Recap: 2021 Deputy Minister’s Virtual Student Event

July 5, 2021 - Defence Stories

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Behind the scenes at the 2021 Deputy Minister Virtual Student Event

Deputy Minister of the Department of National Defence (DND), Jody Thomas, hosted a 2021 Virtual Student event on June 16. The event provided an opportunity to welcome and engage Defence students across the country, to create a sense of community, and to talk about all of the great things DND has to offer now and into the future.

The theme of the event was “Be Yourself and See Yourself in a future at DND!”. The event featured interactive breakout rooms where new students had the opportunity to ask current and former students and young professionals about emerging trends in the workplace.

Many inspiring remarks were given from senior leadership and past DND students:

• Nancy Chahwan, Senior Associate Deputy Minister, welcomed and engaged students in a Q&A period where she answered their questions. She emphasized that students play a critical role at DND/CAF now and into the future. Students are joining at a critical juncture in time for the country and for the Public Service. DND/CAF is thankful for the fresh perspectives, diverse ranges of thought, and creativity that students bring when they are truly themselves at work.
• Peter Hammerschmidt, Youth Champion and ADM(Pol), shared insightful comments about the value students bring to DND/CAF, as youth  are critical driving forces for change and success across the Public Service. He encouraged students to not be afraid to use their voice and to leverage this opportunity to make a difference on issues that are important to them.
• Jonathan Malcolm, previous student and DM Youth Award recipient, distilled his experiences at DND into three phrases: dare to speak; dare to try; and dare to be. Do not be afraid to speak up – students come to DND with new perspectives and valuable insights. Do not be afraid to undertake change – students bring new perspectives and are well-positioned to experiment and act. And finally, have the courage to be yourself – what you bring to DND by being yourself may be the agent of change needed to transform the organization.
• Ixchel Medina Hernandez, previous student and Commandant’s Commendation recipient, provided valuable insights on diversity and inclusion at DND/CAF. She highlighted the importance of being conscious about the different meanings of inclusion – whether it be accessibility to facilities, availability of information in both official languages, or centering voices of people of colour. When we each do our part to create a safe space for our peers, we are one step closer to ensuring everyone can truly be themselves at DND.

Resources

There are a variety of programs and resources available for students pertaining to onboarding, staffing, and flexible work arrangements to ensure a positive experience. For more information on these resources, refer to DND Student’s Corner (accessible only on the National Defence network) or the Student Network Channel (if accessing off the network, ensure to use the web app).

Students and their managers can reach out to DND Community Management Team if they have any questions.

Testimonials

• “I loved that the speakers were able to share their personal experiences as students and how they were able to excel in their respective positions at DND.”
• “I liked their speeches because they inspired me and increased my knowledge and drive to do my best to achieve our organizational goal.”
• “The event was honestly better than I had expected. It was engaging, thought-provoking, and it really made me feel like my workplace cared about me as a student.”