Event Review: Book Smart v/s Street Smart
by Ken Herar
Wednesday, January 28, 2009 5:41 PM
Does it come down to who you know or what you know? This was one of the many thought-provoking questions panellists answered at the first "Book Smart vs. Street Smart" forums presented last week by the Indo-Canadian Chamber (ICCC) of Commerce at Simon Fraser University.
This enlightening conversation looked at the issue of whether is it academics or life skills that shape us. A group of eight panellists from diverse career backgrounds shared their views before a crowd of 80. Simone Grewal, radio host for RJ1200, was moderator for the two-hour discussion.
The crowd heard a wide range of inspiring stories and there seemed to be a strong connection between being an immigrant to Canada and becoming " Street Smart." The majority of panellist were immigrants and it was inspiring to see them reflect. Immigrants often come to Canada with nothing in their pockets and they have to know how to meet the requirements of a new land. Two of the panellists said that it was not solely their post secondary education that provided them with opportunities . . . it was their "street smart" skills. Another panellist shared his story how is father made him earn everything at a young age before coming to Canada four years ago. With this experience he was able to establish himself quickly. One panellist explained how she found university boring and eventually took some time away to establish her own business and found a career she is now enjoying. On the "book smart" side, participants heard about how one panellist’s educational qualifications weren't not recognized and she had to go back to school before she could practise law in Canada. Later, the panel fielded questions from the audience that touched on religious views, family support and does education really teach you about the core values of life? The discussion was insightful and challenging at times and everyone spoke passionately about their experiences. On the panel were Nick Noorani, Atish Ram, Nav Chima, Sonia Virk, Pasha Bains, Saima Naz, Ashok Bhagnari and myself. ICCC national director Rina Gill (rina@iccc.org) commented that the event was a huge success and the organization is planning on holding it on a quarterly basis. "This was a great opportunity for people in the South Asian community to connect with success stories," she said. At the end of the session it was obvious that book and street smarts are equally essential to today's job market. What you know and who you know are both contributing factors in finding job placement.
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