Hello! It's time again for Toni Taddeo's Tuesday 4.
I think that's a great idea, so here are questions prepared for us.
1.What did/do you do for work and how long did you work in that position?
I'm retired. In my last job I worked for the federal (national government) as a policy advisor. I was in the department that among other things had different teams negotiating agreements with the First Nations of British Columbia over land (excluding private property), resources (fish, forests, etc.) and government powers (a broad range of powers) to enable the First Nations of British Columbia to enact laws and manage the lands and resources once negotiated agreements were ratified and passed into law. Parties to negotiations were many First Nations, but not all, the Government of British Columbia and the Government of Canada. There were also many interest groups who were party to different aspects of the negotiations but who were not actual signatories to any final agreements. I worked at the job for approximately 10 years and hoped I would have continued working in the job if life didn't intervene and send me into an early retirement.
2. Of the jobs you've had throughout life, which was your favorite? If no favorite, which was the worst? Tell us why you loved/hated your job.
My last job was my favourite because it was mentally challenging, varied in duties and there was a lot of room for showcasing one's ingenuity or problem solving abilities. There were of course things I didn't like about the job. In talking to many people over the years, and through my own, varied work experiences, I concluded that no job is perfect and though you may really enjoy yours, there is probably something or several somethings, which you would rather do without. After many different work experiences where things were not always rosy, I finally learned to implement the teaching of the Apostle Paul in the Book of Philippians 4:11-13. It's best to try to find contentment in whatever circumstance you find yourself in, or be prepared to find a new circumstance. Even if you look for a new circumstance it won't end up being perfect.
3. What did your job entail? Did it require a special education?
It was multi-faceted. It included analyzing, developing positions, knowing the laws of the land at the federal and provincial level, liaising with legal advisors and other policy advisors in multiple departments and ministries both at the federal and provincial levels. A big part of the daily work involved discussing government positions on subjects and issues with the negotiating teams and advising negotiating team members on the parameters and language for the agreements. Another aspect was developing policy positions with my counterparts in Ottawa. There were many more aspects to the job but this summary captures the essence of it.
The job required previous policy experience and a legal degree and experience. I did however have a colleague who joined the team before I retired. She didn't have a law degree or legal experience but had a lot of other useful experience in the department. However, I'd have to say that I don't think her level of ability to advise or develop policy was anywhere near the level of the other members of the team. She obviously had other skills which stood her in good stead when she decided she wanted a change of pace at work.
4. List all the jobs/occupations you have had.
I've had a diverse work background including jobs as a student like babysitting, waiting tables and washing dishes, research & working in the university library, & summer jobs in one of the legal departments of the Government of Canada. After graduation from university, I had a number of policy and research related jobs mostly dealing with issues of self-governance, land claims and legal rights of the Indigenous peoples of Canada (not just First Nations). I primarily worked for the Government of Canada & for non-governmental organizations in Canada both in Ottawa, Ontario and in Vancouver, BC.
As a young girl I was taught the value of hard work for an honest wage and to take pride in my work. I carried this teaching with me no matter what work I was doing whether paid or voluntary. Later I learned that the value of hard work is also a biblical concept. In case anyone is curious, I found it was easier to implement the hard work ethic than it was to learn how to be content in all things. Thankfully I eventually succeeded in the latter and found it really added a lot of peace and satisfaction to my life overall.
Well that concludes my post for today. I hope you found it interesting and that you'll visit again soon. Take care and have a wonderful week.
8 comments:
Well, that was certainly surprising! I had NO idea that you had such an involved and interesting position! I am very impressed and find that all so very interesting! Thank you for sharing a bit more about yourself that we didn't know! It truly sounds like it was a varied and unique kind of work. That, coupled with your volunteer work in Africa certainly makes for an amazing life!!
Now that sounds like a very interesting job. These posts on jobs, really shows how varied the workforce is for everyone and with much needed work to be done by qualified and special individuals.
I enjoyed reading your post today. The thing that really caught my eyes was when you said we need to find contentment in everything we do. So true. I also left my last job before I had planned. The things I learned with my last job helped me in ministry at my church.
You have an interesting background. You had some very challenging positions.
Ha, ha, I knew that would come as a big surprise to some. I tend not to talk about my work. That was then and this is now. But I am blessed to have done the work I did and also to get to Africa which was always in my heart.
Thank you Debby. It was fun reading what everyone in the group has been doing for most of their lives and to see how they got to those positions.
Thank you Susan. I think contentment has to be the most important thing I learned along the way. I'm happy for you that your job experiences also helped you in ministry.
Thank you Red. I knew you might find my work history quite interesting given your own background. The issues I worked on are very challenging and continue to this day.
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