I’m currently interviewing for new positions, and one company that I’m in talks with, had quite a few negative comments on glassdoor.com

One in particular, claimed that the corporate hiring manager showed up in a tshirt, as opposed to a shirt and tie. This man then vented his frustration online.

I’m not very young, nor am I very old. But from what I remember when I graduated in terms of the job market, things are very different today. Businesses and corporations (barring a select few) are looking for creative talent. They expect that people are more than just drones or monkeys. Back in the day, you might have gotten by by being book smart, but today, if you can’t take on responsibilities outside of your actual role (such as hosting a stand-up, or other meeting), then you’re not fulfilling your potential.

Stephan’s course was entertaining. But when I heard people argue that they didn’t get their 92% or their 100% even though they completed all their assignments, I think about the guy who complained because he dressed up in a suit and tie, and the recruiting manager didn’t.

You pick the courses you take, and you praise the ones you liked. I admit, Stephan’s courses are probably not for everyone. But if I was the hiring manager (or other senior staff) for a business, and we had a very unique office culture, I wouldn’t hire a person who walks in dressed in a suit. Companies are fighting hard to distinguish themselves from everyone else, and you are free to read about courses before you take them. I for one really loved Stephan’s courses, which is why I am here looking him up. It’s nice to see that other’s also enjoy him. We all graduated from Trent, and if you think that Trent is blind (I’m speaking figuratively, I’m not implying anyone said this) to have hired him, or to keep him on the faculty, then you are the one who is blind. Trent keeps him on for a reason. I’ve seen bad professors not last a semester, but others are long standing faculty.

I praise Stephan for his unorthodox teaching methods. But it is that kind of thinking that is really in demand these days. In a world full or turmoil and with the market a mish-mash of startups trying to make a name, I would rather take one of Stephan’s course, than one that is just a textbook read-through.

For those that argue Stephan’s courses are/were a waste of time, well, I hope you find a happiness in your cubicle with your red stapler and CRT monitor.

How is your training going for the upcoming Calgary Marathon? Any times in mind?

Gregory

- Dan

I don’t know if I will ever benefit from his course but as I see it now, it’s a complete waste of time and it’s definitely not education.

If ever I find anything I learned in his class useful i will send him an apology and buy him a 6-pack. Until then my promise is to buy all the professors in the COIS department and the dean of undergrad studies a case of bear each if ever they get him fired.

you can also get them on spreadshirt http://senordevelopershop.spreadshirt.de/

http://coolaj86.github.com/html5-shared-web-worker-examples

https://github.com/coolaj86/html5-shared-web-worker-examples

To the parents. Your goal is to make your child understand that repeating courses is not bad if time is the main factor he or she is considering. One year of life is nothing compared to the rest of the life ahead and it is a concept some young adults dont really learn to appreciate at that age. I would hate to say my friends that I am staying behind because of marks and watch them fly into colleges and universities and moving on with life; everyone is in a rush at that age. Also if your child does not have the marks for the university then talk to the admission people there and try to get your kids into pre-requisite programs at the university which will prepare them for their majors. Most universities do have such arrangements. You do not have to choose a major right away and get denied because that major required high grades at a very specific course in HS which your kid does not have.

Also my last comment is that dont be fooled and misguided into a judgement just because an institution had five graduates who landed 5 gratest jobs in the world; 5 being just an example. 5 is a very low sample to compare against the rest of the population of an insitution who probably will not have that chance to land the dream job. The posters here who claimed to be working for RIM did not mention couple of very important things. First of all that RIM is a quite competitive place. If they were hired then they proved to have a skill RIM wanted really bad. And second one is that if they were hired by a company like RIM then chances are that they were probably already bright enough to go to any educational insitution and do great for themselves; let it be for profit or non profit. But these cases dont represent rest of the students equally in all majors and circumstances. So be very careful where you are going to get your education from. The safer bet is always the safer conventional routes.

I really hope that this post helps someone to take a wise decision. I tried to be as less biased as possible. Thanks.

