Career Skills Portfolio

Note: This copy of my Career Skills Portfolio has been revised to eliminate any confidential material,
such as my address and phone numbers. If you have a sincere desire to examine my Portfolio,
please do not hesitate to contact me at vincent.vq.pham@gmail.com .

Student: Vincent Pham

Placement: Salt and Light Catholic Media

Supervisors: Gita Hosek, Esmeralda Blasi

Teachers: Ms. Aquino, Mr. Metivier

Date: Sept. 2018 – Jan. 2019

 Table of Contents

Item Page #
Exit Résumé 3
References 5
Final Thank You Letter 6
Letter of Recommendation 7
WHIMIS certificate 8
Worker Health and Safety Awareness certificate 9
Ontario Skills Passport (OSP) 10
OSP Part I 10
OSP Part II 12
OSP Part III 13
OSP Part IV 23
Personalized Placement Learning Plan 27
First Aid CPR, AED level C certificates 35
Pictures of work 36
Postsecondary research 38
Exit interview with placement supervisor 40
Subject link & placement correlation 41
Faith Reflection 42
Final Reflection Journal 43
Weekly Log Tracking 45
Student Self Evaluation 46
My Goals 47
My Online Presence 48

-2-
 VINCENT PHAM
9 Florence Crescent
Toronto, Ontario
M6N 4E3
(h) 416-766-3980 (c) 437-333-2322
vincent.vq.pham@gmail.com

OBJECTIVE

To apply for a future career in the area of media producing.

HIGHLIGHTS OF QUALIFICATIONS

 Co-operative education student at Salt and Light Catholic Media Foundation with over 250 hours of
experience in media producing from September 2018 to January 2019
 Successfully completed Grade 11 Leadership and Peer Support Program at Chaminade College School
 Achieved Honour Roll in Grade 9, Grade 10 and Grade 11
 Vice-president of Chaminade College School’s 2017-2018 Student Council and executive member of the
2018-2019 Student Council
 Accumulated more than 125 community involvement hours
 Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics (STEM) program student
 Specialist High Skills Major (SHSM), Information Communication Technology student
 First-aid CPR, AED level C certified
 Proficient with Microsoft Office, Photoshop, Adobe Premiere and WordPress software’s
 Fluent in Vietnamese

SKILLS AND EXPERIENCE

Fundamental Skills:
 Interviewed pastor and parishioners at Vietnamese Martyrs Parish for various news reports for The Catholic
Register’s Youth Speak News Team
 Presented to teachers and over 200 students at a Catholic Call to Serve conference hosted by Toronto
Catholic District School Board’s Religious Education department
 Listened, transcribed and timestamped shows for closed-captioning for Salt and Light Television shows
 Assisted in the co-ordination of monthly youth Masses and occasional adoration sessions for Vietnamese
Martyrs Parish’s Youth and Young Adults ministries
 Entered various data into spreadsheets at 14 Division Police Station as a Summer Youth in Policing Student
 Researched and presented information for various group projects in different courses

Personal Management Skills:

 Took part in the organization and planning youth events as youth ambassador for Youth and Young Adults
ministries at Vietnamese Martyrs Parish
 Worked to complete news reports and columns for The Catholic Register newspaper in a timely manner as
member of the 2017-2018 and 2018-2019 Youth Speak News Team
 Prepared excerpts of Liturgical texts for presider and Mass booklets for annual Eucharistic Youth Movement
summer camp as a member of the movement’s Liturgical Committee

Teamwork Skills:
 Took part in the execution of monthly Hot Dog Luncheons and various fundraisers as member of Chaminade
College School’s Student Council
 Performed in Passion Play hosted by members of Eucharistic Youth Movement for the Vietnamese Martyrs
Parish’s annual Good Friday Night of Prayer event

-3-
 VINCENT PHAM
(h) 416-766-3980 (c) 437-333-2322
vincent.vq.pham@gmail.com

SKILLS AND EXPERIENCE (CONT’D)

Teamwork Skills:

