Pursuing the Bachelor of Applied Management degree helps student land a job at Sask Polytech
After more than a decade working in construction as a Red Seal electrician and pre-construction manager, Joshua Reschny wanted to explore the next step in his career. To get the business knowledge he needed to move up, he enrolled in the Bachelor of Applied Management (BAMgt) program at Saskatchewan Polytechnic.
Reschny's motivation to join the BAMgt program stems from his desire to enhance his leadership skills so he could move into a management position. “I had taken other leadership courses, but at the end of the training, I didn’t have the degree,” he reflects. “The BAMgt program offered me the opportunity to demonstrate the expertise I had gained over the years. Once you have that confidence, you’re better able to make decisions moving forward.”
While pursuing the degree, Reschny joined Sask Polytech as the facilities manager in Saskatoon. This transition from construction to facilities management was inspired by his experience in past projects, including the Dr. F. H. Wigmore Regional Hospital in Moose Jaw as well as other P3 bids including the Civic Operations Centre for the City of Saskatoon.
Reschny shares, “My team and I worked with facilities, the architects and the engineers on the Wigmore Regional Hospital. We worked with everybody through an integrated project delivery method – a first in Canada at the time. By doing that, we gained a holistic view of how things are built but also how they’re currently operated.”
On track to complete his degree in 2024, Reschny knows what he’s learned will serve him well in his new career.
“As you gain knowledge, you look at situations from a different perspective. When employees come to you, you become more empathetic and understanding. That’s the biggest thing I’m bringing to Sask Polytech as a manager,” he says. “How you treat people really makes a difference.”
The BAMgt program was created specifically for journeypersons – like Reschny – and students with non-business post-secondary education to prepare them for success in management and leadership roles. The list of applicable industries embodies almost every program that Sask Polytech offers, from health care to information technology, and mining to early childhood education.
Shannon Kotylak, program head and instructor, explains how the program stands out.
“We looked at what was offered throughout Canada to see what was available for non-business and trade graduates, we identified a gap and created the Bachelor of Applied Management,” she says. “We provide students with the applied business classes they need to grow their careers. We offer classes in the evenings on Zoom and online on a part- or full-time basis, which provides the flexibility to work around busy schedules.”
Adds Reschny, “For those who want more, Sask Polytech is great. You come out of the BAMgt program with your degree, your years of experience in your field and your previous education credentials.”
Kotylak knows students completing the degree are equipped for the job market.
“BAMgt students have a unique perspective, using their professional experience and previous education to lead within their organizations. Graduates have been lauded for their ability to merge business needs with the practicality of day-to-day operations. It has also made them highly promotable,” she says. “We currently have students in the program who work for Sask Polytech in both staff and faculty capacities. They truly embody why this program was created: taking their knowledge, their experience and their talents to grow. When we see students succeed, it demonstrates this program is needed to help learners become leaders for both Sask Polytech and our industry partners.”
With remote delivery options, students can pursue the BAMgt program from anywhere in Canada with a computer, webcam, microphone and stable internet connection. Kotylak commented, “We have students from Vancouver Island to Manitoba and students from across Saskatchewan.”
Reschny notes there’s no time like the present to pursue higher education. He advises, “You’re never going to lose out on learning. Take the program; learn; get as much out of it as you can. It will help you be a better leader.”
The BAMgt program provides journeypersons and non-business diploma and certificate graduates with the ability to leverage their existing education and experience into a bachelor's degree with only the equivalent of two years of additional study, which can be completed either full or part-time.
Learn more at saskpolytech.ca/BAMgtDegree.