Life outside the box

A look at BCIT student Sue Chiu*

You might not expect an introvert like Sue Chiu to have jumped out of an airplane at 10,000 feet, but she has.  And she loved it.  Although Sue freely admits to “screaming [her] head off” during the initial, 45-second freefall, skydiving was one of the “biggest highs” she’s ever experienced.

Sue has done a lot outside her comfort zone.  She’s run two half-marathons and walked the New York City marathon.  She’s travelled overseas, visiting places as far away as Egypt.  But one of the most unexpected changes Sue has made was returning to school after ten years in finance.

An unintentional career path

Sue “fell” into her previous career while she was a student at the University of British Columbia.  She was looking for work while she attended school and ended up as a teller.  This led to a position as a personal banker after graduation, and then to a job as a broker’s assistant.

Sue was content to remain in that “cush job” for ten years, enjoying the flexible hours and free time.  But she wasn’t rewarded by what she did every day and decided to change careers.

What the future holds

Sue hopes the New Media Design & Web Development program at BCIT will help her find a job that is fulfilling and a better fit for her “behind-the-scenes” personality.  In a best-case scenario, she would work as a photographer for a travel publication or as a website designer for a tourist organization.

Sue soaks up the sunshine in Maui

Both positions would involve her passions of travelling and photography.  Both would also give her an excuse to visit sunnier climates during the rainy winters – a nice perk for a sunny person who considers herself “solar-powered.”

*This interview was part of a class assignment that was formatted specifically for the web.