Life After York - Official Event Synopsis

By Maheen Bilal,

The Department of Business & Economics and the Cybersecurity & AI Club recently hosted “Life After York,” a career-focused event designed to help students navigate the transition from school to a professional career in tech-related industries.

This event opened by emphasizing the importance of connecting classroom learning with real-world workforce expectations, setting the tone for an engaging and insightful session. A key highlight of the event pertained to gaining valuable insights from special guest speaker and York alumna Shetl Petro. Shetl currently serves as a regional operations manager at Fraport USA. In her role, she brings experience in workforce coordination, organizational management, and cross-functional operations within a fast-paced, customer-facing industry.

Drawing on her professional journey in operations and human resources–adjacent leadership environments, Shetl emphasized the value of skills such as communication, adaptability, professionalism, and networking. Her perspective as an alumna provided students with a relatable example of how foundational skills can be developed during college and translate beyond leadership roles across diverse industries.

“Life After York” featured multiple components, ensuring everyone left with a valuable experience. The event included a career-focused discussion led by Dr. Abu Kamruzzaman on careers in tech and sharing the importance of preparing for emerging opportunities within the emerging technology fields. Followed alongside a National Data World Backup Day presentation hosted by the Cybersecurity & AI Club’s Vice President, Milani Aquino, and Treasurer, Habib Lawal, highlighting the importance of data protection and digital responsibility. The discussion concluded with an interactive quiz that engaged attendees and reinforced key concepts from the session.

Throughout the event, students actively engaged in interactive Q&A and a live knowledge-check activity to reinforce key concepts. Attendees asked thoughtful questions about career readiness, internships, and professional development, contributing to a dynamic and engaging learning environment.

The event concluded with meaningful dialogue that left students with a clearer understanding of career pathways, workplace expectations, and the skills needed to successfully transition into the professional world.

Initiatives such as Life After York truly highlight the value of alumni engagement and experiential learning in student success. Continued support from partners and community leaders is essential in expanding these opportunities and strengthening programs,  including the Aviation Center, ensuring students have access to innovative resources and career-building experiences to prepare them for Life After York. 

Maheen Bilal is president of the Cybersecurity and AI Club at York College.