Spotlights highlights a member of the chapter through articles about their accomplishments in the field as well as some lesser known facts gained through interviews about their career and general selves.  Check back on the second week of the month to find new Spotlights articles!

This month in Spotlights, we are gaining insight into Jacob De Camillis, a new member of our chapter. He is a technical writer by profession and a literary translator, travel writer, poet, linguist, and folk musician by pastime. He divides his life between Pacific Canada and Turkey, he speaks English, Arabic, French, Turkish, and bits and pieces of several Central Asian languages, and he is an alumnus of the British Columbia Institute of Technology, Simon Fraser University, and Capilano College.

Jacob is the Treasurer, Career Editor and general content writer for the web team and is always open to domestic and international contract opportunities in communications. You can contact him directly at jacobdecamillis@gmail.com as well as follow him on Twitter at @JacobDeCamillis.

 

Me: What most interests you about the field of technical writing?

Jacob: You get to learn and work on something new every day. The skills are flexible for a variety of professions and you could be working on a project in New Zealand one day and a dynamic website the next.

 

Me: What is your biggest career goal?

Jacob: To work full time as in writing for an institution with international wings. It could be working on a project proposal, a manual, or a gallery informational panel; it could be for a museum, a language school, or an engineering firm; it could be in Burnaby or Kashgar or Cairo. I like a change of scene and I am open to the world. I want to help international companies and audiences communicate their message, whatever that message, in the international language, English. I also want to publish English translations of an entire collection of Syrian poetry as well as a beloved Turkish children’s story.

 

Me: What do you like most about being an STC member in our chapter?

Jacob: The opportunities to develop my career, broaden my skill set and knowledge base, as well as meet and mentor people. It’s the family aspect, we help each other.

 

Me: What advice would you give your future self in terms of your career? Do you think you will agree with your advice in 20 years?

Jacob: Always be flexible and versatile and never lose sight of your goals or your dreams. Yes, I would agree in 20 years.

 

Me: What did you want to be when you were growing up?

Jacob: An architect. I was obsessed with how ugly the old Expo era Sky Train stations were and wanted to overhaul them. In fact, I spent the better part of my high school drafting classes sketching up rough blue prints with my ideas—a Starbucks was included in every station.