A stroke of luck
By Bogdan Fadeev
 Sometimes you simply got to grab success by the tail. Until recently, Andrei Molchanov didn’t give this much thought, but recently, he had an amazing stroke of luck, when he landed a coveted government position, even before graduating.
For a Canadian, a government job is the embodiment of heaven of earth. Once you get accepted, a government job can mean a lifelong career. Andrei couldn’t have asked for anything more, an excellent compensation package (two days off, a short Friday, overtime, benefits), a competitive salary, and even a promise of a 100% raise after the four-month trial period.
Today, Molchanov works as a web designer for the Region of Peel School Board. He is responsible for 277 school web sites throughout the region. The initial contract is for four months, after which there is an option for extension, which he has no plans of passing up.
Molchanov did not graduate a fancy, expensive Canadian University. Instead, he chose the New College of Design and Technology in Toronto, which he attended for just 6 months. “I finished the training, but didn’t even get a chance to do an internship,” laughs Molchanov. That’s just a formality. He has no need for an internship, now.
Born in Ukraine, Molchanov was trained as an aviation technician. After graduating, he created billboards for the advertising department of a major automaker. After immigrating to Canada, he took up similar work and made signs. He could have continued doing what he was doing, but his artistic nature yearned for something new.
Instead, Molchanov decided to become a graphic designer. While searching for a program, he visited www.newimagecollege.com, and made his choice because of the excellent cost/benefit relationship.
It took Molchanov another four years to enroll. First, he wanted to give his wife an opportunity to get an education. “four years on a job you have lost interest for go a long way to reinforce your wish to study.” Occupied by his new challenging work, he no longer looks back at those grim years. .
Molchanov tried mastering design on his own, but found computer design to be complicated and felt the need for formal instruction. Still, this independent study proved very helpful in class. Looking ahead, Molchanov decided to study both graphic and web design in order to master several skills at once. That proved to be a smart decision.
Although in Russian Molchanov means reticent, Andrei turned out to be quite friendly and was happy to share his experience.
-Andrei, please tell us about the college.
-This is a great college! I am very happy I found it. At first, I wanted something well-known. I looked into Canadian colleges, but $20,000 was way out of my reach. The programs are long too, a year and a half. I am not a kid and don’t want to waste time. They also require perfect English and that could create difficulties. So I decided to look into less known colleges and courses. The prices were lower, but they weren’t trustworthy. Some of the people I met didn’t know what they were doing. I am not saying everyone is like that, but I must have been lucky and didn’t end up wasting too much time on them. On the other hand, Paul Ilyashenko (Head of the New Image College) made a good impression from the very beginning. It was obvious that he is very professional and cares about his name. He answered all my questions, showed me around, and I made the decision.
The college is very cozy. I felt at home. The classes were small and there was no shortage of personal attention. The teachers were always accessible. Sometimes, if I had trouble with my homework I called them late at night. They always helped out, coached me before the interview, and worked with me on the portfolio.
- How did the interview go?
- I was really scared, especially because there were two of them. No small talk; straight to business. They looked at my portfolio. A link to my website www.molchanov.ws appeared in the resume, so they had seen that already. I showed them what I know, and they must have been happy. The college provided excellent training. They also know everything about the interview process and prepare you for it, so that you don’t step on any landmines. I wasn’t the first one to go through the whole thing, and benefited from the experience of others.
- Would you recommend it to others?
- For sure! If you decide to take up design, don’t think twice about it. The New Image College is the place where you’ll be taught everything there is to know, fast and inexpensive! I am a living example. Six months and I got a job without even doing an internship. Very lucky. It’s a great idea that as part of the program each student gets a chance to work for a real company, so that he has something to write on the resume. The other colleges I checked don’t have anything like that. Lectures, exams, and you are on your own.
you have to be ready for an opportunity when it knocks. Sometimes it takes four years! The main thing is not to give up. work, strive, and aspire and you will get your lucky break. The game comes to the player.
