’re a nerd, it means you’re a creative nerd. Seriously though, this is a thriving industry filled with revenue and global opportunities because the digital world can’t stop and won’t stop growing. If you’re looking to explore a career in an industry that is literally only going upwards and is actually exciting, then you definitely might want to think about choosing to study video game design.

Would you call yourself an active or regular gamer? If so, I only have one question for you. How have you not already tried to make a living from video games? It’s 2018 and yes anything is possible, you can make all of your dreams come true with video games. If video games and technology is part of your lifestyle, you are going to love everything that comes with this type of industry.

Here is a basic list of various areas in video game design to expect:

• Animation
• Game theory
• Storyboard drawing
• Story developing
• Content writing
• System design
• Cinematography
• Drawing
• Design
• Programming
• 3D modeling
• Graphic design
• Game testing

Like everything else in life, it’s all fun and games until reality sets in. Video game design is no walk in the park either. From start to finish, there is tons of detail, specific planning and pre-planning in order to execute a fun video game. Not to mention it’s a competitive field. It takes an entire team to create memorable and high-quality digital games. Is it all worth it in the end though? Yes, it is. There are lots of different aspects in video game design, which is great because not only does it offer opportunities for employment but also creates a very diverse environment. For a list of career options in video game design at Trillium College, click here.

As mentioned, this area of study and industry is competitive, but like everyone would probably tell you, it’s really fun too. Game design is an in-demand employment opportunity and being a part of it can lead to a world of more endless opportunities. Video games are also used on various platforms from mobile to multiple software such as X-box, PlayStation, etc.  Start creating your own story and make it come to life! Can you imagine all the opportunities to create? We sure can.

If you’re interested in getting a jump start to a video game design career, we strongly urge you to visit our Video Game Design Diploma page where you can learn about areas of focus, employment opportunities, and salary.

There’s one skill that can help you live your best life in everything that you do. If you haven’t started practicing it yet, don’t worry because it’s never really too late to start.

Do you ever find yourself falling behind your responsibilities? Losing motivation? Feeling unorganized? Not seeing results?

That’s okay because it happens. However, there’s one word and answer that can be the solution to any sort of setback you may experience.

This word is goals. Setting goals, to be more specific!

Goals come in all sorts of shapes and sizes.

Setting goals is not only a skill but also interpreted as a lifestyle or philosophy. There are short goals, long-term goals, hard goals, simple goals, etc., and the best part is that YOU get to make all of them.

Setting goals and achieving goals are what lead to success! Why are setting goals important? Well, it means you’re making a plan for the future, for a better future to achieve whatever you want. It doesn’t matter who you are, everyone can make a difference in their life and it can all start with a goal.

Your future is important, and planning is the first step into taking control of your life. If you’re unsure of what path you want to take, sometimes it’s best to put everything in perspective. Take all of your thoughts, ideas and lay them out in a way that makes sense to you. Don’t worry and remember that there are always solutions to any problem.

Organization is also key. While making any sort of plan, it’s important to make a timeline. What will require more time? When do certain things need to be done? This is where long-term and short-term goals really come to life. Write everything down, keep track of what you can do to achieve each goal and remember that it’s 2018, anything is possible.

Verbally say your goals out loud and believe in yourself. Yes, write it down on paper, on your whiteboard, in notes on your phone. Most importantly, say it loud and make it real. Whether you want to learn a new language, drink more water, start a new career, travel across the world, start to tell yourself or others and keep yourself motivated.

You’re in control of your life, your future, your goals and everything else in between. Build your success in a way that works for you and kill it at everything that you do, whatever that may be.

It’s more than money, corporate companies, suits and ties.

Choosing to study business has become a very popular decision for a lot of students over the past decade. Is there a specific reason why? Maybe, maybe not! All we know is that it is definitely a leading industry with endless opportunities, especially for young talent. It may not look like it from the outside, but if you gave it a bit of your time and a chance, it could actually be for you too.

So what does it mean to study business?

To try and describe the study of business in a few words would be very difficult because there are so many different types and industries within business itself. To name a few; there is finance, marketing, digital marketing, advertising, accounting, business management, economics, human resources, public relations and obviously a lot more. What’s crazy is that there’s even MORE industries within these industries. Do you hear that? Yes, it’s opportunities knocking on your door!

