Brian Williams, a recent graduate of Western’s bachelor of education program, has no regrets about his change in career.
“I enjoyed my job in finance but I found myself thinking, ‘What impact am I going to leave on the world?’” Williams said.
He remembered one of the people with the biggest impacts on his life was a high school teacher.
“It’s been about 30 years, but I still remember her name, the class and what she told me,” Williams said.
As he looked back on his diary, Williams noticed he dreamed of being a soldier, accountant or teacher when he was young. Feeling that he was too old to become a soldier and not wanting to continue in a finance-related field, he decided teaching would be the perfect move.
“Teaching is one of those professions where you can really make a change in a person’s life. I can proudly say that I am framing and contributing to the education of the next generation of citizens,” said Williams.
Williams also comes from a family of teachers.
Born on a farm in the village of James Hill, Jamaica, Williams immigrated to Canada in 1997 at the age of 17. He graduated from Claude McKay High School in James Hill, Clarkson Secondary School in Mississauga and attended Brock University. After graduation, he worked in finance for almost 20 years.
During the pandemic, he was laid off from his finance job of 10 years. That’s when he seriously pondered making the switch to the classroom. Even with two other job offers in the finance world, he opted to reject them and fully commit to teaching.
Williams decided on Western given the strong reputation of its Faculty of Education. He believes the knowledge he gained at Western, along with his own life experiences, has helped prepare him for a teaching career.
“The classes on social foundations, safe schools, 2SLGBTQQIA+ communities (which was affectionately called Rainbow+) and mental health helped me to sharpen my degree of empathy,” he said. “When I step into a teaching role, I’m not just bringing Brian the teacher, I’m bringing my life experiences and how I felt when someone discriminated against me as a racialized person with many intersectionalities. This will allow me to develop a deeper understanding of the needs of my students.”
Williams is already working in the Peel District School Board, where he is a long term occasional teacher at Lorne Park Secondary School and supply teaching at three other schools, including his former high school.
During his brief time teaching, Williams has already received an award of distinction from the Peel District School Board.
“I have found that the best way to be a teacher is to be your authentic self. This allows you to create relationships with your students.” – Brian Williams, BEd’24
“Learning should also be fun for the students. I am a big fan of collaborative work and allowing my students to drive their own learning,” Williams added.
His approach to teaching has been shaped by educational systems from the two countries in which he grew up, Jamaica and Canada.
Job satisfaction
Williams has no regrets about his career change, saying he found fulfillment in the classroom.
“I liked my job in finance, but it felt like work. In teaching, I’m at my job by 7:45 a.m. and I’m ready to go; it never feels like work,” Williams said.
As for the challenges he has faced in the transition, Williams said he embraced the difficult moments.
“Every challenge is an opportunity to grow.”
It’s how he has always approached his life. Going back to school forced him to push his brain back into student mode.
“I hadn’t studied in almost twenty years, so that was definitely a challenge at first,” said Williams. “The age gap was also a challenge. I had to get used to the new online tools and platforms that students use nowadays.”
Strong family support
Williams’ family has been a constant support system throughout his life. His mother moved to Canada as an economic migrant in 1992, so he spent five years being raised by his grandparents and extended family, including aunts and uncles, before moving to Canada in 1997 through the reunification process.
He said his mother is one of his main sources of inspiration and someone he often goes to for advice.
“She is my North Star and encouraged me throughout the process. Everything I am is because of her. She is my No. 1 support, my biggest fan and cheerleader,” Williams said.
His past helped him identify with students, especially immigrants or children of immigrants.
As a mature student, Williams also used his background to inform his journey at Western.
“Now that I am graduating, I can tell you that I’ve actually been able to expand and improve my skills even more than what I thought I was capable of doing,” he said.
Williams is one of more than 8,560 Western students graduating this spring. He joins more than 362,000 alumni in almost 160 countries around the world. Read more convocation coverage.
