Episode #81: "Most Working Actors Trained at a Career College" with Michael Coleman

What does it actually take to build a lasting career in one of Canada's most dynamic industries — film and television? Michael Coleman, President and CEO of Vancouver's Story Institute, has spent over 35 years answering that question from every angle: as a working actor, a prolific writer, a voice artist, and now as the founder of a provincially regulated career college that does one thing exceptionally well.

In this episode, Michael pulls back the curtain on what makes career college training fundamentally different from a traditional academic path — and why that difference matters for students, for the industry, and for the broader Canadian economy. From a student who landed a role in a Christoph Waltz feature, to a graduate who became a fan favourite on a globally streamed series, Michael's stories illuminate what happens when practical training meets real industry opportunity.

Whether you're weighing your options for skills training, leading an institution, or thinking about how career colleges contribute to local economies, this conversation will shift the way you think about wListen to past episodes here: https://www.edupcanada.ca/⁠hat education can look like.

[00:02:00] — Why Michael Left Traditional Academia (And What He Built Instead)

[00:03:30] — Its Not Show Friendship, It’s Show Business

[00:05:00] — Quality Over Quantity: Why Fewer Students Means More Working Graduates

[00:08:30] — The Multi-Billion Dollar Ecosystem Nobody Talks About

[00:12:00] — Falling in Love With a TV Character (Who Turned Out to Be His Student)

[00:13:30] — The Student Who Booked a Hollywood Feature Film

[00:17:00] — Even Your Worst Day Is Better Than Most People’s Best Day

[00:21:00] — We Teach People How to Be Doctors

⁠Read the full transcript here: https://share.descript.com/view/MgOdT1Vkark⁠

⁠Listen to past episodes here: ⁠https://www.edupcanada.ca/⁠