 Produced a movie trailer and directed a short five-minute film within a group of four students for
Communications-Technology course
 Controlled teleprompter for show host for show recordings at Salt and Light Television studios
 Participated in the execution of Karaoke Night fundraiser raising $1000 for the causes of Jake’s House
Charity for autistic children
 Worked and assisted children ages 6-12 at Dovercourt Boys and Girls Club and MJKO Boxing Summer
Camp in activities as a Summer Youth in Policing student

AWARDS

 Awarded Grade 11 Academic Achievement award

 Awarded Grade 11 Visual Arts subject award
 Awarded Grade 11 English subject award
 Awarded Grade 11 Canadian Law subject award
 Awarded Grade 10 Academic Achievement award
 Awarded Grade 10 Religion subject award
 Awarded Grade 9 Business and Technology subject award
 Awarded third place for 2016 Friar’s Writing Award by The Catholic Register
 Recipient of Fr. Andrew Cuschieri Award by the Toronto Catholic District School Board in May 2014

EXTRA-CURRICULAR AND VOLUNTEER WORK

 Member of 2017-2018 and 2018-2019 Youth Speak News Team of The Catholic Register newspaper
 Student Council member at Chaminade College School since September 2015
 Youth Ambassador for Youth and Young Adults ministries at Vietnamese Martyrs Parish
 Member of the Eucharistic Youth Movement at Vietnamese Martyrs Parish
 Altar Server Team member and Liturgical Master of Ceremonies at Vietnamese Martyrs Parish for Sunday
Masses and Solemnities
 Holy Spirit Youth Choir member for Saturday Vigil Masses at Vietnamese Martyrs Parish

EMPLOYMENT HISTORY

Feb. 2019-present Assistant Sacristan – St. Michael’s Cathedral Basilica, Toronto, Ontario

Summer 2018 Youth in Policing Summer Student - Toronto Police Services, Toronto, Ontario

Summer 2017 Cook - Pizza Pizza, Ltd, Toronto, Ontario

EDUCATION

2015 – Present Chaminade College School, 490 Queen’s Drive, Toronto, Ontario
Grade 12 student with overall average of 93 percent

REFERENCES

Available upon request.

-4-
 VINCENT PHAM
9 Florence Crescent
Toronto, Ontario
M6N 4E3
(h) 416-766-3980 (c) 437-333-2322
vincent.vq.pham@gmail.com

REFERENCES

Available upon request.

MR. ANTHONY PERROTTA

Communications Technology Teacher
Department Head, Business and ICT Studies
490 Queen’s Drive
Toronto, ON - M6L 1M8
anthony.perrotta@tcdsb.org

REV. JOSEPH TAP TRAN

Pastor at Vietnamese Martyrs Parish
161 Annette Street
Toronto, ON - M6P 1P5
josephtaptran@yahoo.com
416-769-8104

MS. JEAN KODIN

Youth Speak News Editor at The Catholic Register
1155 Yonge Street, Suite 401
Toronto, ON - M4T 1W2
jean.kodin@catholicregister.org
416-934-3410

MS. GITA HOSEK

Director of Production and Programming
Salt and Light Catholic Media Foundation
250 Davisville Avenue – Suite 300
Toronto, ON – M4S 1H2
ghosek@saltandlighttv.org
416-971-5353 ext. 2253

-5-
9 Florence Crescent
Toronto, Ontario
M6N 4E3

January 14th, 2019

Ms. Esmeralda Blasi

Production Coordinator
Salt and Light Catholic Media Foundation
250 Davisville Avenue, Suite 300
Toronto, Ontario, M4S 1H2

Dear Esmeralda:

I would like to express my sincere gratitude to you for your care and guidance you have given me
throughout my 15 weeks at Salt and Light Catholic Media Foundation. Thank you for providing me with
valuable opportunities over the past weeks to experience what Catholic media producers do every day
and to learn about the mission and role of Salt and Light Television in the vast field of Catholic media
and 21st century evangelization.