The long term effects of running is in constant debate. From my observations it’s not a concern – I run with a local group comprised mainly of 40+ runners with two of the oldest members being 70+. Many articles suggest that the long term effects of running are better than we think.

the notion persists that running, especially when done long-term and over long distances, is bad for the joints. Indeed, it would be hard to think otherwise … research has begun to show the opposite, especially when it comes to running. Not only is there no connection between running and arthritis, the new studies say, but running — and perhaps regular vigorous exercise generally — may even help protect people from joint problems later on. – Is Running Bad for Your Knees? Maybe Not

I also enjoy biking in the summer once things dry up, but prefer the flexibility of running through the winter when the snow makes biking conditions less than ideal.

Keep on riding!

I marvel at your dedication to running and fitness and your training regime. Not to discourage you, but have you thought of the long term effects of running on your body? For example, what is the probability of long term problems with joints etc. when you are 50-60?

I do like to keep fit as well, but not at all at your level. Cycling has allowed me 30 years of enjoyable outings and commuting. YMMV.

Cheers.

Russell

It should be fixed now. An ambiguous extension method was causing the issue. This revision fixed it. Looks like I need another test. :) Wish I caught that sooner.

Thanks again!

There is a bug with the current version of the project badge (also visible on your blog post about the badge), because the / between the username and the project name is omitted.

Cheers,
Davy

I’m turning 30 in less than two months and I feel I am in that boat. I bike and run, but only in the warm months. Here in Calgary, those warm times are few are far between. I’m an active person who has been sitting at a desk for 8-10 hrs a day for the last 8 years… and it’s taking it’s toll on me, both physically and mentally. Will be interesting to see what happens this year regarding my lifestyle.

Simple answer don’t go: That would be the best advice I could give someone.

Despite what they say(the institute), anyone who got a sweet job after graduation usually had good personal connections(family, friends etc.)
-Going to that institute will be a bad investment in time and money.
The piece of paper will be utter useless, unless you use it to continue your education, which you could have done by not going there!

I would suggest a college with CO-OP with programming (Algonquin in Ottawa) or University- Computer Science or Software Engineering.
Again with CO-OP. A lot of these universities have CO-OP (I would go to these) , and even though you might not work in the Computer Game Design Industry, the skills could be applied to ANY industry. Studying in those programs will enable you to contact gaming companies (like UBISOFT) and you can do projects which fulfill your course requirements and get that foot in the door… if its desired.

There’s the other coin of it too. The gaming industry might not be the best environment for someone to work, its usually low-pay, high stress, low benefits and usuaully only for the young 21-30, not a career.
It could be a career but the person would have to design their own gaming system, and market it. (Something you can do without going to institute, with a little research and drive)

If your son doesn’t have the marks for university. I would suggest repeating courses with low marks, (its free) one year of time is nothing compared with the debt and waste of time that institute is. As well as the depressing realization that ‘he would be a great fit’ was just a sales man making sale.

Good luck with your choice

Well I have read all the comments and some good and bad… now need your help.
We had a gentleman hear today to talk to us and my son and the want him to come… says he would be a great fit… was real excited for him till I decided to do some research and found this site… now not sure what to think he wants to do the video game design program is there any other colleges that has this length program or what are the suggests on going there?… help please

I fell for the RCC scam almost two decades ago, where even the cream of the crop grads couldn’t get a decent job to live in GTA. Valedictorian had a job which most people would not think was successful and worth the effort and money invested.

I remember some of the management and such would complain that we were whiners for wanting to find a job in remote towns and cities, but there wasn’t anything, just retail jobs in Toronto!. I remember their job placement books/reports, their interviews with current student/grads, it was educational in the fact how to make a good bullsh^t sandwich that
naive hs students will eat.

Adam your right on, I tried to warn people about the school, what your doing is a great service to people to carefully consider their future.

My advice: You don’t want a lot of education(University) but want to work in the workforce ASAP? Go to college with a co-op, that is in a town with some facility or tech industry. I wish I did :(

One last thing…. I remember an instructor there, he told a story about him and his wife being invited to a unique opportunity, about a traveling/time sharing company which was basically a scam, whenever anyone joined (agreed to be scammed) their time-sharing scheme, they would throw a party, a congratuate the couple on making such a great choice etc etc.

