What is your favorite travel memory?
There have been so many over the years but my first working holiday will always stand out. I made the decision to live and work in the UK once I had finished uni since I wasn't ready to settle down into the 9 to 5 work routine. I planned on going for 3 months and didn't come back to Canada for almost 4 years! I learned so much about myself, transitioned to adulthood and had more fun than I could have ever imagined.
The people I met and the adventures I had were once in a lifetime and are some of my most valued memories. I hear myself telling the most crazy stories about my travels every day and feel so lucky and proud that I made the choice to live and work abroad. What a game-changer for me and one that shaped my future in such an amazing way.
If you could go on any program that your company offers, which one would you choose and why?
I would definitely choose to go on our South Africa Volunteer Orphanage program. The program has become quite popular which is making me so envious of the people who have been going. I was in South Africa last year and visited the orphanage and had the chance to speak to one of our Canadian volunteers and the work they do there is so special. To be able to help so many children by giving them your time and love is such a rewarding cause and one that is very close to my heart. The experiences our volunteers have there are life-changing and I hope to be able to take a career break at some point to go down there and lend a hand.
What do you believe to be the biggest factor in being a successful company?
I think it's so important to honest to your clients and true to your company's mission. Sales shouldn't be the only thing you focus on.
We've been helping Canadians to go abroad for over 40 years and that's due to offering great programs and excellent services. We are fully committed to being the most valuable helping hand to those taking the leap and do a work and travel adventure.
How have you changed/grown since working for your current company?
When I first started working at SWAP, I thought that I was living a dream. To work for a company where everyone believes in, and loves what they do, was like a dream come true for me. Every step on my journey with SWAP has been a gift, the people in this industry are so passionate, the people I've had the pleasure to work with have all be superstars, and getting to know the people we send abroad each year gives me never-ending inspiration and keeps me excited to come to work every day. Working at SWAP has allowed me to learn so much about business, people, all while spending 11 years helping Canadians to make the amazing choice to expand their horizons, career paths, friendship networks, and limits of adventure.
What unique qualities does your company possess?
Our company is unique since we treat every Canadian and their trip abroad like they're our only client. We're a non-profit organization and our focus is creating and facilitating life-changing travel and work experiences for our SWAPPERS based on their travel and life ambitions. I'm always especially proud of our team when we attend travel fairs and I listen to us all talking to people about the benefits of working/teaching/interning/volunteering abroad. We all really believe in our programs and how important it is to see the world, learn about other cultures and spend time outside of Canada. It makes me so happy to hear our team speaking about these experiences so genuinely and to see how excited we still are about them!