Taking an ice bridge to get to work four hours north of Whitehorse may sound daunting, but after quitting his job and going back to school as a brand-new father, Mohawk grad Raymond Watkins ‘16 had little left to fear. 

After eight years in the culinary industry, Watkins felt it was time for a change, but he noticed gaps in his educational background that would potentially limit him from pursuing a new career path. He enrolled in Mohawk’s Business (General) program and then completed a fast track program to earn an advanced diploma in Business Administration. 

During his time as a student, Watkins also worked at the college as the Aboriginal Access & Student Recruitment Coordinator, Peer Mentor and Youth Coordinator. These experiences lead to an internship at Sodexo, working as an Aboriginal Affairs intern, a great stepping-stone to advance in his career. 

Watkins credits much of his success at Mohawk to the network of professionals around him, including Student Success Advisor Leah Hogan who provided a voice of reason and Program Coordinator Lawrence Smith who encouraged him to strive for more education. 

After leaving Mohawk, Watkins continued his studies at Robert Gordon University in Aberdeen, Scotland — through a Mohawk College credit transfer — where he completed a Bachelor of Arts degree. Luckily, Watkins’s wife and three-year-old daughter were able to accompany him on the trip across the pond, which made life abroad feel more like home. “I think it was a little bit easier for myself than some of my peers that [my family] went to Scotland with me,” says Watkins. 

Watkins is now Assistant General Manager at Minto Mine, a contract company to Capstone Mining Corp., and is currently working in a remote northern community in the Yukon Territory. “What’s really unique about [this company] is that it is on First Nations land and we have a great partnership with them.” Watkins’s background in both his personal and professional life gives him unique insight to foster these relationships. 

When asked to pass along words of wisdom to future Mohawk students, Watkins offered, “Don’t be afraid to make mistakes. The environment at Mohawk isn’t there to fail you, it’s there to support you and build you up.” He believes many businesses are looking for the skills that Mohawk helps its students develop. “Mohawk isn’t trying to churn out cookie-cutter students, every individual has their own skills and strengths and Mohawk really helps you find that.” 

By: Kat Clark

This story was originally published in Spring 2018 of the Mohawk Alumni In Touch magazine.