My personal learning project was with a company called BIG Insurance Group; I chose this because I am interested in the automotive and financial industries. I learned a new job that I thought I wouldn’t do, they insure a lot of cars in the city of Ottawa, Ontario. I learned a lot about how an insurance company operates; they work with a lot of clients, and I learned how to get paperwork done while someone fills out an application. Brian, who was teaching me about the company, showed me how to get around the job.

This year, through the NYA Next program, I also learned a lot more while attending a one-day automotive workshop at Algonquin College, including welding, how to change tires on cars, and much more. To add to that experience, two years ago, in 2023, I was placed in Windsor, Ontario. I volunteered at an automotive workshop at Canadian Tire for 150 hours, working on cars and learning how to properly fix them, complete the necessary paperwork, and understand the process of customers going through Canadian customs clearance. My highlight for this program would be learning and furthering my education about automotive and financial skills. NYA has offered me these opportunities, and it has helped me gain new skills and knowledge of what I want to do. I have always been passionate about cars, and this learning project has helped me explore potential careers in the industry.