Bogdan Fadeev
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The Key to New Life
 Natalia Nesterov flew to United States on the wings of love. No, of course, not literally, but love was the reason why she left Herson (Ukraine) – the man she loved, her future husband, was waiting for her in the United States. But the American dream vanished when their love did not come to fruition. There was nothing keeping Natalia in the United States any more and she was about to pack her bags to go home, but then… there was something that made her stay.
Natalia found out about New Image College from an Internet forum. She visited the college website at www.newimagecollege.com and saw that there was a logo design contest. Natalia decided to try her luck and to her surprise she got a call from New Image College 3 hours after submitting her entry! It was Pavel Ilyashenko, the director of New Image College himself, who liked Natalia’s work and decided to give her a call. Pavel told her she definitely had talent and that she should study design and make it a career. Natalia was not sure, but yet again, decided to give it a shot.
Natalia studied online, so she never met Pavel Inlyashenko or other teachers in person. But her success is an obvious and undeniable proof that online education is viable and very effective. Prior to her spontaneous decision to enroll in New Image College Natalia had never thought of a career in computer design and her knowledge of computers was very limited. Nevertheless our heroine had certain flair for design – she used to work with leather creating jewelery and other art. Being a creative person Natalia Nesterov experienced what one might call a “second path” – graphic design turned out to be so captivating, that she was spending hours on end in front of a computer without even noticing. She managed to finish the program in just 9 months! So, it’s year 2003 and graduation day has come for Ms. Nesterov, now an aspiring designer…
Q: Natalia, what were your feelings like?
A: It was a fantastic feeling! For the first time ever since I moved to the U.S. I was looking forward to the future instead of reminiscing about the past and feeling sorry for myself. Studying really changed my life: I found my inner self and left all my misfortunes behind. Today I am very grateful to New Image College not only for education, but also for my brand new life. If Pavel did not manage to convince me to go and study back then, I would have left America long time ago and returned home to my past. But one can not live in the past – we must move on. It’s only because of my school and my newly discovered passion for design that I managed to come out of a very difficult life situation a winner!
Q: What were your first steps in the new profession? Was it hard to find a job?
A: My first step was to put my website online (www.natadesign.com) where I displayed my portfolio, which my instructors of New Image College had helped me create during the program. By the way, the website is still up, but it is not currently being updated, so if you go take a look you’ll see it in its original incarnation directly out of school.
After school I became a freelancer for awhile, working on different projects to gain experience. After that I went to work for a Chicago newspaper(SOURCE). They needed a graphic designer as well as a web designer so was able to fill both positions. At the same time I was still taking orders for interactive presentations and web pages – it was not tiresome at all! I loved my job so much that the more I learned, the more I wanted to apply my new knowledge. After that I moved to Rhode Island where I won another logo design contest – this time for a “Newberry Spa”.
Q: What was the prize if you don’t mind me asking?
A: There was a money prize as well as a gift. But it was not the reason why I took part in the contest. For me it was a possibility to prove something to myself and others. And I won the greatest prize ever – independence, self-reliance, knowledge that you’re a professional in your job. As soon as I learned that I had won, I called Pavel at New Image College to brag a little and of course to say thank you.
Q: Where do you work now?
A: Now I’m a Project Manager at «ARG Interactive» (www.arginteractive.com). I’m very satisfied with my life: I’m doing what I love most and I’m paid well for it – what else is there to ask for?
Q: That’s a pretty good career growth for just some 3 years! How did you get that job?
A: Yeah, there’s an interesting story to it. When I sent them my resume and examples of my work they called me up for an interview. But I was late for an hour (not my fault, but still not my best first impression). So when I got there I was very nervous, my hands were trembling – I thought nobody would wait for me that long. But they waited. I was given several tests and passed with flying colors! That’s exactly what I was trained and prepared for at New Image College – practical tasks and real life situations. No wonder I passed the tests easily. After that I was hired to help two other designers, but in 3 months after performance evaluation they were both fired I was the only designer left. Soon I got promoted and started taking part in business negotiations all the way to close of deals. Now I’m a Project Manager.
