STUDENT SPOTLIGHT: Representation goes a long way

Apr 4, 2024 | News, Student Spotlight

April is Sikh Heritage Month in Canada.

Abhay Karan Singh Sandhu, a third-semester Tourism-Travel Services Management student, came to Canada from Amritsar, Punjab, in northern India in the fall of 2022.

He said this was a big step in recognizing the Sikh community as an intrinsic part of Canada.

“It holds a lot of meaning for me. We are a minority group here and for us, representation is important,” Sandhu said. “I feel more confident, I feel proud that the government has acknowledged us [as] part of this country.”

Sandhu, 21, put a lot of thought into choosing this program at Humber.

When he first came to Canada, he was enrolled in the computer programming program but dropped out within two weeks.

“I found it to be quite tough,” he said. “Then I enrolled myself at Humber.”

However, academia was not the only source he was relying on to make a successful career in Canada. He was working part-time in a car workshop to gain skilled labour experience.

Sandhu’s quest for gaining global experience and the fact that most of his friends had moved to Canada drove him here.

“My sister came here three years ago,” he said. “Soon, all my friends moved here, so I thought I should also go and expand my worldview.”