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Scroll through and catch up on the latest from the SFU OLC. You're bound to find a fresh new perspective, the most current advice, and recently published stories that are sure to inspire you. Content is created by the SFU community.

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Changing Times: Stories to Inspire Hope and Resilience

 

Kaylla
Staying Productive While Working Remotely for a Health Authority

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.

The Latest

 

Cynthia smiling
Blog
Cynthia George Taha | Registered Nurse

"With the uncertainty and changes in healthcare systems for our people and a separate health authority plan that will marginalize our people, I decided to be where my skills and services will be most beneficial." Read more to find out how a girl from Wetsuweten Nation became a leader in the Nursing field. 

rudy smiling
Blog
Rudy Riemer/Yumk | SFU Department of First Nations Studies and Archaeology

"I grew up in Squamish BC, learning from elders and knowledgeable community members about Squamish Nation culture.  Many of my fondest memories are walking to downtown with my grandpa, sitting at my grand uncles kitchen table and going up the river to fish. During these formative years I was always careful to listen to what they had to say." 

Portrait of Rudy
Blog
Indigenous Stories: Rudy Riemer/Yumk, SFU Department of First Nations Studies and Archaeology

"I grew up in Squamish BC, learning from elders and knowledgeable community members about Squamish Nation culture.  Many of my fondest memories are walking to downtown with my grandpa, sitting at my grand uncles kitchen table and going up the river to fish. During these formative years I was always careful to listen to what they had to say." 

Bold Eagle banner
Blog
[Indigenous Employer] Opportunities for Indigenous Youth: Canadian Forces

Bold Eagle is a challenging yet rewarding opportunity that helps to develop valuable skills such as self-confidence, self-discipline, teamwork, time management, respect and fitness to list but a few.

Cynthia in her nurse uniform
Blog
Indigenous Stories: Cynthia George Taha, Registered Nurse

"With the uncertainty and changes in healthcare systems for our people and a separate health authority plan that will marginalize our people, I decided to be where my skills and services will be most beneficial." How a girl from Wetsuweten Nation became a leader in the Nursing field. 

Portarit of Bruce Dumont
Blog
Indigenous Stories: Bruce R. Dumont, Metis National Council Minister Responsible for Health

"My father was Cree and French and my mother Cree and Scot with both parents fluent in the Cree language. I come from a family of ten. We lived in poverty as Road Allowance Metis around Sundre, Alberta, after my parents left the Metis Settlement of Kikino, Alberta in 1943 with 4 children in tow. 

"

Portrait of Audrey
Blog
Indigenous Stories: Audrey Tooshkenig, Elementary School Teacher

"Having not graduated from high school, I feared academic inadequacies and had a lot of self doubt about attending post secondary. Fortunately, a dear friend basically took me to an Academic Adivisor to discuss my prospective plans. By the time I left that appointment I knew that I was on my way to my next phase."

True or False picture
Blog
The Nuts and Bolts of International Co-op

This is a myth buster on some of student’s misconceptions about International Co-op. Test your own knowledge with a short true and false quiz and discover the truth about International Co-op!

Guy holding a map that covers his face
Blog
Learn How To "Internationalize" Your Resume

Is applying for a job overseas really that different than applying for one in Canada? It can be - especially when it comes to what you include in your resume. Here are some helpful tips and tricks you will need to customize your resume for an international audience.

william lindsay smiling
Blog
William Lindsay on Persistance

“Nothing in the world can take the place of Persistence”. Through my life’s experience I can certainly attest to the truthfulness of these words.I hope lessons for others can be found in them. Hence, “Press On” friends and make your own dreams a reality! Read more about William Lindsay's journey and how they overcame life challenges. 

John burrows smiling
Blog
John Burrows | Professor of Law at the University of Minnesota & Author

Read about the history, education and career journey of John Burrows; Professor of Law at the University of Minnesota & Author

Portrait of William
Blog
Indigenous Stories: William Lindsay on Persistance

“Nothing in the world can take the place of Persistence”. Through my life’s experience I can certainly attest to the truthfulness of these words.I hope lessons for others can be found in them. Hence, “Press On” friends and make your own dreams a reality!

Portarit of John Burrows
Blog
Indigenous Stories: John Burrows, Professor of Law at the University of Minnesota

Time after time the talk would range through philosophy, geology, history, religion, political science and law. The ideas were usually big and they were generously mixed with teasing, wild speculation, humour and tears.

oprah cutting a ribbon with children
Blog
The Wisdom of Oprah

"I was never given any advice. I had to figure it out for myself. But my best advice is to let your passion lead your purpose." - Solid advice from Oprah Whinfrey, and a subject worth considering when following your own passion.

Giving Back with Telus
Blog
Giving Back with Telus

Choosing a company to devote your career to at any stage can be a tough choice. The values of a company matter, so look into what your new workplace values before devoting your time to it.

David and his dad on the beach
Blog
Advice From My Dad - Make Yourself Irreplaceable | Part Two

"Make yourself irreplaceable," he would say, regaling stories of his own young employment at a car dealership. "Take the shifts that nobody else wants, work extra hours whenever possible, be the guy that your boss knows they can always count on." Was this really what my dad wanted me to do with my life?

Two girls holding custom-made SFU book bag and pencil case
Blog
Health Sciences Engagement Improves Lives

After their four incredible months in India, the girls are finally back. This Co-Op inspired them so much so that they have decided to take the initiative to start their own fun-raiser for Destiny Reflection. Read on to find out what they have been doing since they got back and how the experience has changed them. 

