Career Day

2019 PHOTOS

The Ontario Association of Broadcasters’ 14th Annual Career Day event was held on Monday, March 4th, at Corus Entertainment in Toronto. Thanks to Troy Reeb and Ward Smith from Corus for inviting us back to Corus Quay for Career Day 2019: Broadcast & Beyond. 47 broadcast professionals volunteered to host tables for 330 students who attended from 11 post-secondary broadcast schools, for this unique event.

View the 2019 video, courtesy of Seneca Media, here.

The OAB honours the memory of Seneca professor Michael Monty each year at Career Day by awarding to a high academic and community-minded Ontario Broadcasting student an annual scholarship in his name. Nicholas Reeve, a Mohawk College Broadcast Television & Media Communications student, was awarded the 2019 Michael Monty Scholarship. Faculty have commented that Nick is an outstanding student, supports his college and community, and that “the world is a better place with Nick in it!”

This year’s panel discussion, “Broadcast & Beyond” was well received. Each panelist shared their stories and learning before opening the floor to questions from students. OAB Education Liaison Chair and moderator Neil Mathur would like to thanks panelists for engaging the audience in such a fun and practical career-minded discussion: Lisa Bowditch—Director, Content Operations, Sportsnet, Citytv & Omni; Murray Brookshaw—VP Content, Vista Radio; Tammy Cole—Program Director 102.1 The Edge & Q107; Farah Nasser—Anchor, Global News; Evanka Osmak—Anchor, Sportsnet Central & Cohost, Moms in the Middle podcast.

This year college students were asked to promote OAB Career Day by creating a promo for the event. The OAB put up $1000 cash and a pair of tickets to the annual OAB Conference in November to sweeten the deal. Congratulations to the Fanshawe College team, Rachel Batchelor, Rachel Heffren, Thomas McDaniel, Talia Miller, and Daniel Mitchell-Benoit.

Career Day provides a forum for soon-to-be graduating broadcasting students to meet with professionals in their field to talk candidly and ask questions. This allows them a level of access they would not normally have. The ever-popular round-table discussions featured hosts from all areas of broadcasting and included: (alphabetically) Carly Agro, Jay Baldonado, Alicia Marie Bisante, Julie Borthwick, Adrian Cheddie, Dan Chen, Brian Cox, Amanda Crapper, Navi Dhanoa, Brendan Dunlop, Chris Dunseith, Gwendolyn Earl, Martine Gaillard, Crystal Goomansingh, Wendy Gray, Jonathan Green, Alexandra Henderson, Matt Hermiz, Jennifer Howe, Scott Lewis, Scott Metcalfe, Matt Mise, Chris Pottage, Patrick Powers, Britt Ralph, Peter Raymond, Carl Rosart, Kevin Sexton, Ian Solecki, Jeff Storey, Mackay Taggart, Andrew Taucar, Kyle Taylor, Maggie Tulecka, Dila Velazquez, Marsha Waithe, Wayne Webster, Rob Wong, Eamon Zekkou, Jeunesse and Shem.

The Ontario Association of Broadcasters thanks all the people who volunteered their time as hosts and panelists to create this event and inspire future media professionals.

Career Day sponsors have enabled the OAB to continue hold this event each year at no cost to individual students. Thank you to each of our sponsors below: Host—Corus Entertainment; Platinum—Blackburn Radio, Broadnetworx, Humber College, Mohawk College, Seneca College; Gold—MZ Media, National Captioning Canada; Silver—Applied Electronics, Capsule, Durham College, Fanshawe College, Niagara College; Bronze—Ross and Vista Radio.

Photos, courtesy of Seneca Media, here.

more about Career Day

Students will have a chance to ask questions and network with experts all afternoon at the roundtable discussions, which continue to be the most dynamic part of Career Day. This event provides a one of a kind opportunity for soon-to-be-graduating students to speak candidly with experienced broadcasters. Broadcasters provide students first hand information on all aspects of the business in today’s marketplace. Many of our broadcasters, who volunteer their time have found this day to be fulfilling and informative. It provides them with students’ perspective on our ever-changing industry.

The Ontario Association of Broadcasters invites educators from all Ontario broadcasting schools to submit their nominations for the Michael Monty Scholarship Award. Nominees will be judged on strong academic marks and on their efforts to make a difference by getting involved in extracurricular activities, like volunteering with student groups or organizations (i.e. campus radio or television stations, student unions, sports teams, local charities). Nominations can be submitted online at https://oab.ca/events/career-day/oab-michael-monty-scholarship/. The deadline for nominations is Friday, February 21st, 2020.

To register students, for sponsorship opportunities or to participate as a host at our next Career Day, contact Val Skivington at memberservices@oab.ca.

OAB Education Liaison Committee is ~

Neil Mathur, Committee Chair & Professor, Radio Broadcasting, Humber School of Media Studies
Lisa Bowditch, Director, Media Operations & Infrastructure, Rogers Broadcasting
Doug Caldwell, President, Bayshore Broadcasting
Kerri Spooner, Director, Eastern Operations, Vista Radio
Ward Smith, VP News & Information Eastern Canada, Corus Entertainment
Paul Thomas, Program Director & Music Director, The New Classical FM

how to take part

Career Day is open to students currently enrolled in broadcasting or broadcasting related programs at post secondary schools in Ontario. Registration is free, but on a first-come first-serve basis. Student registrations will only be accepted via email from Educators. To register students, sponsorship opportunities or to participate as a host at our next Career Day, contact Val Skivington at the OAB, 905.554.2730 or memberservices [at] oab [dot] ca. Students interested in attending Career Day should contact their professors. Professors and coordinators are asked to email a list of students who would like to attend to memberservices [at] oab [dot] ca. Space is limited and only confirmed names received via email will be allowed entry.

about career day

In 2006, the Ontario Association of Broadcasters created an event designed to give back to broadcasting students from all over Ontario, and over the years this has become the must-attend event of the year for students. Each year Ontario College and University broadcast students are invited to meet industry representatives from Radio and Television. Broadcasters volunteer their time to speak candidly with soon-to-be graduating students about the industry and their field of expertise. Many return year after year to assist in this worthwhile event. At Career Day each year the OAB also presents the Michael Monty Scholarship Award to a lucky student, who’s not only strong academically but also gives back to their school and community by volunteering. The continued success of this event is due to the many broadcasters and educators who volunteer their time to participate, without whom, this event would simply not be possible. Thank you to everyone who has assisted us each year.