I have learned many skills throughout my time at Salt and Light. First of all, I have enhanced my
reading, writing and listening skills. Transcribing, checking transcriptions and timestamping them for
closed captioning gave me the chance to work on these skills which are essential to those in the field
of media producing. While working on the closed captioning for these shows, I have been given the
chance to learn about our Catholic faith which is so deep, rich and beautiful and this opportunity just
affirmed that in me. Reflecting on the times I have sat in studio controlling the teleprompter and the
days I sat in the editing suite, I am grateful to have enhanced my communication and collaboration
skills with other staff and interns, especially Fr. Matt, Noel, Charles, Jay, Philip and Breanna. I am
happy to have worked with great staff in the production department.

After this academic year, I will hopefully be going to university studying law and ethics and after, if it is
God’s will, enter the seminary. However, I will continue to explore the field of Catholic media production
and learn about the beautiful Catholic faith. Even if I will go on in life to pursue a possible vocation to
the priesthood, the skills I have acquired here at Salt and Light will not go to waste as I will continue to
read, write, listen, collaborate with others and continue to evangelize using different forms of media
throughout my lifetime. Furthermore, I will continue watching Salt and Light Television and gain a
deeper appreciation for the hard work the Salt and Light team does behind the scenes.

I once again thank you for your guidance and generosity throughout my time at Salt and Light. I hope
that you and the Salt and Light team will continue to support the co-operative education program so
that other students may have the great experiences that I have had throughout the duration of my
placement.

Best regards,

Vincent Pham

-6-
-7-
-8-
-9-
- 10 -
- 11 -
- 12 -
- 13 -
- 14 -
- 15 -
- 16 -
- 17 -
- 18 -
- 19 -
- 20 -
- 21 -
- 22 -
- 23 -
- 24 -
- 25 -
- 26 -
- 27 -
- 28 -
- 29 -
- 30 -
- 31 -
- 32 -
- 33 -
- 34 -
First Aid CPR, AED level C certificates

- 35 -
 Pictures of Work that I Have Done
There are show recording sessions almost
everyday at Salt and Light. I often play the role
of controlling the teleprompter during recording
sessions. In this image, I am controlling the
teleprompter for producer and host, Noel Ocol in
a Perspectives Daily episode.
Photo courtesy of David Le Ross
The shows often require a transcription for
closed-captioning purposes. Therefore the first
step of closed-captioning is the prepare the
transcription itself. At first, I would actually have
the transcribe a show word for word. However,
now, all the shows that need to be closed-
captioned are uploaded on to YouTube and
using an online tool, I can extract the automated
closed-captioning text and simple add
punctuation and add or replace words that do
not make sense. In this image, I am preparing
the closed captioning of a weekly episode of
The Word Exposed.
Photo courtesy of Philip Boudreau
- 36 -
Before Christmas Break, I sat in with second-
year University film-studies student, Philip
Boudreau to learn how to edit a short 5-minute
reflection video. In this image, I am editing a
short reflection video in Salt and Light’s editing
suite using the Adobe Premiere Pro software.
Photo courtesy of Philip Boudreau
The second step of closed-captioning is time
stamping the text of the transcription to a
specific time code on the video. This is done
using the MacCaption software (note the use of
a Mac). In this image, I am time stamping the
text of The Word Exposed episode and
associating it with a time code. Afterwards, the
time stamped file is exported to a .mcc file
format and sent to Master Control for
broadcasting purposes.
Photo courtesy of Philip Boudreau
There are special guests that come to Salt and Light and such moments are chances for interaction
with people you either have heard of before but meeting for the first time, or you are meeting a
complete stranger. Throughout my 15 weeks at Salt and Light, I have met a number of notable
people, including the Apostolic Nuncio (Representative of the Pope in Canada), Archbishop Luigi
Bonazzi and Rosa Flores, CNN correspondent, Fr. Peter Avgeropoulos, ecumenical director of the
Orthodox Church and Kerry Robinson, Global Ambassador or Leadership Roundtable… names off
the top of my head. Here, a group picture of the Salt and Light Team with Galit Baram, Israeli Consul
General to Toronto (Fr. Rosica’s right) with her husband (Fr. Rosica’s left).