Have you ever heard of entrepreneurship or entrepreneurs? If you haven’t, it is a person who creates, organizes and operates a business (or businesses), usually start-up. In a nut-shell, it is literally taking an idea or vision and turning it into something profitable. They’d manage it and make the right decisions in order execute this, which is essentially how most businesses start(-up). The main skills really needed for business is mostly strategy, communication, and organization. Easy right? Not quite. In order to be successful in business, you really have to master these skills, along with everything else that comes with it. However, everyone must start somewhere. Here is a list of skills that if you have, should definitely consider pursuing a career in the business industry.

You excel in customer service and know how to talk to people.

You are creative.

You are a critical thinker and naturally look for solutions in everyday situations.

You are highly-organized and make use of your time regularly.

You motivate yourself.

You love staying in the know of your city and are usually the go-to person for making plans.

You have a natural knowledge and keen in understanding how companies, brands, and organizations work.

You have a strong presence on digital platforms.

You enjoy writing or create content.

Researching is your thing.

You’re rarely wrong in the decisions that you make.

You have a strong intuition that often doesn’t let you down.

You are a natural presenter.

You enjoy managing money.

Pursuing a business career

The world of business is beautiful because as mentioned, there are opportunities for anyone who is passionate about an idea. It’s no walk in the park, but very rewarding when you’re able to see your idea come to life and make a difference in the industry! This industry is always changing and always welcoming. Interested in pursuing a business career at Trillium College? Explore the Business Management Diploma Program or the Accounting and Payroll Administration Diploma Program. Looking for help in careers? Check our Employment Services to help find the career you want with your diploma!

There are many amazing jobs out there for everyone, but how do you know it’s really for you?

Simple: you will want to choose it and it will change your life. For a lot of people, becoming a PSW has done that for them. There are so many rewarding aspects that come from taking on this role as a career and it’s clear that the people who do are greatly appreciated. Like every career, especially when someone’s care is in your hands, can also be challenging, but nonetheless, a truly rewarding experience.

So what does it really take to be a personal support worker?

You have to be willing to work hard.

You have to be okay with stepping out of your comfort zone.

You have to separate your personal feelings from your work.

You need to have a whole lot of patience.

You have to trust yourself.

You need to have respect.

You need to really and truly care.

If you naturally have all these qualities, then awesome and maybe you want to consider choosing a career as a PSW, but if you do not, that’s totally okay too because all of these qualities are attainable!

As a PSW, you take care of people who physically cannot take care of themselves. This may be done at a retirement home, privately out of home, in a hospice care, long-term care facility, etc. If you haven’t realized by now, being a PSW is no easy job and it might not be for everyone. There is a lot of expectations strict guidelines and it is a big responsibility. However, as scary as it sounds there are some pretty amazing things that also come with being a PSW. You get to build relationships with the people you take care of, commonly senior citizens, as well as their families. When you think about it, the people that you take care of are also people who are loved.

You basically wake up knowing that you get to make a difference in someone’s life. More than often, the people you help and their families will be forever grateful for you. There are good days and bad days, good times and bad times, through it all if there is one thing you should remember it’s that you are the reason why someone is getting the care they need, because if you didn’t, who else would?

To learn more information about the Personal Support Worker Certificate Program, click here. If you want to learn about employment services at Trillium College, click here.

If you chose to pursue a career as an esthetician it’s probably for a few reasons.

Whether you like makeup, have great customer service skills or have always had a passion about making a difference in the beauty world, you have a pretty good idea of why you chose to study esthetics. As many other programs, it is one experience to study and learn about esthetics, but practicing can sometimes even be different from what you expected.

Like any post-secondary program, we learn from our professors’ experiences and the fundamental skills required in order to succeed in the industry we want to be part of. It is what we choose to do with our skillset that determines the way our careers shape out to be. The truth is, everyone will probably have a different path to their own success, which is okay. As long as you are passionate about what you are doing, the rest should come naturally.

There are many different career opportunities in esthetics that range from salon and spa treatment, to at home salon practices. The possibilities and types of employment are quite high, which is yet another great opportunity for young talent. The great part about esthetics, no matter what type, is that you always get to gain experience. There are tons of certificates available to enhance specific skills such as eye-lash extensions, hair removal practices and much more, so that you can basically make a name for yourself in your career.

The world of esthetics is fun, exciting and rewarding, you could even ask an esthetician yourself! Once you are certified, as mentioned, there are various employment positions. Throughout them all, there are definitely some common denominators between them, things that you can probably find no matter what job you take on.

Client and customer service.