Q: Congratulations, what’s the secret of success for a designer? Any advice for someone thinking of taking a course at New Image College?
A: For a designer, as well as for all the other occupations I guess, knowledge is the most important thing. You will develop up-to-date skills and practical knowledge in (WEB?) design. Nowadays everything’s changing so fast, even more so for computer-related jobs. You got to keep up current all the time! It’s like you’re in school for life – always reading up on something, learning new techniques. It doesn’t bother me personally, as I’ve said, I really love my job and it’s my pleasure to learn more in my free time. Other ingredients of success are well known – eagerness and diligence.
And without concern, I would definitely recommend New Image College! It’s a great way to get training in design field – effective, inexpensive and very fast. While studying over the Internet I never met any of my teachers, but they were so supportive of me that now they’re like my family!
I also want to address all women. Seek independence; don’t rely on your husband in everything! Be self-sufficient. You can do it on your own, just believe in yourself! Regardless of your age, education can help you, can change your life. Just imagine the world of possibilities an education can open up for you! Look for happiness, for your inner self. I did it and you can too!
That was a stenographic script of my phone call to Boston. But you could talk to Natalia yourself. New Image College provides contact information of its graduates (of course with their permission) to those who are thinking of enrolling into one of the programs. Come to college for an open house! To find out when the next open house is going to be held visit www.newimagecollege.com or call 1 866 819 2433. Don’t forget to check out other student's testimonies on the website!
- Bogdan Fadeev
EDUCATION-IS THE IMMIGRANTS' ONLY SOLUTION
 Whether in Canadian backwoods and certainly in a metropolis
such as Toronto, it is possible to gain an excellent profession.
My friend never stops to amaze
me. She has neither parents
nor a husband in Canada.
Although she is raising her daughter
alone, she always has enough
money and not just for the bare
necessities.
Three years ago she had a baby
and lost her job. It seemed that there
would be no more money for her.
Despite that, she began to study
Graphic and Web Design over the
Internet. Soon, she made her way to
the top and began to receive real
assignments. When not walking
with a stroller, she creates advertisements, brochures, and websites.
In the end, she found a job almost
immediately after graduation.
And what about the baby? She is
working for a large company right
from her home. Although she lives in
a small town in Northern Ontario,
where there is almost no work for a
digital designer like her, she sent her
resumes and website portfolio to
many companies, one of which hired
her. All of this happened right
before my eyes and I decided that
our readers could benefit from her
experience.
This is what Svetlana told me:
My friend told me that there is a college in Toronto, which teaches computer Graphic and Web Design. However,
Toronto is a two-hour drive away on
Highway 400 and I also have a small
child, so a day or an evening program
was not for me. Luckily, it turned out
that the college has an Internet department, where I studied for 12 months.
Why did you choose to become a
digital designer?
My friends, who are computer programmers, explained that since this is a
relatively new occupation, it's in
demand and the demand will continue
to grow, as more and more people are
buying products over the Internet.
When the economy is down, designers
have even more work, since companies
order more advertisements, brochures…
What is a digital designer?
It's a person who works in graphic
design and creates websites. After creating a site, the designer does not leave
it, but constantly updates the contents,
as the company changes its products,
services, and information. In addition,
we can design newspaper and magazine layouts, work in publishing houses,
print shops, advertising agencies, and
create advertising brochures and billboards.
Is the work interesting? Very. In reality, it's the work of an
artist, but on a computer. We have the
same color palette, but do not have to
know how to draw. It's enough to have
taste and good training. Digital designers' salaries are not bad, even at the
start. What's also important is that the
work is clean, in a warm office or at
home with a cup of tea.
What is it like to study over the
Internet? I studied for a year. The tuition is reasonable for someone who is new in
Canada or has a low-paying job.The
text books for each program, image
CDs, and CD interactive text books
were sent to me for free. A huge
advantage of this college is the ability
to contact the teachers by phone for
advice. Each student has an advisor and
there are certain days and hours during
the week when it is possible to call
them.
