Not having a technical background hasn’t stopped Ariel from thriving in WorkSafeBC’s Innovation and Technology (I&T) division. With leadership’s support and the organization’s investment in building employees’ skill sets, Ariel’s a prime example of how there are endless ways to make an impact in the tech industry.

After graduating from the faculty of engineering at the University of British Columbia, Ariel got his master of business administration (MBA) degree from Simon Fraser University before joining WorkSafeBC through an internship.

Five years later, Ariel is embracing his current role as a senior business advisor in I&T where he focuses on promoting an innovation mindset throughout the organization.

“I help solve our stakeholders’ business problems by providing them with resources and connecting them with the right people,” says Ariel. “This involves working alongside a team to find solutions through testing, building, and learning.”

Building valued relationships while solving problems

The relationships he’s built within these project teams as they solve business problems together has been one of the most fulfilling parts of working here.

“Through my project work, I’ve developed bonds with a lot of great people and I value that a lot,” he says. “All the people I’ve worked with have been so respectful, bright, and really nice to talk to.”

One of Ariel’s favourite projects was a claims-related pilot project that was only a high-level concept when he first got involved. His responsibilities included understanding the change management components, including detailed process updates, training and communication requirements, project scaling plans, and more. The project is now in its trial phase, which is a huge milestone.

He says: “After all the hard work involved, it’s been very rewarding seeing it come to life and seeing people in the trial buy into the vision and the project goals.”

Investing in employees a priority for the organization

Ariel has seen first-hand how willing WorkSafeBC is to invest in their employees and their professional development. As someone working in the I&T field without a technical background, he’s felt nothing but support from leadership. They encouraged him to take advantage of opportunities to fill in any gaps in his knowledge and skills.

“All the leaders I’ve come across have been so supportive. If there’s anything I need to do my job better, they’re always willing to listen and help if they can,” he says. “And if there’s a particular position I’m interested in but don’t quite have the right skills for it, I know leadership is always happy to look at how I can get better qualified for that role.”

As well as developing employees’ technical skills, there’s a focus on ensuring employees have all the tools they need to be well-rounded contributors to the organization. In Ariel’s case, in addition to learning tools like SharePoint and Figma, he’s taken courses on design thinking and working effectively with different personality types, and is a graduate of WorkSafeBC’s Leadership Development Program.

He adds that seeing others advance in their career path has inspired him to continue growing and learning and has no doubt leadership will continue to support that journey.

“It’s nice to see the people I’ve started working with forge their own path within WorkSafeBC and keep moving up. It motivates me and shows me what’s available to me as well,” he says.

“There are so many learning opportunities here and WorkSafeBC leadership is always willing to invest in your career and skill growth — and to be active participants in that process.”

To learn more about opportunities in our I&T division, visit our careers page.