April 12, 2021 | Ontario

Brennan recently graduated from the Social Media Marketing program at the CDI College Winnipeg campus. He shared his story with us to help inspire others on their own career path.

Moving to the Big City

Brennan’s mom originally wanted him to become an engineer, but he wanted to find something he was passionate about. In 2013, after graduating from high school, he moved to Winnipeg from the Pine Creek First Nation reserve to look for better opportunities in the big city. At the time, he met a friend who was studying at CDI College, and his friend recommended he check the school out. At first, he had difficulty deciding between taking the Social Media Marketing program or Health Care Aide program. However, after meeting with Gail, an Assistant Director of Admissions, he finally decided to pursue marketing.

One of the biggest takeaways Brennan had while at CDI College was overcoming his shyness. He said class presentations helped him get out of his shell. Brennan enjoyed every day at CDI College because there was always something new to learn.

One piece of advice Brennan has for any new students or grads is to not be shy. He hopes everyone will be able to speak their minds. He shared a recent example where he voiced his idea to his current employer, the Urban Shaman Contemporary Aboriginal Art gallery, and they liked what he had to offer.

Employment after Graduation

Brennan found his current internship with the Urban Shaman Contemporary Aboriginal Art gallery and the Winnipeg Trails Association after graduation and attributes his employment success to the great network of friends he made since he moving to Winnipeg. Now, he gets to study indigenous languages and use his photography skills to demonstrate what the words mean by pairing his photos with the word definitions. He also runs weekly trivia on his employer’s social media channels.

Learning to appreciate his Ojibwe culture and other First Nations communities in Canada, Brennan is eager to learn both the Ojibwe and Cree languages. (As a child, he never paid attention or tried to learn the languages his elders spoke). Brennan is thankful for the work he gets to do. You can see some of the things he posted here.

What the Future Holds

Brennan hopes to gain more education and travel to places where he can be exposed to other indigenous cultures. He has a natural curiosity that will take him far. CDI College wishes him the best on his journey and hopes that he gets the opportunity to explore other cultures and places.

Check out Brennan's moves with jigger square dancing here!