Putting people at the core of everything we do is paramount at the British Columbia Institute of Technology. We are committed to ensuring our people — those who make BCIT distinct, are developing while feeling valued, supported, and connected.
BCIT is a people-first organization. We aim to celebrate our employees by sharing their stories through the Our People series. The series features BCIT’s extraordinary employees who share a strong sense of pride and ambition for the Institute and make up our diverse community.
GET TO KNOW: Cynthia van Ginkel, Business Development Manager, School of Computing and Academic Studies (SoCAS)
How would you summarize the work that you do at the Institute in 15 words or less?
I have been with BCIT for 18 years (since 2005). I promote educational offerings, help develop new programs, am a sustainability advocate, and take on fill-in-the-blank SoCAS needs.
What does winning an Employee Excellence Award for Sustainability mean to you?
We have a great team of volunteers working on environmental awareness at BCIT, as well formal staff involvement through critical areas like Campus Planning and Facilities, Institute Sustainability, and of course our curriculum. These are great people to work with and it’s lovely to be recognized amongst them.
What do you enjoy the most about working in post-secondary education?
I love the hope offered by education – the chance for people to learn do something new that they enjoy and put themselves in a better situation. BCIT offers the training needed for so many of the roles we all rely on every day in this province, from critical infrastructure – physical and digital – to health care. It’s rewarding to be part of that.
Share with us how you spend your time outside of work. Do you have any hobbies? Please share a photo with us.
I enjoy making things, and have probably learned to make most DIY-able household goods at this point, from soap to pottery. My family is not always a fan, like my not-very-yummy experiments with dandelion root coffee and spruce tip vodka, or my mixed success with kids’ haircuts.
But my passion is cooking, and a lot of my spare time goes into that. In early COVID, I stockpiled three liters of olives and five liters of balsamic vinegar. Priorities, right?
Is there an Institute event or initiative that you look forward to every year? Please share why you enjoy this event. Send us a photo of yourself at the event if available.
Convocation is my favourite BCIT event because of the palpable feeling of accomplishment and pride from the grads and their families. Being at convocation gives me a chance to feel how BCIT makes a difference in the lives of our students and their networks, and to help wish them well in their next chapter.
GROW WITH US: Explore rewarding opportunities at BCIT.