Harry Kaari’s passion has always been in healthcare and athletics, however his previous career choice did not reflect this. It was only when the future of his industry looked unpromising that Harry came to find a more suited career; one that would fuel his desire to take part in the improvements of people’s health while providing him with more stability.
Nearly two decades ago, Harry was a stationary engineer in a pulp and paper mill located in Ontario. His everyday tasks included the maintenance and safe operation of boilers, feed water pumps, motors, generators and compressors. His job also involved monitoring and operating a sewage treatment plant. While Harry enjoyed the work schedule, and the variety of tasks in this position, he was not particularly fond of the unhealthy working environment.
Harry notes that the mill he worked at was usually hot and dirty and became worse in certain areas. In addition, the process of making pulp also utilized a lot of toxic chemicals. He felt that while he was lucky enough to avoid these chemicals, he was nervous about the several cases where co-workers had suffered chemical burns and had to undergo a long recovery period.
While Harry knew that these were good reasons to switch careers, he did not do so until the late 90s, when the pulp and paper industry wasn’t looking that promising. He feared losing his job and having no backup plan. He began his search for a new home and career and found this with Massage Therapy, in Victoria, BC.
“The reason I was interested in Massage Therapy was mainly because of my interest in athletics, human anatomy and working with people,” says Harry “When I moved to the West Coast from Ontario, I was trying to find a career that would incorporate all these and Massage Therapy seemed to be the best fit.” So, he went in search of RMT schools and decided on WCCMT.
At the time, WCCMT Victoria was the only RMT School in Victoria and it offered the most comprehensive training in North America. Upon graduating from WCCMT, he contently practiced massage therapy until he was encouraged to become an instructor. Harry loved teaching so much that he has been in the position for the past seven years.
“I like the idea of bringing my practical knowledge to the classroom. Textbooks are excellent learning tools but I find students really enjoy seeing the hands on skills that each RMT brings to the table.”
Harry explained how happy he is to have made the switch from stationary engineer to RMT/Instructor. He feels that with RMT, he is able to turn his passion for athletics and human anatomy into a paying career. He also really enjoys seeing the benefits that massage can provide for sports injuries. “I also think every RMT can agree that one element of the trade that never gets old is seeing the improvements in health someone had made, as a result of our work or advice.”
Thank you Harry for sharing your story on your first and second career choices! We are pleased to have you as part of our faculty! To discover more about our team of talented instructors, visit http://collegeofmassage.com/victoria/about-us/team/
