Restaurant manager finds a new career
If you鈥檇 told Trish Ashbee two years ago that she would launch a successful career in health care, she would have laughed. For 22 years, she鈥檇 thrived in the bustling world of bars and restaurants, first as a server and bartender, and later as a senior manager.
鈥淚 never thought I鈥檇 leave the hospitality industry,鈥� she says. 鈥淚t was all I鈥檇 ever known and the only thing I鈥檇 ever done.鈥�
But inevitably, life changed: Trish married and had a baby. 鈥淭he hours were just not conducive to work-life balance,鈥� she explains. 鈥淎s my daughter got older and had more things going on, I noticed I was missing out on more. I decided I needed to make a change.鈥�
Today, she works in the human resources department at Fraser Health Authority, supporting managers across the organization with staffing needs. She credits her smooth career transition to completing the Human Resources Management Certificate program: 鈥淚t opened so many doors I didn鈥檛 even know were possible. I wouldn鈥檛 have these opportunities if I hadn鈥檛 done the program.鈥�
Trish earned her certificate part-time in 18 months鈥攁nd landed the role at Fraser Health only a month later. 鈥淚t鈥檚 such a different environment here,鈥� she says. 鈥淵ou tend to think of health care in that clinical way鈥攐f doctors and nurses鈥攏ot realizing that there is a whole support network behind the scenes that makes it all happen. I feel like I鈥檓 contributing to the community in a completely different capacity now.鈥�
Given her extensive experience in hiring and managing bar and restaurant staff, moving into a full-on HR role might sound like a natural fit. But it wasn鈥檛 so obvious to Trish at the time.
She originally enrolled in SFU鈥檚 Business Management program, and the first class she took was the introductory HR management course. Halfway through, Trish had a revelation: 鈥淚 just thought, this is what I should be doing. It didn鈥檛 occur to me until I took that class. It opened my eyes to HR as a vocation鈥攖hat this could be my career.鈥�
She made the switch to the HR Management program and never looked back, although she admits that going to evening classes while working full time wasn鈥檛 always easy. Fortunately, Trish felt well supported, thanks to experienced instructors like Leila Rahemtulla who understand the numerous commitments that adult learners need to juggle.
鈥淟eila is wonderful,鈥� says Trish. 鈥淪he really took the time to hang back after class if you had questions. You can tell she enjoys teaching and wants people to be successful. She was very helpful in suggesting different avenues for me.鈥�
It was Leila who encouraged Trish to explore industries beyond hospitality, leading her to apply at a variety of organizations before joining Fraser Health. 鈥淭his wasn鈥檛 something I would have considered,鈥� says Trish, 鈥渂ut now that I鈥檓 here, I can鈥檛 imagine doing anything else.鈥�
Having left behind all those years of late nights and weekend hours, Trish has rediscovered the simple joys of spending time with her family. 鈥淣ow I鈥檓 really able to enjoy my work and my home life at the same time, which is something I haven鈥檛 had before.
鈥淚t鈥檚 made all the difference.鈥�
By Kim Mah