Shawn came to the Stratford Conestoga Career Centre in 2009 when he had been downsized from a job that he had held for many years. Shawn was looking for assistance in planning his future. Staff guided him through the Second Career program application process and he was able to complete the Culinary Management Program at the Waterloo Campus in the spring of 2011 with government sponsorship.
A happy customer with the help he received the first time, Shawn returned to the Career Centre for assistance in finding a job related to his education. This time, staff connected him to the Ritz Villa in Mitchell where they were looking for someone with exactly Shawn’s qualifications. Due to new government regulations, Ritz Villa needed either a chef or dietary aid for the nursing home with a diploma in culinary management. The Career Centre staff supported Shawn through his training period and he secured employment there as a dietary chef in July, 2011.