Co-op Blogs

Have you ever wanted to host a Zoom meeting of your own? With a bit of practice, Sinead shows how you can easily learn this versatile tool and pull off virtual meetings and events with confidence.

SIAT co-op student, Kayla Wu, describes her interesting job as a UX/UI designer at Remitbee. Remitbee is a financial organization whose mission is to “Spark the financial revolution by connecting people and money - across borders, currencies, and cultures and is currently looking to hire 15 co-op students for the Fall 2021 semester, so SFU co-op students seeking for a co-op placement this term are highly encouraged to apply.

This week’s SFU Surrey Co-op featured student is Brandyn Chew, a SIAT student who has been doing some super interesting 3D design work at his co-op job. Brandyn is currently working at OSI Maritime Systems Ltd which is “a leading provider of integrated navigation and tactical solutions designed for naval and maritime security operations.”   

Thea translates the knowledge she gained from her Co-op work term as a Student Obesity Medicine Assistant, and with the added contextual challenge of the pandemic, shows how she uses these tips and tricks to improve her personal health. Read on to learn more about her clever advice and see how you can easily incorporate them into your daily life.

While an often overlooked role, administrative work provides multiple opportunities for growth and skill development. Read on to learn from Nicole how the Co-op position she wasn't originally looking for (but found anyways!) taught her how to appreciate the Front Desk.

Shumail had finally landed her first Co-op position as a corporate actuarial intern but there was a catch: the job was in Toronto, she was working remotely from home in Edmonton, all while attending SFU in Vancouver. Read on to learn how she learned key lessons in time management and corporate culture while navigating the work from home life

Interactive Arts & Technology student, Isabel, describes her exciting co-op job that included reimaging Fraser Health Career's social media visual presence.

If you’re like me and obsess over Instagram aesthetics, peruse like-minded communities on Twitter, or aspire to be TikTok famous, then you’ve probably considered a digital marketing career at some point and are ready to make your debut in the industry. Here are four Do-It-Yourself skills that will spice up your resume, helping you to leverage your digital marketing talents before your search for your Co-op opportunity!

Shahid, a recent Mechatronics alumnus, never thought he'd find himself working at an Oil and Gas company such as ExxonMobil. After all, how do mechatronics connect to the Oil and Gas industry? As it turns out, much more than Shahid anticipated! Although starting out nervous and unsure, Shahid quickly rose to the occasion and found joy in every aspect of his work. Read more to find out about Shahid's position, and what he learned while on an out-of-town co-op in Ontario!

Over Bill's five terms of Co-op experience, the past two (in Summer and Fall 2020) have provided a rather unique experience. In light of the COVID-19 pandemic, Bill was given the opportunity to work remotely from home and found himself needing to adapt to a very different work environment in terms of task planning and time management. In this blog, Bill hopes to share some of these experiences as well as some challenges that he faced while working remotely

Seeking semesters can be difficult; especially in a pandemic. Samuel, a Business co-op student, experienced this difficulty while searching for their position as a Product Strategy Intern with SAP. Although emotionally turbulent, Samuel was able to persist through their seeking semester and experienced a number of learning opportunities that has shaped their perception on job seeking. Read Samuel's 5 Tips for Seeking Your Next Co-op to learn how to make the best out of your seeking semester. 

Interactive Arts & Technology student, Patrick Pacunana, describes the exciting projects he has been working on as a UX/UI designer at the Vancouver-based startup, Ensightful. 

Unsure of what to expect for your upcoming co-op? Megan wasn't either! Megan, a Business Co-op Student, worked at SFUVentureLabs for 4 months as a Program Administrator Assistant. Previously working in a large government office, Megan was nervous coming into a small sized company for the first time. But, there was nothing to fear as Megan strengthened a lot of skills and learned more about their career path. Read Megan's story to learn more about why you should work for a smaller sized company!

Starting your first Co-op work semester can be intimidating. “Will I get along with my coworkers?” or “Will I be good at my job?” are some questions that everyone asks themselves. In February, Marcus Fujiwara, a Solutions & Services Co-op at Allocadia found himself asking “Will my position be terminated?” and “How do I work from home?” amid the global pandemic. Read on to learn about his attempt at finding a silver lining in the most uncertain of times.

