Specialist in Transportation and Logistics – RAC

Victoria Charest

My name is Victoria Charest, I was studying Specialist in Transportation and Logistics, and I’m 44 years old. Well, actually, it’s a sign of destiny, like, last year, when I was on vacation, the school called me because my name was up for the waiting list, but I didn’t call back, like, right away. After my vacation was done, I found out that the office where I was working was gonna close, so I saw it as a sign that said like it’s now or never. So I called back to see if my position was still available, and they said yes. And I started in November.

In terms of my working experience, I have like 20, 22 years experience in the Transport business. I came from far because the beginning I only had like secondary 2, to later take a course in college. Everybody else they had masters, MBA, engineering diplomas, and first and second degree, so, university, I felt at the beginning really intimidated by that. But after a while I passed the same courses the same exam, and I felt really proud of myself doing really just as good as everybody else.

The schedule is good, for me, like, I had the ability to come here full time from 9 to 4. They had an incredible, like, they work really hard to ease, for, let’s say, I have kids. My kids were sick, or I needed extra time to study, or to stay later, and like, they were always available to open a class for me, anytime I needed it. So that was, like, the working schedule was incredible. You guys did really incredible work. Concrete working experience, life experience, and different background, enhanced the experience. In some level. Even the different students enhanced the class by their own work experience. So it gave a different approach.

I think I made some friends for a lifetime. And I got the respect from my teachers because I worked really really hard. And I’m still in contact with some of them, not every day, but I get some news every now and then from Suzanne, Michael, Andy, and it touches me deeply to know that they – I wasn’t just a student and now that I’m graduated it’s like, you’re out of their lives. They keep a certain contact and I appreciate that. That’s, it’s like being a part of a big family. Extended family.

Natalie Dallaire

My name is Natalie Dallaire. I was in the RAC program specialist Transportation and Logistics.

Question: What was valuable to you about RAC?

Well what was valuable for me is that the RAC program, you don’t have to start all over again. You know, they do an evaluation, and then afterwards, you continue from where you are from there. If there are gaps, they fill it in. So at the end you’re sure that all the transportation and logistics is complete. What I like about RAC is that it’s an individual class, and they make the schedule as per your pace, you know. I was working in Africa, I’m an expat working in Africa for logistics, for an oil company, so working in an oil field we rotate, we work a month on, a month off. I was able to fix – Andy was able to plan my classes when I was coming back, on my time off. I would send him an e-mail, and say, ok, I’m coming in this date. And from there we would meet, and he would give me a plan from where I left off. So that was important to me. So that really get me through each class, as per the schedules, for the seminars.

Right now with the experience that I’ve gained working on the field, and learning through RAC, now at this point, I’m trying to move on in the oil and gas industry. So I think I’ve got a good chance, I’ve already been approached by two oil and gas companies. They’re happy with the experience and the learning I’ve got.

Father: She’s gonna make it. Sky’s the limit. Live your dreams. I keep telling her, I don’t know in English, vouloir c’est pouvoir! (laughs)

Question: What did the content specialists bring to the table?

Their experience, because they all worked in the transportation field in different fields. L’Oreal, someone in customs, another one in dangerous goods. Everybody brought their own experience, so it makes it alive. They give real life examples, which makes us understand much more how it is out there. And we’re able to apply it ourselves when we’re out on the field. So you know all the operations I’ve learned in RAC, I was able to apply them out on the oil field in Africa. And that was really important for me. And, you know, made me realize how good this program is for us.

Question: As Nathalie’s father, how did you feel about her participating in RAC, and graduating today?

Father: Well I was happy to see to her to do it, and keep doing it, that’s the main thing. Because of the split work, you know, she was able to come back, and continue, so I was very happy about that. Very glad she finished.

Natalie: I’d say the most thing that I really appreciate is the support. The support from the teachers, the counsellors, the administration staff, everybody. If you had something, they’d take a mile extra, they’d go the extra mile to help you out, to get you to where you have to be to achieve. If they see you’re working, they work with you. They adjust it so it’ll fit.

Diane McNeil McFarlane

My name is Diane Mc Neil Mc Farlane and I was in the RAC program for Transport and Logistics.