This image is also one of the only group pictures I have of myself and the Salt and Light team.

Front row from left to right: Vincent Pham, Richard Valenti, Consul General’s secretary, Marc
Boudignon, Galit Baram (Israeli Consul General to Toronto), Fr. Thomas Rosica, Mr. Baram,
Francisco Gonzalez, Rodney Leung,

Back row from left to right: Rosina Di Felice, Philip Bourdreau, Kristina, Emilie Callan, Billy Chan,
Sohee Park, Gita Hosek (Director of Programming and Production), Alexander Du (Chief Operating
Officer), Kristen Carey, Fr. Matthew Gworek, Madonna Lee, Noel Ocol, Antoniette Palumbo,
Sebastian Gomes, Mark Umland, Melissa Osborne, Kaiwu Li

Photo courtesy of Salt and Light Catholic Media Foundation

- 37 -
 Post-Secondary Research

Program Options
As of now, I have submitted my University Applications to three Universities (in order of preference):

1. University of Toronto: Ethics, Law and Society program (Trinity College)

2. Ryerson University: English Studies program
3. York University: Law and Society program

As noted, University of Toronto is my top choice. Successful completion of the Ethics, Law and
Society program will award the student with a Bachelor of Arts (BA)

Admission Requirements
(Ethics, Law and Society program at the University of Toronto )
For secondary school students choosing to apply for the program, they must apply through OUAC
101 Application with the PIN number given by their guidance counsellor.

University of Toronto’s website clearly states the academic admission requirements as follows:

 Ontario Secondary School Diploma: Grade 12 English (ENG4U) plus five additional 4U/M
courses.1

To be enrolled into the program which starts Second Year, students must take into consideration the
following requirement:

 The Ethics, Society, and Law Major is a Type 2 limited enrolment program. Enrolment is
limited to students with an overall average of 77% or higher in 3 FCEs (at the end of first year)
selected from courses that are categorized as BR=2 and/or BR=3. Please note that TRN170Y1
[Ethics and the Creative Imagination] can also be included as a full credit towards selection
even though it is classified as BR=1+2. For students applying at the end of second year, a
minimal overall average of 77% is required in 3 FCEs from courses that count towards the
program including at least 1.0 FCE from: ETH201H1[Contemporary Moral Problems],
ETH210H1 [Rationality and Action], ETH220H1 [Moral Psychology], ETH230H1[Morality in
Cross-Cultural Perspective], PHL265H1[Introduction to Political Philosophy], PHL271H1 [Law
and Morality, PHL275H1 [Introduction to Ethics], and POL200Y1 [Political Theory: Visions of
the Just/Good Society]. In either case, achieving the threshold mark does not necessarily
guarantee admission to the program in any given year. Applications beyond second year will
be assessed on a case-by-case basis.2

Completion Requirements
University of Toronto’s Faculty of Arts and Science website clearly states requirements as follows:

1. First year: While no specific courses are required in first year, course selection should take
into account the program’s admission requirements above, as well as the prerequisites for 200+
level courses students plan to take to complete the program.

1
https://future.utoronto.ca/content/ethics-society-and-law
2
https://fas.calendar.utoronto.ca/ethics-society-and-law-major-arts-program-asmaj1618-0

- 38 -
 2. Second year: PHL271H1 [Law and Morality], TRN203H1 [Society, its Limits and Possibilities],
and TRN204H1 [Introduction to Law and Legal Reasoning] are required courses that students
are recommended to take in second year (their first year of registration in the program).

3. Third year: TRN303H1 [Ethics and Society].

4. Fourth year: TRN412H1 [Seminar in Ethics, Society, and Law].

5. 1 FCE from ETH201H1 [Contemporary Moral Problems], ETH210H1[Rationality and Action],

ETH220H1 [Moral Psychology], ETH230H1 [Morality in Cross-Cultural Perspective], ETH350H1
[Topics in Value Theory], ETH401H1 [Seminar in Ethics], PHL265H1 [Introduction to Political
Philosophy], PHL275H1 [Introduction to Ethics], POL200Y1[Political Theory: Visions of the
Just/Good Society], to be taken in any year of registration in the program.