Being an esthetician means to provide a service to customers who want to enhance a certain type of beauty feature by using their own knowledge and creativity, all while following safe health practices at the same time. This essentially means that you will always be working with the public and create experiences for them. Whether you’re doing this out of an office, privately, or out of your home, it is a very large part of the job, which means it’s important to master great customer service skills. This could mean; engaging in thoughtful conversations, greeting and smiling, listening to any wants and needs and basically anything else that comes with the skill of customer service.

Schedules and organization.

Providing a service and experience for clients means that you have to literally make the time for it. Some jobs do indeed have receptionists or assistants to sort out these small details, but it’s not always the case. It’s important to know how much time you, the esthetician, needs in order to create the best experience that the client requests. Knowing this in advance, is a huge benefit to you and or a possible team in terms of organization and again providing the best service for the customer/client. The last thing that you want is having an overlapping client or providing an inconvenience.

Your creativity! 

No matter what, this is the one thing that will be timeless and remain the same throughout any jobs. More often than enough, there will be instances where your own judgement, advice and input will be needed with a client. At the end of the day, you are the certified esthetician who knows what is happening in the health and beauty industry, which is why they trust your opinion the most. Whether they ask you what hairstyle looks best or what colour to choose on nails, the great part about the job is that you can always use your creative input.

The world of esthetics definitely has its ups and downs. However, at the end of the day, nothing is better knowing that you get to help make a difference in the beauty world. If you are a student who wants to learn more information about employment services at Trillium College, click here!

You finished your program, congrats! What’s next?

Finishing school is a huge deal; it’s an accomplishment and could be the key to your future. There are many opportunities and career paths out there for everyone.  To some, this could be their first post-secondary education opportunity, for others it could have been their second, third, fourth, etc. You’ve already made it this far and there is something out there for you.

There are many opportunities and career paths out there for everyone.

For some, they could have lots to choose from and for others, maybe they aren’t really sure where to start. However, the important part is that you made it. No matter what program you came from or what field you studied, everybody has one thing in common, which is that you all worked hard and now want a job in your field of course.

It’s important to have an open mind and stay positive.

Feeling inexperienced is normal because you are ‘new’ compared to the people who have been practicing longer than you have. Don’t let that discourage you though because everyone starts off new! You’re credible and have the education you need to practice in your field, which is really exciting to think about. Finishing school may feel like the end of something, but it’s actually just the beginning of your career which is even more exciting.

Get yourself out there.

A tool that often young or beginning career professionals use to get themselves know in their industry is networking. If you’re not familiar with networking, there are many ways to practice it such as through social media platforms including LinkedIn, Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, when used properly. You can use these platforms to keep up with what is happening in your industry globally and locally.

• Connect with people and follow people in your industry.
• Follow accounts that are relevant to your industry
• Reach out to connections and don’t be afraid to talk to them. 
• Keep an eye out for networking events and attend them.
• Meet with the people you connect with and take some pointers. This is literal in-person networking which is even better.

Even if not everyone makes time to talk to you, communicate with you, engage with you, do not give up. Some professionals are busier than others but that doesn’t mean at least some of them won’t give you the time of day to talk to you.

If your brain wasn’t in sponge mode before, you are definitely going to want to turn it into sponge mode now.

You might have your diploma now, but that definitely doesn’t mean there isn’t more room for learning. This type of learning is calling gaining insights. Hopefully as you start to practice networking, you will want to take this information and make use of it.

• Listen to other people’s stories.
• See what they did to get them where they are now, what mistakes they made along the way, and maybe try avoiding that.
• Learn what worked for them and what did not.
• Ask questions!

Connecting with people and networking gets you the inside look of what a day in the life is like or how a person in your industry thinks and is very beneficial. You have insight for what to expect AND you have connections for future opportunities.

Start to act the role of what you’re going to be.

If you are familiar with what a day in the life of what your job role entails, it wouldn’t be a bad idea to start practicing the good habits. If it includes waking up early maybe start practicing sleeping habits or buying specific tools so you can have your own. Maybe it includes wearing a specific wardrobe/a uniform, you could buy your own. Being prepared will not only lead to more success, but give you something to look forward to and give you even more motivation to get yourself out there.

At the end of the day, the power is in your hands and we are always a phone call/e-mail away.  We have absolutely no doubt that our graduated students from Trillium College will reach all of their goals, dreams and success! If you want to learn more about Employment Services at Trillium College, click here.