At AOLCC, we are proud of our brand new Education Assistant Diploma program. More than that, though, we are proud of our first cohort of graduates, among them Prabha D’Souza. Prabha is an exemplary student who knows first-hand just how rewarding it can feel to begin a career that resonates with your strengths, values, and passion.
Graduating in October 2017, Prabha D’Souza now works full-time as an educational assistant. Read on to know more about Prabha’s story, and how she became a trailblazer at the Academy of Learning Career College.
How Prabha D’Souza Decided on an Educational Assistant Career
After immigrating to Canada from India in 2014, Prabha began volunteering at her children’s school. “I liked the work I was doing as a volunteer,” Prabha recalls, prizing the opportunity to work with kids. A stay at home mom at the time, Prabha decided to pursue a new career that fits with her “caring nature and genuine concern for children.” This led her to seek educational assistant courses.
Like many of AOLCC’s students, Prabha was interested in flexible learning that would enable long-term professional development. After an online search led her to AOLCC’s website, Prabha recalls that the Educational Assistant program “offered its students an effective hands-on approach to career training, self-paced learning, flexible schedules, and an environment conducive for learning.” Prabha also noted the appeal of a career-specific program, with opportunities for skill-building and immersion in her field. With that, she recalls, “I was convinced that the Academy was the right place to undertake my training.”
How the Practical Experience in Her Educational Assistant Training Helped Prabha Excel
Prabha says she gained “immense knowledge and experience from the practicum,” highlighting practicum experience as “the most important part of the course.” Completing her month-long practicum at Kameyosek School, Prabha developed crucial insights to serve her future career. “The teacher and education assistant under whom I worked were awesome,” Prabha says. She notes how the assistant took a “special interest” in teaching her career-building skills, from the reading club to binding and lamination: “they provided all the resources from where I could move ahead in my career.”
Prabha says the practicum is a large part of what leads her to recommend AOLCC’s Educational Assistant training. An important opportunity to apply theoretical knowledge, the practicum also prepares educational assistants to accommodate kids with special needs. This training leads to work in various environments, including schools, daycares, out of school care, and more. As Prabha notes, “job seekers need this experience of the practicum”.
Prabha Thrived in AOLCC’s Supportive and Caring Environment
“I am really glad that I pursued the Educational Assistant Diploma in Academy of Learning”, Prabha says. From the receptionist to the administration and instructors, she notes the friendliness of the South Campus staff members, who made AOLCC feel like a “second home.” Prabha recalls how this welcoming atmosphere helped her meet the challenges of launching a new career. She highlights the work of campus training director Shabana Munir, who helped her “in every situation that came along”. “She was always available to listen to our difficulties,” Prabha says, adding that she feels “indebted to [Munir] for her timely guidance.”
To future students who may be considering returning to school, Prabha offers encouragement. She says “there may come obstacles on our way especially when we try something new. But we should not get discouraged nor let down”. Prabha adds that “no one can stop us from achieving what we wish to, not even our own thoughts and distractions”.
“It was like a do-or-die situation for me”, she says, “but I never looked back, and I can happily say that I have completed my Diploma successfully with Distinction”.
Are you ready to train for exciting career opportunities as an educational assistant?