For me, RAC, I think it’s a very important program that you can take in school. You don’t have to go to 3 year after you have – like I have 30 years of experience in the same field. And it’s very good to be up with what’s going on the world. You’re working for so many years, and the RAC gives you information that’s pertinent for today and new ways of seeing things, new ways of doing things, and a broader view of what’s going on in transport and logistics.

Question: How did RAC’s scheduling help?

It’s giving you the chance to do it at your own pace – you can do it in 17 weeks, you can do it in 25-30 weeks, or take as long as you want. Like I start in February last year and just finished a few weeks ago, I could have finished in Feb, but after a year, it was a little hard to give a last push. So that’s why I finished in June, but I could have finished in a year doing it part time at your own rhythm no matter at what point you are in the program, you always have somebody there to help you.

Question: What motivated you to pursue RAC, ultimately?

RAC give me the chance to expand my knowledge. For me, I just wanted to take logistics, purchasing warehousing and I had to take transportation and I realize that you know much more than you think you know. Because your experience is in one field but you’re touching a lot of fields without even knowing and without even doing it every day. But the work experience it’s amazing what you know but you don’t know you knew it.

I know I will never regret coming back to school, and coming here, for that program – in Transport and Logistics. I would like to do another, but I don’t have experience in other fields. Maybe you have Dispatch, maybe you never know. Maybe I’ll think about it… But for now I’m glad that it’s finished, I worked hard, and at the end I think you’re rewarded for it.

Elizabeth Gomez (English)

My name is Elizabeth Gomez and I’m in RAC for Transportation Logistics.

Question: What motivated you to choose RAC at Champlain College Saint-Lambert?

I was interested to study, but not 3, 14 years, whatever. Something really specific to get a job here, faster, that’s why I choose RAC. And the most important thing for me here was to get more contacts because my teacher he was very very good and he provided us – every time he has opportunities he sends us by email.

Question: Since you got your experience in Mexico, you surely had to learn specifics about working in T&L in Quebec.

Yes, different things, but right away I had to know the language. I like RAC because the [content specialists] spoke in both languages, and many things are different from here and mexico and all the documents are different, some different. So I learned a lot of things.

Question: Did anything surprise you about pursuing a T&L AEC through RAC, at Champlain?

I didn’t know that the [content specialist] will be a very good point to have more contact with companies, principal shipping companies. It was a plus for me, and that’s why I found my job now.

Question: What did you think of RAC’s website?

That was very, very good. If you don’t understand something you can go at back over there at home whatever, you can check and review everything, or you can advance the class, if you have time at home, you can check for the next class, it’ll be easy for you faster. It’s very, very good. 

Question: How was your experience with Champlain’s content specialists?

Everything was amazing for me. I love it, the [content specialists] were very nice, they explain, if you don’t understand something, they explain 2-3 times whatever you need. If you need more assistance after class, no problem. Yeah, always open for everyone, very nice, yeah. 

Elizabeth Gomez (Spanish)

Spanish: “Las personas de otros paises, o especificamente de Latinoamerica que no hablamos ni ingles ni francés, venimos aquí y no sabemos que tanto tenemos que estudiar, que tanto tenemos que aprender para poder desarrollarnos en las áreas que estudiamos en nuestros países. Esto del RAC es muy importante y es un encuentro muy interesante porque no tienes que estudiar como que todo, ir otra vez a la universidad y empezar de cero, no. Es como… o sea, llegas, te hacen una entrevista, haces exámenes y dicen:  si, tienes los conocimientos necesarios, empiezas tu RAC, como ya tienes el conocimiento de tu país, es rápido, rápido lo aprendes rápido, estas metiendo los dos idiomas: inglés y francés, los maestros te mandan correos de las oportunidades de trabajo que puedas tener y puedes aplicar fácil. Yo lo encuentro muy interesante.”

English: “People from other countries, or specifically from Latin America who don’t speak English or French come here and we don’t know how much do we have to study or how much do we have to learn in order to evolve in the areas we studied in our countries. This thing – the RAC, is very important and it’s a very interesting finding because you don’t have to study everything, to go back to the university and start from zero, no. It is like… I mean, you come, pass an interview, answer evaluations and you get the answer: yes, you have the required knowledge , you can start RAC. As you already have the knowledge from your country, it is very fast, you learn fast, you’re pushing both languages, English and French. [Content specialists] send you emails with the job opportunities you can have and you can easily apply. I find it very interesting.”