6. 3.5 FCEs from Groups A-D, including at least 0.5 from each of Groups A-C and at least 2.0 at
the 300+ level. Courses taken in fulfillment of requirement 5 above may not be counted toward
the Group courses here. 3

*Group A indicates courses in Ethics, Group B indicates courses in Society, Group C indicates
courses in Law, and Group D indicates enrichment courses.

My Post-Secondary Plans
Plan A (preferable plan)

1. Continue after secondary school with what I want to study, which as of now, the Law and
Ethics program at the University of Toronto and graduate with a Bachelor of Arts degree.
2. Apply to St. Augustine’s Seminary of the Archdiocese of Toronto.
3. Receive Master of Divinity degree Ordination to the Priesthood.
4. As part of my priestly ministry, I could be a priest working as a media producer at Salt and
Light Catholic Media foundation, or work for the Archdiocese’s communications department.
5. With the Archbishop’s permission or recommendation, pursue Doctorate Studies for Doctor of
Sacred Theology (STD).

Plan B

1. Continue after secondary school with what I want to study, which as of now, the Law and
Ethics program at the University of Toronto and graduate with a Bachelor of Arts Degree.
2. After undergraduate studies, move on to graduate studies in Theology at Regis College at the
University of Toronto or another Catholic Higher Education institution.
3. After graduate studies, take the Film Studies program at Ryerson University or another media-
related program.
4. Apply for a job as a media producer at Salt and Light Catholic Media Foundation in Toronto or
another Catholic TV network in the United States.

3
https://fas.calendar.utoronto.ca/ethics-society-and-law-major-arts-program-asmaj1618-0

- 39 -
 Exit Interview with Placement Supervisor, Esmeralda Blasi
Took place in meeting room #2 of Salt and Light Media Headquarters
Tuesday January 14, 2019

Q. Do you have any advice for future co-op students entering this placement?

A. This co-op placement if good if they [the co-op student] has a good attitude for the work that they
do and they have some sort of experience and a clear idea of what their objectives, their goals are.
The co-op student should have that want to learn, willing to participate in the activities we have and
we ready to accept possibly undesirable tasks, and therefore, be open to new experiences.

Q. In which areas of the Final Employer Performance Appraisal did I do well? In which areas(s)
do I still need improvement?

A. You did very well in all of the difference aspects. You hit excellent in almost all areas – excellent.
Very good, responsible, independent. You take initiative and ask questions if you are not clear on a
specific job and that is taking initiative. You are also have good teamworking skills, able to collaborate
with others in the producing department. You also have good organization skills. You are able to hit
your goals you have for the day and produce good results.

Q. Thank you. But what areas do you think I should improve in?

A. Going back to the beginning, I wish you have expressed your desires or need to be in the editing
department and we could have better planned out more editing sessions, so you could improve on
expressing your desires [in other words, self-advocacy].

Q. Any final words?

A. You have been an excellent intern, co-op student. Continue with the great work you are doing and
continue strengthening your faith in God and faith in the work that you do. You have been great!

(Esmeralda Blasi is the Production Coordinator at Salt and Light Catholic Media)

