Never too late to be late bloomer

By: Yvonne Van De Wiele-Cooper

It's always taken me longer than most to find the right answer to life’s challenges-the correct path to take. I married late in life, which turned out to be my best decision ever.  I have also switched gears a few times.

After working as an advertising copywriter in radio for several years, I returned to college full-time to study what was then my passion-theatre arts. That was in 1976. After graduating from the now defunct Niagara College Theatre program, I had an opportunity to work at the Grand Theatre in London Ontario as a props person. However, I received an offer from a London radio station to work once again as a copywriter. Wanting to eat and pay the rent, I went back into to what I knew. Eventually, I made the move into news, which I grew to love. But thanks, in part, to the government allowing multi station-ownership, radio news jobs are at a premium these days and I've found myself at loose ends more than once over the past several years. What to do?

 Although the rent is no longer an issue, I still like eating and need an income. So, I decided to return to school yet again, this time for the post graduate Public Relations program at Mohawk College. The thought of taking to the hallowed halls of Mohawk with people not half my age but more likely a third of my age was intimidating to say the least. I decided to poke fun at myself by posting``then and now``photos on the first day of school on Facebook.

 However, my trepidation was unfounded. My classmates, only a few of whom are not in their twenties, have proven to be friendly, kind, helpful and accepting. These are great qualities for working in public relations. Younger people may not know or care for that matter, who the President of Uganda was in the seventies, or what Canadian Senators are up to, but they have grown up in the computer age and are adept at troubleshooting. I find them focused, energetic and determined. This very comprehensive course is teaching me things and so are my classmates. The course is teaching me what it took to put together all of those media releases and packages I received over the years. It's teaching me a myriad of things including, how to write a good media release. Lord knows I have received plenty of poorly written ones. Course coordinator Tim Tuck stresses the need for spokes-people to make themselves available to the media, even during off hours. This is something many organizations I have dealt with as a reporter don`t seem to understand. Tim also says being upfront and truthful is always the best way to go. I could not agree more. If Toronto Mayor Rob Ford had gone this route he could have saved himself much pain and humiliation. Perhaps he should hire a Mohawk College PR graduate to make life easier. I`m also learning there`s a specific system and a path to follow for everything, whether it be a product launch or a publicity campaign. They don`t just happen. Who knew?  This hands on, practical program is designed to ready anyone with a desire to work in Public Relations, by providing the tools they'll need to do just that. 

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