Camosun’s DECA club has been one of the most active clubs at the college for the past several years. DECA (which originated in the USA and was formerly known as Distributive Education Clubs of America) focuses on training youth, particularly in the development of leadership skills.
“It’s basically preparing the next generation of emerging leaders in areas such as business, hospitality, and management,” says Camosun DECA president Bobby Tiet.
Tiet says that even though the club has a fairly high profile, that hasn’t always been the case, which was something the Camosun chapter set out to change.
“I think a good analogy for DECA is that it’s a unicorn,” says Tiet. “You hear good things about it, you want to touch it, but you can never find it. Our whole goal since 2011 has been to add transparency to the club, and for people to really get a clear understanding of what DECA is.”
Tiet says that all Camosun students are welcome to benefit from what they have to offer, which can really add to the college experience.
“Camosun DECA is for people who want to get more than a grade and lectures,” says Tiet, adding that the club is ideal “if you want to develop that leadership attribute, if you want analytics, and also if you want to just meet other people that you normally wouldn’t outside of this school.”
Tiet understands that there’s a common assumption that DECA is just for business students, but he insists that the club is for anyone attending Camosun.
“We do originate from the School of Business, and we do case competition business scenarios that tailor around what Business students are learning and applying that to real-life business scenarios, but it’s a lot more than that,” he says. “You are networking internationally, you’re making new friends, and you’re being exposed to something you wouldn’t if you didn’t take on this opportunity.”
DECA prides itself on being a key step in the making of many public figures, some of whom are now household names, says Tiet, including celebrities like Jay Leno and Courtney Cox. But it’s not just the big names that makes getting involved in DECA an appealing idea.
Tiet says DECA is a great way for students to build skill sets.
“I think the biggest one is confidence. I mean, for me, back in 2011, I was one of those kids in class that would never put up their hand. I was 18, so I was fresh out of high school, and, to be honest, I joined DECA because I wanted to travel,” says Tiet, adding that being active in DECA meant “going on vacations that you could put on your resume.”
Tiet admits that although he didn’t see the competitions as being very important when he first became involved in the club, he saw the benefits of them soon enough.
“When you are surrounded by so many people that are better and smarter than you, and are always challenging everything, it really elevates you up to that level,” he says. “Personally, DECA got me my dream job working in a career that I’m going to school for. I know that if I hadn’t been exposed to DECA my first year, I wouldn’t be where I am today.”
Tiet says that one of Camosun DECA’s main objectives is to build campus life, and he encourages students to come and see what they do; see camosundeca.ca for more.
Bobby has developed the communication and leadership skills that will make him a hot job prospect through his DECA activities. He has a bright future. Join him!