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 Simon Chiu, Associate Registrar – Program Advising and Student Communications, Registrar’s Office. He is also the 2023 BCIT Employee Excellence Awards Wellbeing Champion recipient.
How long have you been working at BCIT?
My journey at the Institute started out as a Marketing student in 2009. My career at the Institute is as follows:
- Rec Services Assistant, Student Services – 2014-2016
- Manager, Events and Experiential, Marketing and Communications – 2021-2023
- Associate Registrar, Registrar’s Office – 2023-present
How would you summarize the work that you do at the Institute in 15 words or less?
One of many solvers of puzzles within our Registrar’s Office, supporting the core of institutional operations.
What do you enjoy the most about working in post-secondary education?
I’m a proud alum-turned staff member-turned management employee, and BCIT has had a huge impact on my life (I even grew up not far from our main campus). So many of my family, friends, and colleagues all went to school here too, and I’ve heard about the positive impact, experiences, and employment opportunities that they have received through the power of polytechnic education. As luck would have it, I’ve come full circle and now work for my alma mater – and particularly, within Student Services. I have the opportunity (and responsibility) to give back to BCIT and ensure that students share in the success that I have enjoyed in life.
Come grow with us. Explore rewarding job opportunities at BCIT.
What are projects or initiatives that you have completed at the Institute that you are proud of?
I am passionate about employee engagement and I’m proud to have assembled BCIT’s first-ever Food Drive Campaign to support the BCIT Student Association Food Pantry. The campaign was created to help our students facing food insecurity. Since the Pantry’s inception in 2022, the Drive has successfully raised over 8,800 pounds of donations and collected over $6,000 to-date. I’m so proud of the response from BCIT employees, which speaks volumes to the generosity and devotion to our students – just another reminder why I love being a part of this community.
Being here at BCIT, I’ve come to learn this about myself (and to paraphrase my fave author, Adam Grant) – that the more I help others, the more I succeed. But I measure success by what it does for those around me. That’s the real accolade.
