Description of Occupation

The occupation I chose is a lawyer. Lawyers and Quebec notaries advise clients on legal matters, represent clients before administration boards and draw up legal documents such as contracts and wills. Lawyers also plead cases, represent clients before tribunals and conduct prosecutions in courts of law. Lawyers are employed in law firms and prosecutor's offices. Quebec notaries are employed in notary offices. Both lawyers and Quebec notaries are employed by federal, provincial and municipal governments and various business establishments or they may be self-employed. Articling students are included in this group. if you become a lawyer, there's a very good chance you'll be putting in a lot of hours. Lawyers spend a lot of time researching and studying the laws--especially if they work in private practice. Lawyers work in offices, libraries, and courtrooms. Some duties of lawyer include:

• Advise clients of their legal rights and all matters related to law
• Research legal precedents and gather evidence
• Plead clients' cases before courts of law, tribunals and boards (lawyers only)
• Draw up legal documents such as real estate transactions, wills, divorces and contracts, and prepare statements of legal opinions
• Negotiate settlements of civil disputes (lawyers only)
• Perform administrative and management functions related to the practice of law
• May act as mediator, conciliator or arbitrator
• May act as executor, trustee or guardian in estate and family law matters.
• Lawyers and Quebec notaries may specialize in specific areas of the law such as criminal law (lawyers only), corporate law, contract law, taxation law, administrative law, international law, commercial law, real estate law, family and estate law, intellectual property law and labour law.

Work prospects will continue to be good because the employment growth rate will likely be average because the high cost of legal services may lead people to use alternative dispute resolution processes that do not necessarily involve lawyers. As well, use of computerized legal databases may lead to greater demand for paralegal technicians at the expense of lawyers. The retirement rate will likely be below average, and the number of retiring workers should not contribute significantly to job openings. The number of job seekers will likely match the number of job openings. The average wage is $123,632.00 per year. Useful experiences include Lawyers and Quebec notaries advise clients on legal matters, represent clients before administration boards and draw up legal documents such as contracts and wills. Lawyers also plead cases, represent clients before tribunals and conduct prosecutions in courts of law. Lawyers are employed in law firms and prosecutor's offices. Quebec notaries are employed in notary offices. Both lawyers and Quebec notaries are employed by federal, provincial and municipal governments and various business establishments or they may be self-employed. Articling students are included in this group. if you become a lawyer, there's a very good chance you'll be putting in a lot of hours. Lawyers spend a lot of time researching and studying the laws--especially if they work in private practice. Lawyers work in offices, libraries, and courtrooms.

Lawyers and Quebec notaries perform some or all of the following duties:

• Advise clients of their legal rights and all matters related to law
• Research legal precedents and gather evidence
• Plead clients' cases before courts of law, tribunals and boards (lawyers only)
• Draw up legal documents such as real estate transactions, wills, divorces and contracts, and prepare statements of legal opinions
• Negotiate settlements of civil disputes (lawyers only)
• Perform administrative and management functions related to the practice of law
• May act as mediator, conciliator or arbitrator
• May act as executor, trustee or guardian in estate and family law matters.
• Lawyers and Quebec notaries may specialize in specific areas of the law such as criminal law (lawyers only), corporate law, contract law, taxation law, administrative law, international law, commercial law, real estate law, family and estate law, intellectual property law and labour law.

Work prospects will continue to be good because the employment growth rate will likely be average because the high cost of legal services may lead people to use alternative dispute resolution processes that do not necessarily involve lawyers. As well, use of computerized legal databases may lead to greater demand for paralegal technicians at the expense of lawyers. The retirement rate will likely be below average, and the number of retiring workers should not contribute significantly to job openings. The number of job seekers will likely match the number of job openings.

The average wage is $123,632.00 per year. 

Employment requirements are:

• Two to three years of undergraduate studies or, in Quebec, completion of college program
• and A bachelors degree from a recognized law school and Successful completion of the bar examination and completion of a period of articling are required.
• Licensing by the provincial or territorial law society is required.
• Notaries (Quebec)
• A bachelors degree from a recognized law school and a Diploma of Notarial Law (D.D.N.)
• A masters degree of law with specialization in notarial law and A 32-week vocational training program are required.
• Registration with the Corporation of Notaries is required.

