If you have knowledge of full-time, ongoing roles in municipal work that you think might be relevant to social sciences and liberal arts students considering their career options, you are invited to participate in the survey. The survey strategy is inclusive, targeting current municipal workers but welcoming any others with knowledge or experience to share.

Yes. There are a total of 15 questions — including the contact information fields, wrap-up questions, and random-prize-draw questions. Most questions are open-ended text-entry questions, and many of them are optional. Share what you want to, and be as brief or as detailed as you see fit.

Questions include, for example:

• “Many current and prospective university students do not feel that they have a good understanding of the career options available in the workforce, especially in the public and non-profit sectors. What do you think they should know about the job options or career options in municipalities and/or in local government?”
• “We are looking to identify staff roles that are most likely to be found across municipalities in Ontario (and perhaps also across North America). Our previous municipal partners have suggested that one helpful step towards illuminating job options in municipalities would be to help students to understand certain senior level or leadership roles, such as: Clerk Treasurer Chief Administrative Officer (CAO) City Manager What other more senior roles would you add to this list?”
• “In addition to those senior roles, students (and career support staff) are often interested in learning about mid-level roles or positons. While perhaps not as high-profile as senior roles, there are many positions that are ongoing, stable, and rewarding — and are reasonably common enough to be viable as an intended career goal in the medium- to long- term. What are some mid-level municipal roles you think should be spotlighted in a resource on ‘careers in municipalities’?”

We’re looking to profile the kinds of rewarding careers or positions in municipalities or local politics that typically do require a college or university education, but do not typically require a very specific vocational or professional program. For example, students are familiar with lawyer, psychologist, teacher, social worker, accountant, nurse, etc. as vocational or professional pathways. But they are not as familiar with the wide variety of meaningful careers that do not correspond to the best-known ‘linear’ professional training programs. We’re looking for insights from people whose educational and career paths have been defined by discovery, exploration, and trial and error.

Yes. As a participant in this questionnaire, you will be entered into your choice of randomized draw for a $50 gift card. There will be four (4) separate draws.

The organizers work in the Careers & Experiential Education team in the Faculty of Social Sciences at McMaster University. For inquiries, please email Dr. Mark Busser, Manager of Careers & Experiential Education