Read on to learn about 5 fantastic volunteer opportunities that allow students to engage in the community and make a difference in the world.

Gaining work experience while still in university is a great way to prepare for life after graduation. Here are 5 organizations that offer internship programs for Indigenous students.

Meet Tim Michel! He is the Work-Integrated Learning (WIL) Indigenous Coordinator and here to help you out with your experiential learning journey at SFU. Read to learn more about Tim and how you can meet him for further information about Co-op.

Have you heard? The course, “Introduction to WIL/Co-op for Indigenous students,” is coming in early May 2021. Tim Michel explains what this course offers and how you can register for it.

Stephanie Greaves, Co-op Coordinator for the SFU School of Interactive Arts & Technology, interviews Derian Chow about his Co-op position as an Esports Project Coordinator.

Unpacking the reality of the Black student experience in Canada. In this article reposted from The Peak, Linda shares why representation matters, how solidarity can be found within community, and the importance of ending Anti-Black racism in Canadian education institutions.

This week’s SFU Surrey Co-op featured student is Megan Holmes, an MSE student who has been doing some excellent work at one of her dream companies, MDA, a Canadian aerospace company. One of the exciting projects she is working on is upgrading the Canadian CP-140 Aurora aircraft’s radar surveillance system. Read on to learn more about Megan’s experience!

Does the word mentor scare you? Maybe you don't know what the word Mentorship even means! These are thoughts Bessie had before signing up for a mentorship program at their Co-op workplace. Read Bessie's article on the benefits of working with a mentor!

Every job has its slow days every once in a while. Sometimes, all that free time can make you feel bored and unproductive. Ray shares 4 things he's done in the past during his Co-op work term to most of a slow day at work.

Congratulations! You’ve landed your first Co-op work term. But wait! There’s a catch (or two): you’re in the middle of a global pandemic, and you’re expected to lead a team in this new and not-so-improved virtual setting. Read Bita’s tips to feel more confident while conquering your very first Co-op in a position of leadership, all the while working remotely. 

Are you currently in the process of securing a job interview? Melanie will take you on her journey and the series of events she took to not only reach out to her hiring manager, but also land an interview within the span of 24 hours. 

Staying focused and getting things done can be something we all struggle with, especially when both work and play are online. What, then, is the "procrastination monkey", and how can you overcome the distraction it brings? Clarissa explains how to kick the monkey to the curb, and take control of your time and work. 

Emir was asked during his Co-op hiring interview if he would consider an 8-month placement. He was anxious about making it through 4 months, never mind 8. But soon enough the third month came around and Emir has a second chance to consider an extension. Here are his 8 reasons for why you should a Co-op extension.

Are you a SIAT Co-op student in the seeking process? Read Michelle's article on the job-hunting journey, and how with a strong portfolio and exemplary soft skills, you can excel in your interviews!

Rick has wanted to work for Tesla ever since he started his undergrad degree at SFU. The path to Tesla hasn't been easy nor straightforward. Read on to learn how Rick's previous Co-op opportunities set him up for success when landing an internship in the Bay Area.

Like many other seeking Co-op students, Leslie struggled to find a co-op job that was relevant to her interests. While her friends were all able to eventually land jobs, Leslie started to feel more anxious and insecure about obtaining an opportunity. Here's how she turned the tables and found a job outside of her initial interests.

In a highly uncertain pandemic, working from home has become the new normal. Read about Emily's co-op experience with Sierra Wireless and find out what we can do to better our experience with remote working, both as an employer and an employee.

The end of a Co-op work term doesn't necessarily mean the end of your relationship with the organiziation you had been working for. Jaclyn found a way to turn her Co-op opportunity, a 8 month Co-op at FISPAN, into a part time gig when she went back to school to finish her degree. Read on to learn how she pitched her new role and position to the company she'd done a Co-op work term with.

When the COVID-19 hit, Kevin had to transition from working in person to working from home. Read on to find out what this experience was like and how Kevin was able to readjust to new working conditions. 

Interested in starting a business but don’t know where to start? David explains in Part Two of his blog series what worked for him during his time establishing a start-up business. Read on to learn what tips he shares about the process of beginning your entrepreneurial journey.

