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Edward Byers

CATT at the Olympics

CATT Alumnus Edward Byers gets the Opportunity of a Lifetime

When Edward Byers joined the Canadian Academy of Travel and Tourism (CATT) program, he had no idea it would lead him to the Olympics.

Growing up in the small Ontario town of Gananoque, Edward was constantly exposed to the vibrant Thousand Islands tourism industry. In his second year of high school, Edward was approached by teacher Diane Kirkby who noticed his interest in the tourism sector.

Ms. Kirkby, recipient of the 2008-2009 CATT/CTC Teacher Award, encouraged Edward to apply to the CATT program. After a successful interview with the mayor of Gananoque and Ms. Kirkby, Edward was on his way to becoming an enthusiastic member of the town’s tourism industry.

At school, Edward built upon his people skills and learned customer service skills that served him well in his part-time jobs. An outgoing young man who loves working with people, Edward was the first Bell Boy at the Best Western Country Squire hotel and he worked at several resorts throughout his high school career.

Edward considered himself lucky to have had Diane Kirkby as a teacher. “She’s a great mentor,” he says. “Ms. Kirkby helps students develop their interests and pursue them no matter what.” Edward appreciated that he and his classmates were assigned significant responsibilities like planning galas, dinners, and school exchanges. Their classroom assignments had real-life consequences and students were proud of what they accomplished.

After high school, Edward studied Commerce with a major in Travel and Tourism at Ryerson. During the summers, he worked at local events like the Festival of the Islands, a 10-day celebration that is one of eastern Ontario’s largest. “Working at the festival was a great experience,” says Edward. “It takes a dedicated team to put on a successful event and I learned relationship-building skills by working with the mayor, the town council, and local businesspeople.”

Edward first got the idea of working at the Olympics while visiting friends in Vancouver. Rather than send a résumé by email, he decided to go to the recruiting agency in person. His message was simple: “Hire me!”

Did it work?

On December 15, 2009, after a brisk two-week recruiting period that included three telephone interviews, Edward started his job at the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games.

Working as Operations Supervisor at the Whistler Games Service Centre, Edward oversaw the distribution of accreditation badges, uniforms, and accommodations to all 20,000 employees of the 2010 Olympic Games. The service centre was housed in a giant indoor tennis club that was transformed for the Olympics. The centre also featured an on-site restaurant and 300 beds. Docked nearby was a cruise ship with 2,000 additional beds for volunteers.

“When I first arrived, we worked around the clock,” says Edward. “We worked 12 hours every day, around the clock.” Whenever their energy flagged, Edward and his co-workers would remind themselves of the big picture: this was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity that would end in three short months. That, and sheer adrenaline, got them through their hectic workdays.

Every day on the way to work, Edward would cut through CTV Mountain Square where he had his Olympic jacket signed by Heather Moyse, gold medalist in the bobsled event. More than once, the crowd spontaneously burst into the national anthem. “It was just amazing,” Edward recalls.

When all employees had been processed and the Games began, Edward’s schedule became lighter. When the rush slowed down, Edward got to see many of the events such as luge, downhill skiing, and the opening ceremonies.

After the experience of a lifetime and the opportunity to work with people from all over the world, Edward is eager to gain more international experience, potentially in the Events Management profession. He is also interested in working at other high-profile multi-sport events, including the 2012 Olympics in London and the 2015 Pan American Games. “Right now my goal is to try everything I can,” says Edward, “so I can figure out what I want to do and then align myself with a career path.”