Weren't the potential employers
put off by your diploma from a private, less-known college? It didn't even come up. I work for a
large company and
also moonlight. No
one has ever said
anything disparaging about my education. In general,
in my profession people
are hired
the following way: they
are put in
front of a
computer
and asked to
show what
they can do.
In my case it
was even
simpler. By
the end of the school year, each student has a collection of homework
assignments from the college: ads,
brochures, and websites. There is what
to show the employer. You send your
resume, noting where on the Internet it
is possible to see your work.There are
also agencies that help find work over
the Internet. The college helps get in
touch with them.
What exactly did you study? Five computer programs: Adobe
Photoshop, Adobe Illustrator, Corel
Draw, QuarkXpress, and InDesign, as
well as web design, computer animation, and rules of print layout. Also,
advertising design, composition, fonts,
color matching, and much more.
Actually, I received both computer and
artistic training.
Did other graduates find work
fast too? We keep in touch over the Internet.
Can you imagine, Vika Lappo, an 18
year old new immigrant, used to work
in a cafe selling pastries. Two months
after graduating, she found a job in a
large company and a few days ago she
got a raise! Her works can be seen on
the college website. Another one was a
civil engineer in her country of birth and
didn't know the next thing about computers. She studied and a month and a
half later found a job. Another guy,
who before school was a truck driver,now works as a graphic and web designer.
Why did you turn to this
specific college? Aren't
there other schools in
Toronto? The others are very expensive, take three years, and
most importantly, I did not
encounter a specialized college. Usually, they teach
everything plus design, while
I wanted to gain deep understanding of this work,
become a professional and
not someone who has
learned a bit of everything.
Also, I have not seen anyone
offering Internet studies. It
is very significant that the
college works together with
print shops, publishers, and
advertising agencies and
helps graduates find internship positions. This provides
real experience and references.
Svetlana gave me the phone
number of The New Image
College of Computer Design
416 665 7772 and the college's website
www.newimagecollege.
com. Svetlana explained that
each one of the students has
a password, allowing him to
access members-only pages,
containing assignments,
design study materials, and
samples of completed
assignments.
I got in touch with the
College Director to find out
about its new programs in
the upcoming year.
"This year we will offer
many new courses, making it
possible to study separate
graphics programs, instead
of taking the whole Graphic
and Web Design program.
We also have new courses on
Macintosh, express courses
for people who need to learn
specific software fast. There
is too much to describe. Visit
the college website for
detailed information about
our programs. I am sure that
the professions which we
teach have a bright future.
Even people who have never
worked on a computer can
train for these occupations
and find jobs, provided they
are heard-working, persistent, and have a strong desire
to succeed in life."
My friend Svetlana is a living proof of that. You
should have seen her proud
and happy smile…
Angela Ruslanova
The New Image College. Small college - big opportunities.
Enrollment continues at the only Ontario college specializing in Graphic and Web Design
 If you are currently considering
your choice of occupation, if you are
creative, and especially if you are a
woman, don't turn the page without
reading this story. We would like to
offer you a fascinating, lucrative,
and modern profession, which will
allow you to work in warm, bright
offices instead of slaving away.
Does this occupation have its drawbacks? Yes, it does. As in any other profession, you need to find a job. That
means you should actively look for
work and believe in your success.
During an interview you have to show
professionalism and charm. Do you
know of a profession that does not
require that? A hundred percent hiring
is guaranteed only for shoe salesmen.
The occupation which we would like
to offer is computer graphics and web design, or digital design for
short. Luckily, you do not have to attend a major college, waist
three years, and pay tens of thousands of dollars a year to become
a designer. Instead, you can enroll into THE NEW IMAGE COLLEGE
OF COMPUTER DESIGN.
This is what its graduates have to say.
