Labour studies graduate rises above barriers

After working for almost a decade as a labour relations specialist, Jennifer Breddam [BA(Adv)/2025] returned to university in the fall of 2020 as a result of challenging circumstances – she had experienced a catastrophic spinal injury that removed her from the workforce. COVID-19 remote studies allowed her to attend classes from the comfort of her home while she was recovering. This spring she graduated with a major in labour studies and a minor in Indigenous studies, a triumph she celebrated at the June 4 convocation.

“I was drawn to UM’s Labour Studies Program because I knew I would be off work for a lengthy time, and completing this degree would give me the best chance of returning to my career in a capacity that my body could tolerate in the future,” said Breddam. She hoped to leverage on the program’s field placement – which includes research experience – to eventually transition into a role that offered better accessibility options within her field.

She found a home in labour studies and became heavily involved with the Labour Studies Students’ Association, serving as president for two consecutive years. “The highlight of my time with LABSSA is the lasting friendships that have been formed within our small community,” she shared. “I am proud to graduate with four past and present council members this spring and excited to see what they accomplish next.”

Breddam took further leadership roles outside of campus – as Chair of the Provincial Council of the Manitoba League of Persons with Disabilities and a board member of the Manitoba Association for Rights and Liberties. She also completed the prestigious United Nations Young Leaders Immersion Program, which culminated in a one-week experience in Geneva, Switzerland. “This experience solidified my desire to tackle human rights issues from a labour rights perspective by demonstrating how intrinsically interconnected the world of work is with all other human experiences,” said Breddam.

Breddam shared that these achievements did not come easily. She found herself regularly navigating ongoing accessibility challenges and advocating for herself to address the barriers she faced on campus. She fondly recalls that she found support in the Labour Studies Program. “My experience within labour studies was exceptionally positive,” she said. “When you have a disability, you unfortunately must consistently prove your need for accommodation because our society is hyper concerned about the few who might abuse the system. The professors in the Labour Studies Program take the approach that students know their needs best. They demonstrated time and time again that they prioritize removing barriers over gatekeeping and showed kindness. They truly made me feel welcome.”

Her advice to UM students and grads who are facing accessibility barriers is to be mindful of the emotional burden they are carrying and share it with others. “When requesting accommodation, it’s crucial to recognize that you are best equipped to determine what you need for success, but that doesn’t imply you’ll have all the solutions,” said Breddam. “Surrounding yourself with encouraging voices can significantly impact your ability to identify opportunities to alleviate and address accessibility barriers.”  Her message to the UM community is to expand and deepen campus accessibility practices. “Accommodations aren’t just about wheelchair accessible classrooms or having a quiet place to write an exam. It’s also the little things like making sure someone puts the doorstop in before I get to class so I don’t need to ask for help opening the door, allowing me to leave 10 minutes early or be 10 minutes late because it takes me longer to wheel across campus between classes, and using short sentences and plain language on exams because dyslexia makes reading long complicated paragraphs more difficult,” explained Breddam. ”Without this support, I would not have had the energy to spare to fight for accessibility changes on campus.”

As for the future? Breddam has been accepted to Brock University’s MA program in social justice and equity studies. “I am truly excited about this opportunity. Not long ago, I couldn’t envision myself completing a bachelor’s degree, and now I’m a graduate and move on to graduate studies,” she said. “My goal is to enhance my skills in policy development and research through this program and apply them in an NGO that focuses on labour rights, or within Canadian unions and labour groups.”

Learn more about the Labour Studies Program in the Faculty of Arts.

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UM Bisons are at the centre of it all, making a difference here in Manitoba and around the world. 3058 degrees were awarded at Spring Convocation 2025 (over 620 are from the Faculty of Arts), bringing the total number of UM graduates to 4200 so far this year. Many of these new alumni will stay in Manitoba, supplying high-demand skills to the labour market and contributing to UM’s $7.3 billion economic impact on our community.

Hila Graf