Come Grow with Us spotlights the remarkable career progress of BCIT staff and faculty who have dedicated more than a decade to the Institute. Each story is a celebration of their growth and contributions to BCIT.
Hoby Chou is the Manager of Service Management, IT Services at BCIT. He started out his journey at the BCIT Downtown Campus as a student employee in the IT Services Satellite Campus team. Hoby eventually landed a Junior Systems Analyst role and became a team lead a few years later. During this time, he learned about the diverse culture and industries that make up each of the Institute’s campuses.
In 2009, Hoby took on roles at the Burnaby Campus as a Senior Business Analyst and Project Coordinator with IT Services, giving him the opportunity to collaborate with schools and departments across the Institute.
Then in 2022, Hoby was appointed Manager of Service Enablement. He recently transitioned into his current role as Manager of Service Management.
Get to know him, as he shares invaluable insights into his 22-year (and counting) journey in the Institute.
What do you enjoy the most about working in post-secondary education?
I enjoy being a part of a journey that helps ordinary people reshape their own lives. Some students are here to position themselves for their first jobs, while others are looking for a career change. It’s very rewarding to help others embrace new opportunities.
What are projects or initiatives that you have completed at the Institute that you are proud of?
Our most recent project is quite special! On August 13, 2024, we launched BCIT’s new enterprise service management platform, Service BCIT to better connect students, faculty, and staff with solutions that enable them to be successful.
Service BCIT is the Institute’s first one-stop website for requesting, tracking, and obtaining service and support from any of our service offerings. IT Services will be available upon launch, followed shortly by additional service departments such as Human Resources, Education Technology Resources, and Safety, Security and Emergency Management.
Employees will benefit from intuitive online forms, streamlined automated workflows, and a personalized portal available through any device, leading to quicker resolutions and improved transparency.
Our team’s business case resulted in BCIT becoming the first post-secondary institute to receive approval from the provincial government to leverage their contract with ServiceNow, providing BCIT with advantageous pricing and terms.
Do you have a favourite spot or activity at the BCIT campuses that you enjoy spending your time at and why?
To me, nothing compares to the BCIT Marine Campus patio overlooking the water and downtown Vancouver. There, I’ve let the secret out.
Share with us how what you are passionate about outside of work. Do you have any hobbies?
At this point in my life, I just enjoy supporting my kids and watching them grow up before my eyes. When I do have time for myself, I enjoy long distance bike rides. I recently completed a 575 km ride from Burnaby to Portland, OR and even smiled during some parts of it.
Do you have hidden talent/skills that you would like to reveal to us?
I enjoy breaking down complex things into simpler pieces to help myself and others understand its current state. I believe this important first step is required before we can gain an understanding of problems and build anything new. This doesn’t just apply to BCIT processes either. My daughter and I decided we can apply this to creating family-friendly versions of board games, some of which have been published (example: My Little Scythe from Stonemaier Games).
Come grow with us. Explore rewarding career opportunities at BCIT.