- 40 -
 Subject Link and Placement Correlation Reflection

As a student who was so blessed to be a student of Mr. Perrotta back in grade 9 for the STEM
Business and Technology course, then again in grade 11 and 12 in both University level
Communications-Technology courses, I had a stronger desire to learn about effective communication
not only with pen and paper, but through different forms of technology which includes digital art,
videos and online portfolio curating. It is my love for this course and recognizing the need to have
effective communicators and evangelizers in our society today that I decided to register for the
Specialist High Skills Major, Information Communications Technology sector. With a specialization in
such sector, I was enrolled in the TGJ 3M co-op course, with my co-op pertaining to the field of
Communications-Technology. I came to Salt and Light Catholic Media with the expectation that I
would do much computer related work and I did all that and more throughout my time at Salt and
Light. I primarily did the closed-captioning on most of their shows and that in itself is a form of
communication to the hearing-impaired. That required much listening and writing skills that have been
a result of the years of listening and writing. Later on, I also started controlling the teleprompter for
show hosts which also required the skill of listening. I also received the chance to sit in the editing
suite and attempted to edit a short 5-minute reflection video. I have done video-editing within the
Communications-Technology course and sitting in the editing suite was just an application moment of
skills I have learned from school but in a professional setting. In other words, my placement at Salt
and Light was a consolidation of all the work I have done within the Communications-Technology
course.

Having had great experiences at Salt and Light Catholic Media, I would certainly recommend
this placement for co-op students enrolled within the SHSM-ICT sector. Being at Salt and Light gave
me the chance to make use of the skills from the required courses of the SHSM program. It is a good
consolidation of the skills I have acquired throughout the years. This co-op placement gave me tasks
that were at professional standards. They were not just made-up tasks for co-op students. I had the
chance to work on closed-captioning files and editing short reflection videos that had a broadcasting
date and that without them there would be no closed-captioning and no reflection video. However,
this co-op placement also requires students to have a deep love, a passion for the shows’ contents, in
this case, a love, knowledge and passion for the Catholic faith. In short, my placement at Salt and
Light has been of great connection to the requirement of the Communications-Technology subject link
within the SHSM program and I hope other SHSM students will have the same opportunities as me.

- 41 -
 Faith Reflection

Fortunately for me, my co-op placement not only has a connection between my faith and my
co-op experience, but it has a direct connection. Thinking of a possible co-op placement, I has the
desire that it has a direct connection with Catholicism, the faith that I had much love and curiosity for
at such a young age. It was only in June 2018 after I visited Salt and Light Catholic Media Foundation
headquarters in May for a tour, did I contact Fr. Tom Rosica, its CEO, about the possibility of a co-op
placement. Working at Salt and Light, everything is connected to the Catholic faith and interfaith
dialogue. I have prepared the closed-captioning for shows speaking to a wide range of Catholic topics
including the weekly Sunday Gospel, liberation theology, Christian persecution, Advent and
Christmas programming, the role of the Catholic Church in residential schools… a very wide range
that I cannot list them all out here. I have also sat in recording sessions for weekly shows recounting
Catholic news including Perspectives Daily (daily Catholic news) and Vatican Connections (weekly
news from the Vatican) and through that, get my daily and weekly updates of news in the Universal
Church.

Looking at a more direct route, I have been blessed to have participated in many staff Masses
and listened to a number of Fr. Tom’s deep 5-7 minute homilies. He always went deep into the
Scripture passages having a background in Scriptural Studies in Toronto, Rome and Jerusalem. Not
only so, he brings the Bible stories to life as he connects his own stories and experiences. At the
Masses, I also take part in Holy Communion under both species (body and blood of Christ). This all
takes place in Salt and Light’s Chapel where Jesus is present 24/7 along with many relics of the
saints there. Not only so, the many times I have been able to talk to Fr. Tom about various topics
have been also very informing. Throughout my time at Salt and Light, he has fed me spiritually not
only through his homilies, but also through his many gifts of books and other little things he gets from
his travels and I promise him always to read them (thanks to Fr. Tom, I need to get a third bookshelf
soon!) But being with Fr. Tom and Fr. Matt at Salt and Light just made me look at the priesthood in
special way, and kept fostering the seed of vocation in me even more.

In other words, Salt and Light has not only been a time to build on practical skills but also
instilled in me a deeper appreciation for the Catholic faith and affirmed in me the greatness of the
Catholic Church.