Some useful experiences and educational requirements are:

• Leadership
• Community involvement
• Interpersonal skills
• Committee workk
• Social Studies (Law)
• English (Communication)
• Family Studies
• Math

Information about Post-secondary Programs

The post-secondary program i chose is a Bachelor of Civil Law/Bachelor of Laws from McGill university. The B.C.L./LL.B. program is an opportunity to learn the Civil Law and Common Law traditions within a single, integrated course of studies. Its duration is flexible: at a normal pace of 15 credits per term, the program can be completed in 7 terms or three and a half years.It is possible to accelerate the completion of the program by taking one additional course in the Winter term of first year, by completing Summer credits, and by taking a higher number of credits during the regular academic year, up to a maximum of 18 credits. The length of the program is 3.5 or 4.5 years. The tuition is $7,565.70. Prerequisites include: minimum of two years of university studies (60 credits).

Reflection on my Academic Goal

One of my goals that I have completed is to get an 85% average on my report card this school year. Although I have only recently completed the goal setting activity, I have had this goal in mind since before the beginning of the school year, which gave me a head start and allowed me to achieve this even sooner than I imagined. However, I must say that the goal setting activity did help me a lot in making me set other goals, interrelating them to each other, and most importantly, planning how to achieve it. This part of the exercise helped me the most, by requiring me to develop a strategy to complete the goal.In doing this I was able to achieve m goal. Furthermore, The S.M.A.R.T. (specific, measurable, attainable, relevant, and timely) allowed me to discern which of my goals were actually feasible in the long run, and focus on those, rather than having twenty unachievable goals.

myBlueprint Reflection

In all aspects of life it is important to plan ahead. This is especially true when what you are planning will affect you for the rest of your life, such as a career. Using the myBlueprint career planner, I have been able to figure out not only what career I might want to consider, but also how to go about it. Doing this activity has shown me that I have to start planning my future as early as I can to be successful. I have to choose my courses carefully as early as grade 10; this was something I had not considered before. The goal-setting component of this activity was also very helpful. It made me think about whether a goal is realistic, and also the steps I need to take to achieve it. As I said before, it is important to start planning for the future early. Planning for my life after high school, even as far as a career, has allowed me to work backwards and decide what university and high school courses I need to take in order to be considered for such a position. Although I am currently only in grade 10, next year the course selection will be much more diverse, offering multiple science, math, language and humanity courses, and registration is in only one month, which means I really have to start thinking about this. Doing this activity, I have worked backwards from my preferred area of study (law); I have correctly chosen the courses, which would make me eligible for these programs. As I have learned, a persons plan after high school very much depends on what courses they choose in high school, because this is when they gain the knowledge required for any future plans, this is why some high school courses can be very specific. This activity has helped me decide which post-secondary pathway I will consider, university. Although I went into this activity having a pretty good idea of what I wanted to do after high school, it allowed me to see more specifically which universities and which courses I might want to consider. It did make me think about where I was going in more depth than I had before. Overall this activity has given me a good idea of what I want to do with my life both after high school and after university, but more importantly I has shown me how to go about this, with such things like: which courses I need to take, what extra-curricular activities would be beneficial and so forth. This course has also been very helpful to me in choosing a life path. It was placed very well, right before registration for grade 11, allowing me to choose my courses more wisely than I would have. Grade 11 is the most deciding year when it comes to university, because all the grade 12 courses have grade 11 prerequisites and taking this course and doing this activity have allowed me to understand this connection. Now I feel more confident in choosing those courses and understanding the impact this will have on my future. Overall this activity was very helpful and allowed me to successfully plan my future.

Sir Richard Branson - A Successful Person

• Success is defined by expectations, aspirations, and ones attitude toward reaching them.

• Branson was born in Blackheath, England on July 18, 1950. His father was Edward James Branson and his mother was Eve Huntley Branson

• Branson went to Scaitcliffe School until he was 13 and went to the Stowe School until he was 16 , when he dropped out. Branson did poorly in school due to his dyslexia, however he later discovered his ability to connect with people. At age 16 he dropped out of school and started his own newspaper “Student”.