Two months later we had our ‘technician grad’ party where the RCC staff congratulated their current crop of students with beer, pretzels, pizza etc in that industrial cafeteria space which the cropped RCC info pictures could do no justice. ( I always wondered how they could serve beer without a license)

It was a year after I graduated and attended University after quitting my minimum wage technician job that I realized that maybe the story my instructor was telling was not his own but ours…

I’m happy to announce that I went to RCC in the same period as Greg. I work for RIM. I’m a Product Engineer responsible for driving product development from design to realization and product transfer to Outsourcing. There are a surpisingly large community of RCC graduates enlaced in every level of RIM. I am referring to Technicians, Engineers, Managers, Directors and Sr Directors. I think that a person’s success rides on their own shoulders. What difference does it make as to where you study? Schooling is not a program that is downloaded into your mind, it is a place that presents opportunity, time and tools to learn what you wish to learn. Companies do not hire based on where you went to school. They interview you and through a series of answers and examples, you have the ability to illustrate your worth.
The last time I was at the school and was interviewing students on site for positions at RIM, I still saw the same excellent teaching staff. Asad Maham, Anastasios Kessaris, Michelle Pretzer (RIP), Minco, Suhkiani, etc are examples of the highly effective, highly accredited and dedicated professors who provide high quality education in a low student/instructor learning environments.

I am from Toronto, my family moved here in 1996. We came here with not a lot of money. I was enrolled in high school but I couldn’t focus on studies for some reason. Turns out it was because of the stress from living in a crammed, loud, unfit for a family, dirt apartment. But thats all we could afford. But one day in grade 12, a gentleman came to our class to do a presentation. All the other universities did the presentations in the school cafeteria, but this guy came into the math class. I was about to skip that class but for some reason I stayed. And when I heard the guy say, “yep, you can finish your diploma in one year instead of three and be job ready, heck employers line up to hire our graduates”, I thought about my family, how I could help them move into a nice home, so we could buy a nice family car, you know, the usual stuff. So right after graduating from high school I called the guy who came to do the presentation. He said he could come to my house, but I was too embarrassed of where we lived, so I told him I could meet him in my old high school. He suggested it would not be appropriate because I was no longer a student there, and instead asked if there was a Tim Horton’s near by, I said, “yes”, and we set up a date and time. It took 15 minutes and I signed the papers.

So, I went to RCC College back in 2003. I did the electronics technician program and then went to the electronics technologist program. Got two diplomas but never found a job. I started working as a security guard and then found a job in retail in downtown Toronto because I got extremely sick and tired of working night shifts. I am SO embarrassed to tell people that I went to RCC. I consider that a dark, dark chapter of my life. If I was not embarrassed I swear to God I would campaign openly to tell people to not send their kids to this scam house.

When we graduated, they gave us a THICK, HUGE list with names of companies and their phone numbers. We were supposed to call them up and apply for jobs. Turns out some of those phone numbers, well a lot of them, were phone numbers of small, family run businesses or shops. I called these numbers from the list for almost a month and a half, no replies or jobs so I gave up. I was getting really depressed. I had no social life, no money, no prestige of education to show, and was in HUGE debt. I went back to RCC in 2007 and asked them to find me a job or I would go on a hunger strike outside the school property, they told me they never promised any jobs, and that I never tried to look for one. And then they told me I should consider the “degree” option because I had graduated in 2004/05 and employers would say my studies/skills are out of date. I went there to go on a hunger strike, but being young, stupid, and naive I let them talk me into this and I enrolled in the degree program. But I had become depressed and could not focus on studies. I was angry, frustrated, and disappointed.

Long story short, I was increasingly in debt, living in a CRAPPY apartment with my family with mold growing in the washroom. Conditions in which NO human being should have to live. I had to travel everyday for almost one hour or so on TTC to reach RCC, and more than one hour to come back because by that time it was rush hour. I made a huge mistake by going to that RCC. I do not know what I was thinking. I guess I got duped into going there because I wanted to get out of the mediocre living in that broken down apartment and provide my family with a nice place to live. I got duped, into going to this horrible, horrible place they call a “school”. Please don’t waste your time and money at RCC.