- 42 -
 Final Reflection Journal

As a fulfillment of a requirement of the Specialist High Skills Major, Information Communications

Technology program at Chaminade College School, I enrolled myself in the co-op course specializing in this
specific sector. At the end of September, I went to meet with Ms. Gita Hosek, Director of Programing
Production along with Ms. Esmeralda Blasi, Production Coordinator for an interview at Salt and Light Catholic
Media Foundation. Since then, Salt and Light Catholic Media would be my home for 15-weeks where I would
be mainly transcribing and time stamping shows for closed captioning, controlling the teleprompter for hosts
during show recordings and even sitting in the editing suite editing a short reflection video in Salt and Light’s
production department. Honestly, 15-weeks at Salt and Light has been not only been a quick roller coaster ride
but has been beneficial in many aspects.

Reviewing my Student Self Evaluation sheet, I noticed that I have grown in many aspects. First, I
noticed that I have become more tolerant of others. Sometimes, people have bad habits that they may exert
when they are upset, having a bad day and you need to learn to read the signs, give them their space and be
understanding. I have also improved on the way I make decisions. Preparing the transcriptions for closed
captioning is a decisive game. When people hesitate as they speak or when things are being repeated, the
choice of words to leave out or include is at my discretion. I also have to decide at times which shows have
priority over others in terms of closed captioning based on broadcasting time and time it takes to transcribe and
close caption. At the same time, I have also gained more self-confidence and not afraid to try new things. I
recall the first days when Esmeralda asked me to do the time stamping for the closed captioning of French
shows, I was quite hesitant but I eventually attempted and since then, not only time stamped for French shows
but also controlled the teleprompter for several French show recordings. Most importantly, I have learned to
not be afraid to state my opinions. I remember when I sat in the editing suite with Philip and Philip asked me if I
liked the way he edited the beginning and the end of the short reflection video. I gave my honest opinions and
point of view and he gladly accepted my ideas and incorporated them. Media producers need to voice out their
concerns and vice-versa, accept criticism from others. That is the most important life lesson I’ve learned at Salt
and Light.

Referencing the Ontario Skills Passport work, I see that I have developed many skills that I did not have
an abundance of before starting placement. I have improved my computer use skills, especially with the use of
different types of software used in media production. Though my time at Salt and Light, I have been exposed to
MacCaption (closed captioning) software, Teleprompter Pro (teleprompting software) and a deeper knowledge
of Adobe Premiere Pro (used for editing). I have also improved a big deal on oral communication skills. Though
much of the work is independent, I have been able to effectively communicate ideas to other producers and my
supervisor, speaking clearly and be at ease when speaking with others. I have also had the chance to use
proper etiquette when meeting guests formally, such as meeting the Apostolic Nuncio or one of Fr. Tom’s
guests. Another important skill I have learned is job task planning and organizing, as well as decision making.
These two go hand in hand because I used decision making skills in order to plan out what tasks take a higher
priority than the other. Finally, I have also improved on the skill of finding information. Preparing transcriptions
for Catholic shows is not the easiest task, especially when the speaker is speaking of a topic you have never
heard of before. It is then that I have to dig up Google and find answers, finding the spelling of specific words
or names. That in itself I believe is a skill – how to find information effectively.

Something that I have learned about myself that I am proud of is the fact that I have a good knowledge
on the Catholic faith but that I also have a lot more to learn. I remember transcribing word for word my first
show, and I understood almost every foreign term that was used such the Greek word, diakonos, and the title
of Vatican II’s document, Sacrosanctum Concilium. It is the fruit of all my years of reading and passion for the
faith. While I am proud of knowing a large portion of what the shows are speaking about while some of my
peers may not (or not even have interest in it at all), I have found that I have a lot more to learn about. There
are some topics I have never even heard of before such as Liberation Theology. Being at Salt and Light really

- 43 -
humbled me not only when transcribing shows with topics I have never heard of before, but also when I am
around people with Theology degrees such as Fr. Matt Gworek, Sebastian Gomes and especially with Fr. Tom
Rosica who has a very extensive background in Scripture. That humbling effect I get motivates me to work
hard in school, advance into Higher Education Institutions to study Theology.

