From a donated desktop to warehouse lead: how one computer changed Bo's path

‍

The beginning

Around 2015, Bo's wife, a newcomer to Canada, received a desktop computer through the Connecting Families initiative. At the time, Bo had no idea where the machine came from or who had made it possible. It was simply a tool that helped his family get settled in a new country.

Years later, the answer would surprise him.

"I had no idea that the computer my wife received was from BC Tech. I had no idea about that until I came here."

— Bo, Warehouse Lead, BC Tech

A door closes, another opens

Before joining BC Tech, Bo had been volunteering at a similar organization. Then COVID hit. The site he worked at went quiet — fewer people, social distancing, and eventually a gradual wind-down. He found himself searching for a new place to contribute.

That search led him to BC Tech. His first visit made an impression: a bright, spacious, and well-equipped facility, and a welcoming team that included Marianne. He signed up to volunteer.

Building a role, step by step

Bo's path at BC Tech didn't follow a straight line. He started as a volunteer, then took on a short-term contracting project that kept him busy for about two months. When that wrapped up, he started looking for work elsewhere — until Mary-Em called.

There was a vacancy in the warehouse. Would he be interested?

He was. Even though it was his first time working in a warehouse (his prior experience was in a factory), Bo stepped into the role. He also supported paid events, including the Skills Canada competition — his first paid work through BC Tech. Over time, he grew into his current position as warehouse lead.

"It didn't directly help me find a job, but it basically hinted me where I should go next."

— Bo, on the impact of the Connecting Families program

A full-circle moment

The Connecting Families program was Bo's first real foothold in Canada. It didn't hand him a job but it pointed him in a direction, and he followed it. The fact that the same organization that donated his wife's computer would eventually become his employer is the kind of coincidence that feels more like consequence.

Bo, who studied philosophy at UBC, describes it simply: the program "hinted where I should go next." Years later, he is still following that hint now with plans to take on more technical responsibilities at BC Tech, advising volunteers and supporting the organization as donation levels shift.

For Bo, BC Tech was not just the first English-speaking workplace he'd held an extended role in. It was the place where a donated desktop quietly became something much larger.

‍