CREDIT: COURTESY OF MURILO TAMBURUS
This year’s Ignite Conference has a focus on communication. (Pictured: Murilo Tamburus and others pose for a photo at the Ignite Career Conference, 2022).

The theme of this year’s Ignite Career Conference is Speak, Engage, Succeed, and according to organizer Murilo Tamburus, students can expect a fulfilling day focused on the topic of communication.

“We see a need in the market for better communication with employers,” Tamburus said. “We came up with the idea of talking about communication. And when I say communication, [that means] presentation, public speaking…social media.”

The event will be held on Nov. 4 in D1060 at Fanshawe College between 10 a.m. and 3 p.m., a shorter event than in previous years. The day will begin with a keynote from Jason Thompson about how to hook an audience with any presentation. Students then have the option to attend one of four workshops, including Passionate Communication and Positive Influence on Social Media, Crafting your Unique Elevator Pitch, Speaking Confidently – Listening. Speaking. Communicating or AI and You.


A free lunch will then be offered, followed by another round of workshops. The day will finish with a keynote from 24-year-old Queen’s Platinum Jubilee Award recipient Sam Demma who will share his “Empty your Backpack” philosophy. As Tamburus explained, this ideology has to do with letting go of all the voices in your life telling you what to do.

“We all have backgrounds where people were telling us what to do and what we cannot do,” Tamburus said. “And then you keep putting that on your back. And then the idea of having [Demma] as a closing keynote is like, ‘Okay, you guys heard a lot today. So now put on the side everything you heard from other people.’ He’s basically saying, empty that and be yourself.”

New this year is also the inclusion of students working behind the scenes of the event, assisting with production and streaming. Tamburus said students from the television and film program are assisting with camera work and lighting, while a broadcast student will be emceeing the event.

“When I decided to do [the event] in a different layout, I noticed a need for way more professionals than we were used to in the past years, [more] professionals to help with the lights for the sound and stage, with the cameras, with the videos, with everything we’re doing,” Tamburus said. “And then we’re like, ‘Okay, we’re in the college. We offer those programs. Students need the hours and the training in a professional event. So why not contact the coordinators and see if it’s possible to bring those students?’”

Tamburus hopes attendees will find the day rewarding and that students see themselves reflected in the industry experts running the day’s workshops.

“This year, what we did was to try to bring young people to connect with students and talk about relevant topics,” Tamburus explained. “And they will see that person is their age or two years older than them. So, they’ll think, that could be me.”

Tamburus said students have a lot to gain from attending Ignite, stating that he has spoken with several attendees in the past who have called the day “transformative.”

“If you want to be transformed, if you want to change your career, if you want to change your future,” Tamburus said. “Five hours could change your future career.”

Students can register for Ignite here or check out MyFanshawe for more details.