At Salt and Light, being a professional workplace, an office, I have learned something valuable myself
as a future member of the workforce. I learned that I always need to be productive or else I would not be at
ease. There are days when I am done all of the priority tasks of the day and what is left on the list are shows
that will not air until March. Knowing that I am at Salt and Light for a purpose, I believe that I need to be a
contributor at some capacity and that I should not be sitting on my hands doing nothing. Therefore, even when
there is closed captioning tasks available, even when a show will not be aired until March, I do It anyways in
order to be productive and be a contributor every moment I am at Salt and Light. I would like to improve in the
way I interact with guests or with strangers whom you are introduced to by the CEO. While I have learned
through the many interactions I have had with Fr. Tom’s guests, I believe I need to develop those skills,
learning how to be more at ease when I interact with them and to be calm, talk slowly and clearly.

I have worked with a wonderful team and Salt and Light and I have deep respect for everyone of them,
knowing the hard work they put in everyday they come to work. However, the person I look up and admire
deeply is Fr. Thomas Rosica whom many at Salt and Light simply call Fr. Tom. He is a wonderful Basilian
priest. He has an interesting priestly ministry. While a large percentage of priests work in parishes or are
missionaries in a foreign country, Fr. Tom is a CEO of Canada’s only Catholic TV network and Media
Foundation. He had no experience as a producer but when approached by the founder, Gaetano Gagliano to
launch Salt and Light in 2003, Fr. Tom has the courage to take on such a project. I also admire the fact the he
has such good planning skills which is evident in the way he manages tasks at Salt and Light, and the fact the
he coordinated and put together a whole World Youth Day 2002 in Toronto… simply amazing. However, I
admire his personality, similar to that of Pope Francis. Even when you are hard at work, Fr. Tom passes by at
says “Hello” to you. Also, the way he preaches touches your heart… I love his homilies very, very much
because they are not scripted but come from his heart, his stories, his knowledge of Scripture. After travels, Fr.
Tom brings back little gifts for people. For example, after the Synod of Bishops in Rome, Fr. Tom gave me a
set of three prayer books used at the Synod. Honestly, the monetary value of these are not much at all, but Fr.
Tom gave them to me from the heart. That is what Fr. Tom has taught me. Fr. Tom gives of himself from the
heart. He is a very approachable person and he is an example of a priest Pope Francis wishes the Church to
have.

I have always had a strong desire to become a priest from a very young age and have kept that thought
in mind up until this day. However, I am always keeping options open in case God does not call me to that
vocation and honestly, I am considering a career as a media producer at Salt and Light as a possible option if
the priesthood is not for me. Even if I do become a priest, I can be like Fr. Tom, a priest working in
communications within the Church. As of now, I am still concrete in getting acceptance into the University of
Toronto for the Ethics, Law and Society program and attending the Seminary afterwards, or if that is not for
me, pursue a Graduate Degree in Theology.

Being at Salt and Light has been a beautiful, skill-intaking and discerning experience. I have been
blessed to work alongside many hospitable people and as I told Fr. Tom and the team at Salt and Light before
Christmas, “Salt and Light will always have a special place in my heart”. My co-op at Salt and Light will be one
of the highlights of my high school career. I am grateful first of all to Ms. Aquino and Mr. Metivier, my co-op
teachers for their guidance throughout this semester and for their care in making this wish of a placement at
Salt and Light come true. I am in debt with the care that Ms. Hosek and Esmeralda, my supervisors gave me. I
also acknowledge the production department for their hospitality. Most of all, I thank Fr. Tom for being
supporting my plans of a co-op placement ever since I e-mailed him back in June, and for offering me a job
during my university years. May God repay all of you for your great work.

- 44 -
- 45 -
- 46 -
My Goals (myblueprint.ca)

- 47 -
 Vincent Pham is Online!
Visit www.vincent-pham.tk for
 Monthly blog posts
 About Me
 News and Press
 Graphic Artwork
 Fine Art
 Videos
Scan this QR code to visit the site!

- 48 -