Doris Chen’s decision to enroll in George Brown’s Bachelor of Applied Business (BAB) degree in Accounting yielded far greater returns than she ever could have imagined.  She knew going into the four-year program in 2003 that she would gain relevant skills, and earn transfer credits toward professional accounting designations. What she didn’t anticipate early on, though, was that she would find employment in her chosen field during her studies, and then be hired on full-time right after graduation.

Now Acting Financial Officer with Public Works and Government Services Canada, Doris works in the Finance Department that coordinates payments for leased accommodations, construction and consulting, and provides other support for government departments. “Basically we are the middleman,” she says. “I look after the payment and billing for the services we coordinate for others.”

Not too many people are aware of this bureaucratic arm but all Canadians benefit from it whenever they visit a federal government building for services, compete for contracts as a small or medium enterprise, or use various structures for transportation, such as the Burlington Canal Lift Bridge. Doris found out about Public Works herself when she saw a posting for a co-op placement there while she was in the second year of the BAB program. She interviewed, and was hired as a financial assistant that summer. Though she mainly did clerical work, the opportunities to demonstrate her abilities in that placement were invaluable. She was invited back the following summer at which time she got to work on more complex tasks. “It was a really unique experience to be working in my chosen field while going to school because I was able to take the lessons of the workplace back to the classroom, and vice versa,” she says.

For example, the group work she did at George Brown helped to build her confidence in making professional presentations and working in a team environment. The reports and emails she was writing on the job taught her about the importance of clarity and brevity in written communications, which was helpful when preparing her essays.

She recalls how the curriculum—like her Taxation class--was made fun and accessible by knowledgeable professors. One of her proudest moments was achieving one of the highest grade point averages in the program in her seventh semester.

As far as the perception that you need a university degree to become an accountant, not so, she says. “One of the big draws of the program for me was that I could transfer credits from my program to four out of five levels of the Chartered General Accountant (CGA) designation. I am in the process of completing level five now,” she says.

Once she obtains the CGA, she hopes to move into other areas of Public Works, possibly learning more about the financial management side of the house and doing more training of staff.

“Everything I was exposed to at George Brown helped me in the real world,” she says. “Along with the fundamental lessons in business and accounting, the program teaches you how to present yourself professionally, communicate clearly and adapt to any situation. And of course, the co-op placements give you an added advantage. Now I have a great job, and it is a direct result of my decision to go to George Brown.”