• He later started a mail-order record company to fund his magazine efforts. Also, he started a record store, and later a recording company - Virgin Records - signing such well known artists as: Sex Pistols, the Culture Club, the Rolling Stones and Genesis. Virgin soon became one of the top six record companies in the world.

• Branson soon expanded his business by starting: a travel agency the Voyager Group in 1980, the airline Virgin Atlantic in 1984 and Virgin Megastores. In 1993 he founded the station Virgin Radio and in 2004 started a space tourism company, Virgin Galactic. The Virgin group now controls around 200 companies in over 30 countries.

• Richard Branson is arguably one of the most successful people in the world. He overcame a learning disability and discovered his ability to connect with people.

• He understands that people are the driving force behind success and values them more than just employees.

• Branson is married to Joan Templeman, and has three children. His personal net worth is over US $4.2 billion. Virgin groups employ 50,000 people worldwide. In 1987 he crossed the Atlantic Ocean in his hot air balloon “Virgin Atlantic Flyer”. On March 30, 2000 he was knighted by Prince Charles for his “services to entrepreneurship”. 

Resources:

http://www.johnshepler.com/articles/branson.html

http://www.biography.com/people/richard-branson-9224520

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Richard_Branson

http://www.moneycrashers.com/richard-branson-quotes-business-success-life/

http://www.pogomix.net/what-is-success

For my successful people presentation I chose to do Sir Richard Branson. Richard Branson is successful because he constantly sets goals for himself which he achieves, he overcame dyslexia and financial trouble and found his talents and used them effectively to maximize his potential. I think we can all learn from him, we often complain of how difficult life is and daydream about it could be better. But Richard Branson did not waste time daydreaming, he got out there a did something. This was not easy for him, he has dyslexia and was told he could not succeed in this field, but for him others' opinions did not matter. He knew what he wanted to do, and he did it. If everybody applied this kind of thinking to their lives, the world would have a lot more successful people.

"Explorations" from my blueprint

Your Top Three Occupation Interest Areas:

1. BusinessOccupations in this area may require an understanding of how companies operate and make their money. Potential topics include marketing, finance, accounting, and economics.
2. Liberal ArtsOccupations in this area span a broad range of fields and can vary from topics such as humanities and literature to natural and physical sciences.
3. ServiceOccupations in this area may involve a lot of customer interaction and often involve sales. Potential jobs include a diverse range of topics such as customer relations to psychologists.

Your Favourite Occupations:

1. Lawyers and Quebec NotariesLawyers and Quebec notaries advise clients on legal matters, represent clients before administration boards and draw up legal documents such as contracts and wills. Lawyers also plead cases, represent clients before tribunals and conduct prosecutions in courts of law. Lawyers are employed in law firms and prosecutor's offices. Quebec notaries are employed in notary offices. Both lawyers and Quebec notaries are employed by federal, provincial and municipal governments and various business establishments or they may be self-employed. Articling students are included in this group.
2. Banking, Credit and Other Investment ManagersBanking, credit and other investment managers plan, organize, direct, control and evaluate the activities of financial establishments or operational departments within such establishments, or credit departments in industrial and commercial establishments. They oversee business development and manage overall performance in accordance with established strategic directions and policies. Banking managers are employed by banks, trust companies and credit unions. Credit managers are employed by credit departments in department stores, utility companies, car dealerships, insurance companies or other industrial or commercial organizations. Other investment managers are employed by credit card companies, consumer loan companies, mutual fund investment firms, mortgage investment companies or other financial establishments concerned with extending loans and financing and investments.
3. Specialists in Human ResourcesSpecialists in human resources develop, implement and evaluate human resources and labour relations policies, programs and procedures and advise managers and employers on personnel matters. Specialists in human resources are employed throughout the private and public sectors, or they may be self-employed.

Your Favourite Programs:

1. Commerce University of Toronto - St. George Campus, Toronto, OntarioThe Bachelor of Commerce degree builds on a common foundation of business and liberal arts courses. Rotman Commerce students go on to specialize in one of three programs: finance and economics, management, or accounting. Each program combines career-oriented courses in management and applied economics with a variety of advanced courses in the Arts & Sciences. The balance assures graduates of a solid understanding of business and modern society along with a command of critical skills in decision-making and organizational leadership.

