An Inclusive Talent approach for all

Leadership at every level

At Illuminate, we believe that leadership skills are best developed through hands-on experiences. We strive to provide inclusive and collaborative learning opportunities to our program participants. Our newly revised talent structure further integrates our values of inclusion, support, and collaboration into our management system by offering high-delivering High School Coordinators the opportunity to work directly with our National Leads team and lead on a larger scale.

Of the High School Coordinators from our 2019 NHBC: CEO for a Day Event, Miren is an exemplary individual who has taken a larger leadership role within our team. Miren has been with us for two years and will now be working alongside the National Leads Team for the upcoming National High School Leadership Conference. We asked Miren to reflect upon his experience with Illuminate as a High School Coordinator and received amazing insight regarding his journey of growth with us.

The following are his responses:

What was your most memorable experience?

I watched as students of drastically different upbringings and experiences from all across Ontario weighed-in to a singular problem. Bearing witness to such diversity in thought can be truly eye-opening in showing one that there are a vast amount of viable solutions to any given problem.

Who would you recommend this to?

Being a high-school coordinator is an excellent opportunity to expand one’s network and gain valuable logistical expertise alongside some of Ontario’s brightest minds. I personally recommend this opportunity to ambitious individuals looking to bolster their own soft and hard skills as well as network with like-minded peers and mentors who are equipped to provide you with invaluable guidance.

What was your biggest takeaway?

As someone who has been frequently involved with Illuminate conferences, I can attest to 3 major takeaways that have completely transformed both my competence and perspectives in the world of leadership and business.

1. Knowledge of Pillars: Illuminate conferences are expertly designed to provide you with comprehensive knowledge of relevant and applicable functional areas in the professional world at the feet of industry-leading authorities.

2. Networking & Mentorship: Illuminate conferences provide you with the opportunity to meet and network with leaders from all across Canada who may provide you with crucial insight on leadership opportunities, career selection, and more!

3. Case Approach: What really sets illuminate apart from other leadership conferences is the opportunity to witness the work product of finalists in the various competitive events. This provides students with the opportunity to witness the level of critical thinking, technical knowledge and presentation skills that are necessary to be successful in a case study competition.

What opportunities has this opened up for you?

Aside from being an advantageous addition to my resume, holding this high school position has enabled me to garner logistical and leadership expertise at the feet of some of Canada's most qualified individuals. However, apart from being my superiors, previous national leads and general managers have treated me like family and have become some of the most important mentors in my life. After spending 2 years learning and growing in my highschool internship position, I have now advanced to the position of associate national lead.

Do you have any advice for future High School Coordinators?

The most important advice I can give any future HC is to make the most of this opportunity. Putting in that extra effort to exceed the expectations of your given tasks will prove quite fruitful in terms of testing your own capabilities as well as proving yourself as an exceptional leader to the Illuminate staff.

FOSTERING MEANINGFUL RELATIONS THROUGH the NEW BUDDY PROGRAM

As Miren mentioned, one of Illuminate's greatest strengths is the ability to create relations between like-minded leaders who strive to better our community. In addition to introducing the Associate National Lead position, we are also ecstatic to introduce a new buddy-program that will pair incoming student-leaders with a more experienced member of our team, creating a supportive mentorship system. Through the integration of this program, students will be able to make lasting relationships, while learning from other like-minded and capable leaders.

If you are interested in taking your Illuminate journey one step further by closely working alongside some of the province's best talent, be sure to apply for our High School Coordinator position. Applications are currently being accepted and can be found on our website!