CREDIT: FANSHAWE COLLEGE CAREER SERVICES
This career conference wants to light a spark in Fanshawe students about their future.

The Career Services office is trying to help Fanshawe students build their career skills and their futures.

On Saturday, Nov. 14 from 8 a.m. until 4 p.m. in D1060, Employment and Student Entrepreneurial Services will be hosting Ignite, the department’s first-ever career conference that plans to help prepare Fanshawe students for future success.

The conference will feature a number of workshops that focus on leadership, entrepreneurship, networking and more.

There will also be an employer panel, bringing in employers from around London, who can provide students with some advice and suggestions on how to proceed in their career.

“It’s an action packed day,” said Darlene O’Neill from employment and students entrepreneurial services at Fanshawe. “We’re pretty confident that it’s going to spark some really great advice for graduates and students as they pursue their future careers.”

Though O’Neill is excited about all the events Ignite has to offer, she is most excited about the keynote address by Terry Kelly.

Kelly, a Canadian country/folk music artist most famous for his song “A Pittance of Time” will be giving a motivational speech called “The Power of the Dream”.

“If you want to be inspired, [he’s an] inspirational motivational speaker. He’s bringing both his music and his motivational speech to Fanshawe,” O’Neill said.

O’Neill said the organizers wanted to ensure as many students could make it to the event as possible, which is why they chose to host Ignite on a Saturday. She said they wanted to make sure the event was accessible for everyone.

Hosting the event on a Saturday also ensures that students from other campuses can make it as well. She hopes that students are willing to give up one day of their weekend and give the event a chance. Organizers also wanted to make sure the event did not clash with classes.

“We know it’s a Saturday, but giving up one day for success should be worth it,” O’Neill said.

O’Neill encourages all students to come out to the event and learn new things or improve their skills. O’Neill said it can’t hurt to give it a shot.

“It’s free food, great door prizes, an awesome keynote, great workshops, lots of good swag, who wouldn’t want to go?”

The event is free for all students and includes a complimentary lunch and over $2,000 worth of gift cards available in door prizes, but students must first register online through FOL or in person at D1063.