Cheyenne - Bachelor of Child and Youth Care

When I was younger, my idea of a dream job was constantly changing. It went from being a pop star, to a detective, to a fashion designer, to just about everything else under the sun. So, when it was time to decide what I wanted to take in post-secondary, I had no idea what path to choose. One thing that was always a constant with me was my love of summer camp and the fond memories I had been there both as a camper and a staff member. This is what prompted me to research programs related to working with children, which is what initially led me to the field of child and youth care.

After researching the program further, it seemed like it would be a perfect fit for me and lined up perfectly with many of my core values and inspirations. It was the first time in a long time I had felt excited about my education and I was incredibly excited to begin working towards graduating as a CYC practitioner.

I was very apprehensive about post-secondary education at first, as I had never spent much time outside of my hometown. One of the major influences when choosing a school for me was how large it was. I was worried that if my school was too large, I wouldn’t be able to get to know my faculty/classmates properly and that I may be just another number in the classroom. This initial fear led me to choose another institution, which at the time I felt was right for me.

After spending some time in the classroom and in placement settings, I realized very quickly that I was most interested in clinical practice and I made it a goal of mine to obtain a placement in a hospital setting. I knew this type of setting was considered a more competitive placement to get, so I was determined to work hard and reach this goal. Unfortunately, this placement setting was not an option at my former institution, so I began to explore other post-secondary options so that I could make my goal a reality.

This is when I found Humber. I was able to attend the open-house and ended up falling in love with the Lakeshore campus. The students and faculty members were all so welcoming, which made my decision to switch to Humber that much easier. Although I was discouraged before, I began to have renewed excitement for my education and the opportunities included with this change. The things that used to frighten me about living in a big city now seemed minimal in comparison to all the benefits this change would bring me. In terms of my last placement, Humber was able to assist me in getting my dream placement and provide me with exceptional support during the application and interview process.

I couldn’t have been any happier with the outcome of my decision to switch schools. I am now a proud graduate of the CYC Advanced Diploma program and a current student of the CYC degree program at Humber. I was able to make use of one of Humber’s many pathway programs and enroll right into the third year of the degree program, which makes getting both of my credentials much quicker and helps me to get into my field as quickly as possible.

Humber College is a place that makes you feel able to achieve your goals and supports you every step of the way. I am incredibly grateful for the experiences and education I have received during my time at Humber so far and plan to continue making the most of my time spent as a student!