Please consider me in your search for a Facilitator, Post-Secondary Education.

I believe my extensive background in education, including 10 years teaching internationally and my broad work experience, including years working with the disabled, combine to makes me an ideal candidate.

After completing my Art Education degree at the University of Alberta, I joined The University of Calgary as a Communications Officer II. As co-editor of the bi-weekly, Gazette, I researched and wrote copy covering virtually all aspects of campus life, from the activities of individual students and clubs, to reporting on research, to profiling new staff members, like Beatrice Medicine. I always sought to produce articles that would engage the reader. My article, New ways to slice the mapping pie and its accompanying commissioned illustration is an example. I also supplied photography, illustration and design skills to further market the university to its various communities.

After almost five years with the U of C, I accepted a position as a Journalism Instructor at the then Grant MacEwan Community College, where I taught courses in Photojournalism, Mass Media, Newswriting and Graphic Design.

Moving to Vancouver, I was Western Editor for Canadian Forest Industries Magazine, providing copy on all aspects of the business including harvesting, safety and milling. Moving on to Nanaimo, I freelanced for The Nanaimo Business Examiner and other trade publications, while also serving as a Supply Teacher and teaching a number of courses for the Nanaimo School District, including Communications 11. In Nanaimo, I also operated a direct-mail advertising franchise, Val-Pak, which led me to call on medium and small business owners.

Selling my business, I joined forest equipment manufacturer T-MAR Industries in Campbell River as the company’s Marketing Manager, where I produced a variety of marketing materials and provided market research through customer surveys. I designed the annual trade show booth for the Truck Loggers Convention and was project manager for the company’s participation in DEMO 2000, a live forestry exhibition in the BC interior.

A downturn in the forest industry, led me to over 10 years of teaching students from grade three to adult in seven different countries. My international teaching experience began in Tripoli, Libya, where I taught art to Middle and Upper School students at ISM International School. My Upper School students were taught using the Irish Leaving Certificate, which included instruction in Art and Art History. I next taught IGCSE and IB PYP, MYP and Diploma Art at the International School of Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia, where I guided my students through the rigorous IB Diploma Art program. Moving on to the International School of Jeddah, KSA, I taught A-Level, IB Diploma and Middle School Art and Middle School Mathematics and then joined Kongsberg International school, teaching IB MYP Art and Mathematics. After teaching Vocational Mathematics and Secondary School Mathematics in the UAE and Japan, respectively, I returned to Canada in 2012.

Highlights of my international teaching include collaborative efforts with students that include: a student illustrated video of my children’s story, The Apple of Albert’s Eye, in Saudi Arabia; a short film, God is Love, made with my Emirati students in Al Ain, UAE and the video introduction to a high school production of The Rocky Monster Show, in Jeddah.

While teaching overseas, I provided private tutoring, mostly in English and Mathematics, to middle school and high school students, primarily in Libya and Saudi Arabia.

Returning to Canada in 2012, I launched my website jamesmillercreative.com to highlight my creative abilities in writing, photography, art, music and video production. I also completed the first semester in the Hearing Aid Practitioner Program at MacEwan University.

Opting not to continue the program, I moved to Prince George in 2013 and worked in a number of positions including as a Care Provider in group homes serving adults dealing with various cognitive and physical challenges for the Prince George Association for Community Living (AiMHi). Informal counseling was a significant part of my role and I worked with clients (many of Indigenous descent) dealing with drug and alcohol dependencies and mental health issues, including autism and depression. In addition to preparing meals according to a nutritionist’s specifications, I drove clients to various appointments and helped them develop individual recreational programs.

In April 2021, I moved to my birth city, Edmonton, to be closer to my family. That summer, I secured employment at the Mustard Seed downtown church building as a part-time, casual Janitor, through Bissell Employment Services. That fall, I served as a Janitor at the Mustard Seed administered homeless shelters at Knox Evangelical and Strathcona Baptist churches. In this position, I interacted with shelter clients and staff on a regular basis.

When that temporary position with the Mustard seed ended in the spring, I joined Horizon North as a Janitor working at fire-base camps during the summer of 2022 where I was a janitor and also cleaned and prepared rooms for occupancy. I then trained for and worked as an Industrial Janitor at the MEG Energy site at Conklin Alberta. I currently serve as a Second Cook in a camp near Fort MacMurray.

I am active participant in Edmonton’s Interfaith Society for Education and Action and a member of the Alberta Crafts Council. I’ve volunteered with the Latitude 53 Gallery  and participated in its workshops. My photograph, Spool on the Water, was accepted for the recent EPL juried show, FLOW.

The philosophy that I bring to my life, and to this position should I be selected, is one of overarching inclusion and the belief in Love without opposite. As an artist, I’ve created a number of works along this line and my Happy Face Series, is one example. Instead of a Death Star, I created a Life Star. Teach Only Love, and Believe Be Love, continue that theme.

My music video, Brand New Song, showcases my art while raising awareness of the need to help people with drug dependency issues.

I sincerely believe I have all the qualifications you are looking for in filling this position. Accordingly, let me suggest we meet to discuss the contribution I could make to NAIT and Northwestern Polytechnic in filling the role of Facilitator, Inclusive Post-Secondary Education.