SIAT Co-op Student Michelle Illing talks about her work experiences at Vancouver Biennale and how the SIAT Co-op programs helped her during her work term

Co-op can be an overwhelming process. You are entering a trial adult experience where you look for and apply for jobs. But what do you do when you are scrolling through the long list of job postings and a wave of companies and organizations blind your eyes? Continue reading to learn about Carissa's experience working for a variety of industries. 

When a company invests in its people, the work experience can go from good to great. Roop Gill’s anecdotal piece on how she prospered in her co-op despite massive setbacks proves that there is nothing more valuable than workplace connection.

Interested in self-directed Co-ops and want to know more? Read on as Jessica shares her experience creating a self-directed Co-op at TELUS and gives advice that can help make your work term run as smoothly as possible!

Communication student Marilyn Brimacombe talks about her time at Parkinson Society and FCAT, and how she used Communications skills to her advantage.

This article outlines my tips for those looking to find their own self-directed co-op and break into the non-profit industry with no experience.

Do you want to make a difference in your community? Are you interested in working in health care for your co-op work term but don’t know if you have what it takes? Read about the skills Alan found helped him have a successful work term in health care.

With a lot of us working at home, looking after our health becomes a high priority. Check out Justin’s post about how his workplace extended a helping hand and how it affected him and his work positively. 

“Find a job you love, and you’ll never work a day in your life” has been attributed to several thinkers: Confucius, Mark Twain, and Marc Anthony. Regardless, this sentiment is unrealistic.

Though a move across the world during a pandemic was daunting, I was comforted by my German language ability, my experience having spent time in the country, and the strong co-op support team that stood behind me. 

SFU Economics Grad Audrey Radstake reflects on her time in Economics, her favourite courses, and how her Co-op terms have already started affecting her future. 

Wondering what's it like to do a Co-op term with Co-op? If so, check out Sarah's experience working as the Digital Design and Communications Assistant for the SFU Surrey Co-op Programs, where she had had the opportunity to work with four different Co-op programs!

Two SFU-Alumni founded companies, Moment Energy and Streamline Athletes, are SFU’s Coast Capital Savings Venture Connection incubator startups at the Charles Chang Institute for Entrepreneurship this year! Read on to see how each company was formed and what the future looks like. 

Behind every career is a story with its own victories and challenges. OLC staff member Terae tells her story to us and goes into why being in a creative field as a woman has its own unique problems and how she found strategies to overcome them.

What comes to mind when you hear someone say, “I work for the federal government”? Let’s be honest, if you have never had a job in this sector, those words may sound intimidating, intense, and kind of complex. There are quite a few misconceptions about what kind of jobs there are in this field and what kind of benefits they can bring.

Wondering where your arts degree can take you, and how SFU Co-op can help you get there? In March 2021, we hosted a Q&A session with three seasoned SFU Arts Co-op Alumni with a variety of Co-op experiences, where they shared their Co-op journeys and where they are now. Keep reading for their tips on being successful during and after their co-op terms. 

Ever wonder what it would be like to work in the cosmetics industry as a UI/UX Designer? If so, read more about Joanne's co-op experience with Three Ships Beauty!

During my semester of scouring through SFU’s myExperience portal for jobs, I had to learn a lot of things the hard way, which probably led to me getting a job pretty last minute. But I don’t think I’m the only one who has fallen into the trap of destructive habits that creep through the cracks on the road to success. Below is a list of things I wish I had known when I started seeking for Co-op jobs that I hope will help other Communication Co-op job seekers.

A big meeting is coming up at work and you have no idea how you will contribute in a way that is meaningful. Jacky went from anxious to ambitious during his co-op work term as a Student Researcher, learning the ins and outs of leadership and proactive participation in team meetings. Here are his 7 tips for preparing for your upcoming work gathering.

Riding hovercrafts while at work, meeting renowned scientists, being the resident expert for introducing new software. These are all experiences Sam encountered while at his government job with the Department of Fisheries and Oceans. Read on to learn how his co-op job with the government was neither boring nor overly bureaucratic.

When Melissa was brought onboard as a Co-op student at Fraser Health, she learned that she'd have the opportunity to work for not one but two different teams within her portfolio. Though a little scary at first, she embraced the challenge dove in. Read on to see what she learned during her Co-op experience.

Casey Cheng, a Co-op student with the SFU Work-integrated Learning (WIL) Equity, Diversity & Inclusion (EDI) team, interviews Audrey Heath about her Co-op position with the SFU Indigenous Student Centre (ISC). Casey and Audrey discuss cultural safety, expectations & objectives, and how co-op supports professional and educational development.

Co-op can be an exciting, rewarding, and terrifying experience. Sometimes, we wish we could tell things to our past self, get advice from our future self or just reflect on how far we've come. In this blog, Katie writes letters to her past, present, and future selves about her co-op journey and the progress she's made. 

Taylor's seen the highs and lows of working from home and is here to tell you all about what worked and what didn't as he supported Vancouver Coastal Health as a Junior Business Analyst. Read on to learn from his carefully thought-out tips and tricks for making the most of a remote work term.

Curious about what Sustainable Energy Engineering co-op is like? Hear from two Senior SEE students, Danielle Arciaga & Kia Brownridge about their co-op experiences as they near graduation. 

In the process of searching for a Co-op job, you may be thinking “an 8-month co-op seems so long, so a 4-month position is probably the way to go”. Read on for Marilyn's reasons why an 8-month Co-op can be so much more rewarding. 

At the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, Naomi headed into into her first Co-op work term as an HR Intern at West Coast Seniors Housing Management. She came of the experience while witnessing first-hand the struggle of the industry and quick responses needed to continue caring for our elderly population.

MSE co-op student, Yulia, describes her interesting job as a Mechanical Engineer at Cellcentric. Cellcentric is a fuel cell organization whose mission is to “bring together 30 years’ worth of extensive experience in developing safe and efficient world-class fuel cell systems. By using hydrogen in our fuel cells, we create energy without emitting anything but pure water.”

SFU health sciences students Sharon Kular and Olivia Tomlinson have been working as co-op students to support vaccination efforts in the Fraser Health Authority this summer

Five co-op work terms might sound like a lot, but it was definitely a valuable journey for Winnie. Read on to learn more about Winnie’s Co-op journey as she transitions from her student life to work life, her takeaways from these positions, and her final thoughts on the Co-op program

When students enter their first or second Co-op work term, there can be a risk of falling into student mindset traps. These are the habits we pick up as students that are detrimental to our professional performance and development. Read on to learn more about how Bowen learned to avoid student mindset traps after four Co-op semesters working for three different companies.

As a Marketing and Communications Intern at Schneider Electric’s Solar Business, I’ve gotten the opportunity to work with so many professionals around the world. Don’t worry, it’s not as stressful as it sounds. In this blog, I'll talk about some of the things I've learned while working for a multinational Fortune 500 company.

Ever wonder what it would be like to work as a software engineer in the healthcare sector? If so, read about Alex Hoang's co-op experience at Greenspace Mental Health. Greenspace Mental Health “is a web-based platform that helps mental health therapists easily measure and monitor patient progress” and during her co-op, Alex has been mostly maintaining and adding new features to Greenspace’s web platform. 

SFU co-op student Priyanka Krishna is a winner of the IMPACT 2020 student story showcase presented by the Association for Co-operative Education and Work-Integrated Learning BC/Yukon (ACE-WIL) for her work in fostering equity, diversity and inclusion. Read on to learn more about her work and what she is most proud of.