Sometimes, things don't go as well as expected when launching a start-up business. David explains in Part Three of his blog series just what went wrong and what fellow peers should look out for if you're also interested in developing a business.

Interested in starting a business but don’t know where to start? Don’t know if you can handle it because you’re a student? David has gone through it and succeeded in some ways while failing in others. Learn from his experience in this blog post so you can avoid making the same mistakes.

Ever wondered what working for a non-profit is like? Further, have you ever wondered what working for an extremely small non-profit is like?In her article, Marisa describes what it was like to work at a youth sports-oriented non-profit where she collaborated with a small team of only three, and lists both the pros and cons of non-profit work. 

After a tiring semester of remote learning, Lillian decided to trade classes for work experience and adventure - in Alberta as a door-to-door salesperson.

Nikolina was one of the many co-op students who had to learn how to adjust to new working conditions during COVID-19. In this article, Bikolina shares with us some tips for finding productivity during a global pandemic. 

As Elena enters her first co-op work term in the midst of an ongoing pandemic, she is faced with the challenges of working remotely. Read on to find out how she is able to overcome these obstacles as she shares her advice on working from home. 

Vicky Leung is a Business Co-op student who found herself having to choose between the allure of a permanent position at a start-up company, which did not match the job description, and a Co-op position that was everything she imagined. Read Vicky’s 3 pieces of advice when making difficult decisions in the co-op program. 

If you’re thinking about running your own CPA firm, then working at Thomas Chimick Ltd. is the perfect job for you. You get hands on experience by working directly with clients and helping them with their needs. It teaches you the basic skills that every accountant should have, such as, time management, attention to detail, and being able to take quality notes.

Working from home is a common reality for many Co-op students in the past year. Working from home while working for a Health Authority in the thick of the pandemic is a tremendous experience Kaylla went through last year. Take a look at how she learned to stay productive in these uncertain times.

In today's world of social media and aesthetics, the ability to create eye-catching and attractive content can be essential to a communication student's success in their co-op position. The problem is, programs like Photoshop and Indesign can be daunting to learn, and expensive to own. In his blog, Fareed explores whether Canva can be used as a more accessible platform for graphic design.  

Shahvir Sarkary is a Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences (FASS) Co-op Student who had the opportunity to work as an Events Assistant for FASS, the largest faculty on campus. Shahvir recruited & managed over 48 students for a mentorship role that supported and helped the transition of new incoming students in Fall 2020 term.

Nisha’s second work term as a curriculum and programming assistant on a hiring committee for Career and Volunteer Services made her realize that with so many qualified candidates, decisions are sometimes based on the tiniest details. Here are Nisha’s 10 tips for how to stand out from other candidates and the reasons why employer’s value them.

Bakhtiar Yaqub has decided to formally appoint themselves as the designated Ned Bigby of Simon Fraser University. Read for tips on surviving your work term from Bakhtiar's Declassified Co-op Survival Guide!

The climate is changing, global health is threatened, injustices are prevalent, and you want to do something about it. Well, how much impact can you actually have as a co-op student? Here’s what Brennan found out during his work term at the BC Council for International Cooperation.

Working a new 9-to-5 can come with a pretty steep learning curve, especially if you hold on to your university-student habits. In his article, Gryfin tells us his tips for adjusting to his co-op placement (and adulthood). 

Your first Co-op work term comes with a lot of valuable lessons and take-aways that stick with you throughout your professional career. For Emily, these lessons include just doing it, finding your strengths and striking a work-life balance. Read on to learn more.

Does working 40 hours a week seem tiring? Try adding 15 to 18 hours of strenuous running, weightlifting, stretching and physiotherapy. Carlos takes you through his journey as a varsity track athlete while completing an eight-month co-op with Streamline Athletes.

Communication skills are more than spelling and grammar structure. As per Alyanna's supervisor, "Communication is a strategy action to receive what you expect to accomplish.” Read on to learn more about how she develops a different perspective of what communication is about from her co-op experience.

Robert's boss shared a key lesson with him about an essential trait that can get one hired. What is that trait and how can you develop it? Read on to learn more from Robert.