From school rep to senior leadership

Volunteering with the Alberta Teachers’ Association changed my career and life. 

This may sound like an overstatement, but it isn’t at all.  

Picture this: I was a fresh-faced teacher, new to the profession. I was shy and nervous about speaking in front of colleagues (though I could sing and do cartwheels in front of a classroom of students). Leadership was not on my radar screen at all. Then, a colleague volun-told me to be the ATA school representative and I relented, not knowing at all what that role entailed. And that’s where it started. 

Over the course of my career, I got progressively more involved in ATA activities, serving on my convention association and becoming an Association instructor (and later joining the ATA as staff). While I anticipated that my work would benefit my profession and my colleagues, I did not anticipate how my volunteering in ATA roles would help me develop the skills and experience necessary to move from classroom teacher to coordinator of several districtwide projects to associate executive secretary of the Association. 

Here are just a few of the skills I gained from my ATA service: 

• Project management 
• Writing 
• Event planning 
• Public speaking 
• Facilitating adult learning 
• Budgeting and annual reporting 

If you're looking to make a difference and grow as a leader, I encourage you to get involved with your ATA. Whatever your interests and skills, there are many ways to contribute to this vibrant professional organization — and it may benefit you, too, more than you expect.