Now I had dropped out of RCC. I had no jobs and no real skills that I was proud to show. I could not sleep at night and would wake up late in the day because I could not sleep. I was in a lot of stress. So one day I decided to pick up my life from where I thought it went wrong. I went back to high school to renew my credits because when I graduate we had OAC, or grade 13. But now there was none so I went back. I finished my grade 12 again and enrolled in York University for economics. They didn’t even bother looking at RCC transcript. I was blown away when York University sent me the admission offer with over $4000 in yearly scholarship. I completed my first year and right in the second year I found a part time job as a teller. I have now completed my first two years at York University full time and will start my third soon. Thanks to the connections and networking at York University I found a decent job at a bank, and kept studying part time some of the courses.

So, long story short again, please, please, please go to a public post secondary institution.

I believe strongly that if I didn’t come from an immigrant family, and if I had never seen my family back home fight through all odds against stacked up high, I would have committed suicide or given up on life because of this God forsaken place called RCC.

So Adam, I applaud you my friend, you are doing the humanity a great service. I sincerely thank you. I cannot believe I found this site. RCC has left some psychological scars in my life, and tonight I found myself googling about RCC and I came across your site, so I thought I HAD to tell my story.

All I can say is, STAY AWAY FROM RCC. Never give up. There is always hope. And when it seems like that you have no way out and there is no light, trust me, you just need to smile at the troubles and face them head-on, and you will realize they were not troubles at all.

Good luck, and good night.

Since Yorkville has taken over, its begun to list and soon the ship will sink. I just hope that my degree and diploma from them will be forever recognized.

It’s a private for-profit college and its courses are NOT transferrable to real accredited colleges or universities(assuming you want to upgrade in the future) Without a real undergraduate/bachelor’s degree, you cannot get work visas in other countries(there is a world outside of canada).

Many years later I decided to go attend a real university to upgrade my education. Unfortunately to my dissapointment, my courses and my diploma from RCC were worth nothing and so I didn’t get to transfer over any courses. I had to start all over, however it wasnt all bad. I now had a lot of free time as a uni student even with a full course load and the tuition was also much lower. Upon graduation I felt a great sense of satisfaction as my degree was now recognized all over the world.

I would not recommend attending any private for-profit schools for anyone. This includes cdi college, devry university and the ever popular american univesity of phoenix :P Be smart and stick with public/state schools.

If they had provided more references, then they could have had a game changer – a book we could happily recommending to the boss.

Thanks for the comment!

I expect it will be sometime before the other participants respond.

Anyhow here’s more of my opinion. :)

2 years and 9 months at RCC is significantly more expensive than a publicly funded equivalent (talk to a publicly funded community college). Also, most publicly funded schools allow you to fast track, work through the summers, and finish your program faster (if that’s what appeals to you). Publicly funded colleges also have transfer / articulation agreements with Universities like Lakehead.

If you want an iron ring then why not directly apply to Lakehead University and reduce your educational debt? Have you compared the cost of becoming an engineer through Lakehead University vs. going to RCC then Lakehead? When calculating the costs you might want to consider that: you can’t work through the summers while attending RCC, that publicly funded schools generously award bursaries / scholarships (I got one almost every semester), and that you could also transfer to Lakehead from a publicly funded college.

Graduates of career colleges (like RCC) make roughly the same amount as a high school graduate. Here’s an excerpt from one of my previous comments:

career college diploma or certificate holders [like what RCC offers] earned almost the same as high school graduates but they were more likely to be employed. Men with a high school diploma earned $35,200 compared to $35,300 for those with career college diplomas or certificates however the employment rate for those with high school was 92 percent compared to 98 percent for those with career college diplomas. – http://weacanada.ca/files/articles/0903careercolleges.pdf

As far as I know RCC does not have an exclusive agreement with UPS. When I went to Seneca, UPS hired students irrespective of what school they attended, they were conveniently located close to York University and Seneca College in Vaughan (above Toronto).

I’m in the same boat – I would like to try a triathlon, but swimming isn’t my strong point. :) Good luck with the triathlon!