1. Commerce and Finance University of Toronto at Mississauga, Mississauga, OntarioNot Available

1. Economics for Management Studies University of Toronto at Scarborough, Scarborough, OntarioEconomics studies how consumers and producers interact in a market economy to provide goods and services. Economics also studies how this process grows and changes over time, and under what circumstances it may fail to function in an optimal fashion. Economic policies to remedy those failures are also examined.
   
   In the Department of Management, the study of economics is oriented primarily to the needs of students interested in management studies. Thus, many of our examples will focus on the ways in which firms and consumers in market economies interact. However, students interested in the wide variety of problems considered by economists will find those matters are also addressed in our courses.
   
   The curriculum provides an excellent background for careers in business, government, and the professions, and may be of considerable interest to students specializing in other disciplines as well. Students may focus their study of economics in the Specialist Program in Economics for Management Studies (with a co-op option) as part of the B.B.A., or may either major or minor in economics as part of the B.A. degree. Finally, economics plays a significant role within the various programs leading to the B.B.A. Program.
   
   The Specialist Co-operative program in Economics for Management Studies (B.B.A.) is a work-study program which combines academic studies in economics and management with work experience in public and private enterprises. This degree is designed to allow students to learn practical skills of data analysis and to combine them with the interpretive skills given by knowledge of economic theory.
2. Human Resource and Industrial Relations University of Toronto at Mississauga, Mississauga, OntarioThe Human Resources and Industrial Relations program is designed to prepare students for careers in either human resource management or labour relations. The program also provides a foundation for completion of the Certified Human Resources Professional (CHRP) designation offered by the Human Resources Professionals Association, and for further study in the area, such as the Master of Industrial Relations and Human Resources degree offered at the St. George campus. The need for professional training in the field has grown over time as the employment relationship has increased in complexity due to factors such as the increasing diversity of the labour force and new legislative initiatives in employment and human rights. The broad based study of the employment relationship provided in the Human Resources and Industrial Relations program prepares students for professional careers by providing a theoretical framework, analytical and quantitative skills, and a thorough knowledge of current developments in the field. Students are able to undertake a multi-disciplinary study of the employment relationship, examining it from the perspectives of Economics, History, Sociology and Organizational Theory. This training is intended to provide the basis for life long learning about emerging issues in the field of employment.

1. International Relations Studies Program/Peace & Conflict Studies Program University of Toronto - St. George Campus, Toronto, Ontario

I found the results of this report interesting. Although I had previously thought about a career in some of these fields, the report provided much more detailed findings than I had previously thought about. It told me about field like "human resources" which i had not even heard of. It gave me an interesting perspective on what I might want to become, and showed me that there is huge variety of jobs out there.

An Interview with someone in the Workplace

For this assignment I interviewed my cousin Gosia, she works for the Ontario Ministry of Finance, Ontario Internal Audit Division. Her current title is Risk and Assurance Consultant. Her job is to audit various areas of the Ontario Government to ensure that everyone is following procedures, and doing it effectively and efficiently. 

1) How did you end up doing what you are?

I started working for the Ontario Government while I was in University through my program's internship requirement. Based on my performance as an intern I was offered a full time position. After about a year I moved to a different area, still within the Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care at a point when the Ontario Internal Audit Division was contributing their expertise to the project. Once I learned about what the division does, I applied and received a contract for the position of Risk and Assurance Consultant. Later I interviewed to become a permanent employee and was successful. While working for the division I have continued my education to hone all skills required for the position.

2) For how long did you know you wanted to do this?

I didn't know what I wanted to do exactly when I finished university but once I was exposed to government work I became very interested in public service and knew that its something I wanted to better. I later learned that the Ontario Internal AUdit Division does just that and jumped on the opportunity by applying for the first available position. I also worked closely with the audit team that I met on my second project to learn as much as I could about what their roles is, how they execute project and anything else that the team was willing to share with me. 

3) Have you done this your entire life?

I have not been in audit specifically my entire career but I have been working with the ontario public service since I was in university. Even when I worked in the private sector doing management consulting my key clients were the Ontario Government and its agencies.