Basil W. M. Chiu

Experience

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  CWG Footcare

  Aug 1995 - Jan 1996

  Lab technician

  Cast plaster moulds and vacuum-formed thermoplastics on them. Fabricated insoles and modified footwear; using saws, grinders, and sanders. Custom fit insoles to precise dimensions.

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  Jim Russell Racing Drivers' School

  Apr 1996 - Nov 1996

  Race team mechanic

  Fit parts and assembled chassis. Repaired, inspected, maintained, and mechanical parts and bodywork.Accomplishments: Developed routine procedures and documentation, reducing task time by more than 50 per cent. Developed documentation system to track inventory and signal re-ordering, virtually eliminating stock outages.

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  Canadian Tire Corporation

  Jan 1997 - Aug 1997

  Tire, battery, and oil technician

  Inspected, repaired, replaced, and tested wheels, tires, batteries, and fluids in a dirty, fast paced environment.

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  VIAVI Solutions

  Sept 1998 - Aug 2000

  Assembler coordinator

  Ground lenses to precise specifications and trained others. Set up and adjusted machine tools. Verified, inspected, and tested lenses for world’s largest photonics company.Accomplishments: Rewrote procedure manual to improve clarity, reflect my training and production methods, and to fulfill ISO requirements; increasing productivity by 33 to 100 per cent.

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  MarketSource Canada

  Jun 2002 - Jul 2007

  Territory/Event Sales Representative for Hewlett Packard

  Persuaded customers to buy Hewlett Packard products by explaining features and benefits. Trained and motivated store staff.

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  Wayne State University

  Jun 2005 - Jul 2006

  Research Assistant

  Collected and cleaned opinion data, and trained and supervised others doing the same, for one of the largest universities serving African-Americans.

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  University of Arizona

  Aug 2007 - May 2012

  I lectured empathetically, advised carefully, and evaluated tactfully. I taught rhetoric by example and was genuinely interested in my students’ success.Accomplishments: Awarded accolade for outstanding TA my final semester One student became college valedictorian, while another won a national academic award. I persevered over months to create a database using specialized software; developing efficient techniques and training others.Accomplishments: Three conference presentations (and counting) used the dataset I managed.

  • Graduate Teaching Associate

    Aug 2007 - May 2012

  • Graduate Research Associate

    Aug 2007 - May 2012
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  Psychiatric Survivors of Ottawa (PSO)

  Feb 2014 - Mar 2020

  Peer Supporter

  I provide emotional support to those with lived experience of mental health challenges and help them regain their human dignity by engaging them in conversation and activities. I share in their tears and laughter, all by listening without judgement and fixing. I also promote, and provide information about, PSO to interested parties.I possess Peer Support Accreditation and Certification--Canada (PSACC) level 2 peer support training, including ASIST suicide prevention, and CPI non-violent crisis intervention.PSO administers government funding for peer support in the Champlain LHIN (Eastern Ontario). Show less

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  Integrity Tool & Mold, Inc.

  Jul 2014 - Oct 2014

  Apprentice Machinist

  MACHINE OPERATOR: follow technical drawings to install and remove moulds on milling machines. Deburr parts and tap holes. Wrote spreadsheet to clean and maintain equipment.SAW OPERATOR: Cut metal stock to specified sizes.EQUIPMENT: FCS clamping system, Makino D500, OKK HM1000 series and VP400, Promac VTR, Baxter Verticut band saw, Bomar Individual horizontal band saw. CERTIFICATIONS: WHMIS, pendant crane, forkliftSHIPPING & RECEIVING: inspect, engrave, gather, list, and deliver incoming and outgoing stock; update ShopTalk software with task and purchase order statuses; determine job status and shipping destination, and prepare appropriate forms; organize stock area and account for extra and missing stock; resolve technical and clerical discrepancies with planners; audit stock. Show less

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  Best Buy Canada

  Nov 2014 - Dec 2014

  Connected Solutions Specialist

  Listen to customers' needs and provide solutions, educating them about features and benefits. Suggest add-ons and upgrades and persuade them to buy.

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  LCBO

  Nov 2014 - Jul 2021

  Customer Service Representative

  I welcome people (customers and coworkers) into the store and make them feel valued as humans by engaging them in real conversations, recommending products to the best of my judgement, and taking pride in my work. They come into MY store and I want them to return.I possess gold level product knowledge training and powered lift equipment (PLE) certification with the world's largest buyer, product quality tester, and seller of beverage alcohol.Full-time work, part-time status.

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  Mood Disorders Ottawa (MDO)

  May 2016 - now

  Peer support is the act of one person with lived experience of mental health challenge "sitting with" another person with mental health challenges, though not necessarily the same diagnosis, lying somewhere between friendship and expert help. It is a key tenet of mental health recovery; a social work approach of person-centered, person-lead care recognizing the realities of living in communities and, therefore, the need for support. Its motto is: shut-up, don't fix, don't judge, just listen.To support peers, I need:empathy and knowing how to express it;diplomacy;thoughtfulness, kindness and warmth, i.e.: the ability to put others at ease;personal insight and the vulnerability to share it;observation skills, especially listening; ANDstrong boundaries.Contexts can vary from private (via phone or in person), to semi-private (e.g.: a stairwell), to public (an impromptu group discussion in the waiting room). Show less

  • Group Facilitator

    Jan 2017 - now

  • Peer Supporter

    May 2016 - now
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  Psychiatric Survivors of Ottawa (PSO)

  Aug 2020 - now

  I help people help themselves by easing discussions without any agenda of my own. By exploring our strengths, support options, and sources of hope, we all live our best possible lives. Also trained in "The Art of Facilitating Self-Determination."In Wellness Recovery Action Plan (WRAP), I challenge groups of six to 12 participants to constantly think about how they can support themselves in any situation; to constantly have self-determination.In Pathways to Recovery, I guide six to 12 participants on their personal journeys on which they discover strengths and resources they can use to set goals to live lives they find meaningful. Show less

  • WRAP and Pathways to Recovery (Self-Help Group) Facilitator

    Mar 2014 - now

  • Overcoming Isolation Developer & Facilitator

    Aug 2020 - Oct 2020
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  Writers Collective of Canada

  Oct 2020 - now

  Faciliator

  This is ostensibly a writing group following Schneider's Amherst Writers and Artists method, in which I provide writing prompts and participants offer each other positive feedback after having written in silence for a few minutes. In reality, it is a forum for self-discovery via writing. Because it is offered in partnership with MDO, I must strike a balance between provoking and inspiring deep thought, and not traumatizing those who are already fragile. It requires great listening, empathy, diplomacy, and humour. Show less

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  Chamomile Adult Services

  Jul 2021 - now

  Developmental Service Worker

  I keep adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities (AIDD), who cannot care for themselves, safe and healthy by helping them with life's daily challenges, large and small. In small teams, I engage them in daily activities, help them feel whole and lovable, help them envision their futures, and move them towards greater independence. My strength is helping people process their difficult emotions.