How co-op can enrich your undergraduate experience

by Sara Mak

​During my first term of university, a few friends talked me into transferring into the co-op program. I’m going to be honest here: at the time, the main reason why I agreed was so that I would be able to graduate with them five years later. I didn’t fully understand what I was getting into or how it would impact me post-graduation. As I stumbled my way through countless job applications, nerve-wracking interviews, and rewarding work terms, I came to appreciate just how valuable my co-op experience was. 

For me, co-op was an opportunity to explore new places, meet exciting people, and test out career paths without the long-term commitment and expectations of a permanent full-time job. Some highlights of mine include:

• Attending a Christmas party where I climbed on the backs of my superiors to be at the top of the human pyramid for a team photo;
• Flying in a flight simulator! Unfortunately there were no hydraulics (it’s incredibly expensive to run), but all of the graphics and controls were operational and I got to see my contributions in action;
• Photographing a luncheon featuring Hong Kong’s Secretary of the Environment where he discussed Hong Kong’s environmental future; and
• Caring for juvenile raccoons -- they are impossible to keep still and are curious about everything!

When these raccoon kits arrived as newborns, they were blind and helpless. It didn’t take long for them to open their eyes and start exploring!

Of course, each person’s experience will be vastly different; we each have our own goals and preferences, not to mention the external factors that we may have no control over. As cliché as it is, this is what helps us grow and overcome challenges. And speaking of challenges, there certainly were many! If you’re like first-year-me and wish you had some advice, read on for some pointers I picked up along the way. 

• Before your interview, research the position and organization, and brainstorm what projects you’ve worked on and what you can contribute as an employee. I still cringe at the thought of my first interview where I fumbled my way through the questions and, in my nervousness, interrupted the interviewer.
• Work for a different organization each time in order to get more experience. You want to move around to expose yourself to a variety of environments and challenges, in addition to learning from different people. This will diversify your resume, give you more experience to draw upon in the future, and let you test out what environments you like. 
• Don’t be afraid to offer ideas and suggestions. This is something I struggled with, thinking that I was “just a temporary intern” and that my role was restricted to listening and following instructions. Employers want to hear your ideas and questions! 
• Reaching out to employers outside of your school’s job database may land you unique job opportunities! I found my own co-op one term and that ended up being one of my favourite jobs.

During my co-op in Hong Kong, my supervisor took me to a spectacular rooftop terrace for my mid-term evaluation.

As with most things, it may be a bit scary in the beginning, but you’ll be glad you did it! Being a co-op student introduces a new perspective on your studies; you’re able to see how you can apply your course teachings to your job, and vice versa. Five years ago, I had no idea the impact that FOMO and an impulse decision would have on my entire undergraduate experience. Graduating with a more holistic resume and a clearer idea of what kind of career I wanted to pursue made stepping out into the real world a lot less daunting. Having established connections certainly didn’t hurt either. I would highly recommend co-op to anyone interested in participating in a work/study program!

About the Author

Sara’s love of animals and the environment is what led her to study Geography and Environmental Management at the University of Waterloo. In her free time, she loves stargazing, hiking and exploring the great outdoors (preferably with her dogs)!