"I found the college in a newspaper ad," says college graduate
Oksana I. "I checked out the web site and compared it to what other
Canadian colleges had to offer. I found that The New Image College
covers the same subjects, but faster, in four to six months, and for
a much lower tuition. In Russia, I finished an art school, so when I
started studying with Pavel, I was not exactly a novice." [Pavel
Ilyashenko, the College's Director is known as a professional, attentive teacher, who remains in touch with his students even after their
graduation.] "Back at home, I received a traditional, academic education, while here I decided to make it more practical and get a real,
consistent income. I was not mistaken. THE NEW IMAGE COLLEGE
is a real school, teaching at the right level. Most importantly, since
the groups are small, teachers have enough time for everyone.
Often we were taught during overtime. Pavel always amazed me
with his unending patience. He is a very pleasant person, who
teaches honestly, and we continue to stay in touch."
Oksana graduated The New Image College in July 2001. She says
the college's significant advantage is the placement of students into
unpaid internships at publishing houses and print shops.
"The college found me an internship in one of the newspapers, as
it does for all its graduates. I created layouts and ads, prepared
brochures and billboards. It was great. We did specific assignments,
and by the end of our studies each one had a portfolio, which we
could show at an interview. The internship provided me with a bit of
real experience, as well as references, which helped in the job hunt."
How did you look for a job?
"I graduated in July and began the internship at the newspaper.
I worked during August, and then the 9/11 tragedy took place in the
US. The market died out. I sent out my resumes, but no one
answered. I turned to a placement agency and ordered a mailing of
500 resumes (the college has been cooperating with the agency for
a long time and the graduates receive significant discounts).
Although I was skeptical, it worked. Ten companies called me in just
two weeks. As I see it, there was demand for my profession even in
the aftermath of 9/11. Even at such a
time, I got job offers. To this day, I am
working in one of the companies that
called me then. It is a pretty serious
print shop, creating advertisements
for major Canadian and US companies. I love my work. You know, it is
hard to find your first job, because of
the lack of experience. Afterwards,
everything is much simpler and you
have a choice. The most important
thing is not to give up in the beginning."
I would like to pick up on that. Don't
look at others, who were not hired by
someone. First, it is a psychological
mistake, since it does not encourage
you to look for work. Such thinking
leaves you nowhere. You should be
looking at those who found jobs and
analyze how they did it. Don't be afraid to call them and ask how
they succeeded. As an experienced interviewer, I can vouch that
people love telling their success stories, many of them are sympathetic, and will gladly explain where to go or not to go, what to say
and what to stay away from. They might even be able to offer you
a job. Oksana, for example, says her print shop is looking for another designer.
There is yet another reason not to take to heart the stories of
those who did not find jobs. Sometimes, personal characteristics,
such as bad English, tasteless clothes, slow speech, or gloominess,
do not find favor in the eyes of prospective employers and prevent
people from getting a job. Some people are slavish, fidgety, arrogant, bite nails, lack confidence, chatter, or cannot do a thing when
put in front of a computer. Others cannot find a job because they
are not persistent enough. However, these people will never admit
this to others. They will explain their failure by the slow economy
and the bad job market. They might even believe that themselves.
The above is not meant to disparage the unemployed. They are
good, sometimes excellent people. Everyone has flaws, and unfortunately some people do not know how to put their best foot forward. Their minor faults are very prominent, while the good qualities, which make them extremely reliable, go by unnoticed.
Finally, you might be a very smart, talented, and professional and
find a job after just one or two interviews. Snezhana Bekoeva, pictured on the photo, graduated in 2003 and her portfolio can be
seen on the college website. She found a job after just one interview.
Oksana is not the only graduate of The New Image College, who
found work fast. Previously, I have written about others, such as an
engineer with a baby, who has long been working as a graphic
designer, or an 18 year old who used to sell pastries in a cafe and for
the last three years has been working in a major web design company. "This is so absorbing, that when the work day is over at 5 PM,
I don't feel like going home," she told us.
Digital design is a fascinating occupation. It is a life saver for liberal arts graduates and creative people, who want to make a living
without stifling their creativity.
The college is currently accepting new students.
To learn more,
please visit the its web site at www.newimagecollege.com
or call 416 665 7772.
Evelina Azaev “Canada Inform”
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