Dave and his father sit on lounge chairs at the beach. A straw umbrella shades them from the sun.
Blog
Advice From My Dad: Make Yourself Irreplaceable

In this entry of Dave's Diary, Dave shares another tidbit from his dad. Read all about how Dave learned to bring value to the workplace in an innovative way.

Brandon painting
Blog
Brandon Gabriel | Professional Contemporary Visual Artist

Brandon is a professional Contemporary Visual Artist based in Langley. He grew up in the Kwantlen Reserve and went on to study at Kwantlen University and attained his BFA from the Emily Carr University of Art and Design in 2006.

Brandon painting
Blog
Indigenous Stories: Brandon Gabriel, Professional Contemporary Visual Artist

Brandon is a professional Contemporary Visual Artist based in Langley. He grew up in the Kwantlen Reserve and went on to study at Kwantlen University and attained his BFA from the Emily Carr University of Art and Design in 2006.

Improv Tips from Tina Fey
Blog
Improv Tips from Tina Fey

Our marketing co-op student takes a break from discussing the details of her work term to share some advice from Tina Fey on improv and your own co-op semester.

a laptop screen showing reports
Blog
Evaluation and Work Report

The following article is the final in a three-part series on how Co-op supervisors can make the most of a Co-op experience with their student. The final installment focuses on wrapping up a co-op term and writing evaluations.

Author with four other people in front of a table
Blog
Co-op Student Experience Surpasses Expectations

In Spring 2011, Diana Chan was hired at BCcampus as a Professional Learning and Communications Assistant, learn more about how her work experience has helped to confirm her interests and career plans.

Children that Danielle worked with
Blog
Danielle's International Co-op Journey: Hope Found in Haiti

Danielle Jeong's trip to Haiti was a self-exploring and life-changing journey. Read about her work at a local clinic and how this experience challenged herself in ways she did not think was possible, while discovering she is and finding a purpose for her studies at SFU.

prairie skies
Blog
Discipline Beats Time Management

I’m from the prairies. I’ve always loved a big, open skyline and an endless horizon. Having moved to the west coast, one of the things I notice frequently is that the coastal mountains do a very effective job of blocking out the horizon and making the sky seem much smaller

A partly cloudy sky sprawls above a grassy prairie field.
Blog
Discipline Beats Time Management

Could learning discipline be the key to effective time-management? Here's what Dave has to say.

Women sitting in a circle, with coffee, chatting
Blog
The Dinner Interview

Interviewing for a job over a meal requires the ability to not only impress with your skills and experience, but also as a dinner guest. This edition of the Interview Types series will help you master both.

Cecilia
Blog
Being a Career Peer: A Well Made Decision

I learned so much from this experience: Technical skills on how to improve a resume, how to deconstruct a job posting, how to prepare for an interview, and soft- skills such as being able to communicate better, prioritize engagements and actively listen.

Cecilia smiles next to a graphic that reads, "Career Peer Spotlight: Cecilia Embuido".
Blog
Being a Career Peer: A Well-Made Decision

In this informative article, Cecilia shares the valuable benefits of being a Career Peer.

hong kong's night food market
Blog
Expose Yourself

Ever wondered what it would be like to work in Hong Kong? Yat Li shares with us in this 3-part series on his experience adapting to new cultural and professional norms and standards. Read about how he faced and overcame these challenges for a successful international Co-op placement.

Changing Circumstances
Blog
Changing Circumstances

This edition of my marketing blog strays from my time at TELUS to look back to grade school, where I learned an important lesson about not giving up on myself.

Jim Lee at a concert
Blog
Justin Lim's Co-op Success Story: Working with the Singapore Youth Olympic Games

If Justin Lim could describe his international co-op experience in one word, it would be AWESOME! Read on to find out more about his unique opportunity to work with the Singapore Youth Olympic Games in Summer 2010 as a multimedia producer and his eye-opening experience working overseas.

Ghana coastline
Blog
A Once-in-a-lifetime Experience in Ghana: Interning with Projects Abroad

In Summer 2010, Cici Chenliu, a Kinesiology student, went to Ghana with Projects Abroad for a month to work as an intern at a local hospital. Check out her life changing experience working in the ward and exploring the beautiful cities of Ghana.

RCMP statue
Blog
Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP)

Mihai starts their co-op at the Royal Canadian Mountain Police (RCMP) as an Informational Management Specialist Assistant. Read on to find out what they do and how they do it! 

Canada Revenue Agency Headquarters
Blog
Working as a Taxpayer Services Agent at CRA

Are you considering or planning to work for the government? Read on to find out more about Doug's co-op experience at the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) as a Taxpayer Services Agent and the surprises he encountered during his work term.

Elise and coworkers
Blog
Movin’ on Up: How to Accelerate Your Climb Up the Corporate Ladder | Part One

Is career advancement on your mind? Whether you are a current student, a recent grad, or have been in the workforce for a couple of years, for many of us, improving our position never seems far from our minds. Read on to find out about how you can move up the corporate ladder as a student.

Picture of two people sitting at a table looking at each other
Blog
Elise's CGA-BC Co-op Experience: Landing Your Dream Job

Are you pursuing a career in Human Resources or interested in working for the CGA? Check out Elise's co-op experience as the Recruitment & Employment Assistant and her important career lessons she took away from her placement.

Torren
Blog
Toren Barnes: Real Property Branch of Public Works and Government Services Canada

Innovation and government might not be two words that one usually expects to find in the same sentence. Toren's experience proves this idea wrong. Toren describes his experience working as a Co-op student for the Federal Government.

a Hong Kong banner depicting the island and food
Blog
International Spotlight: Hong Kong

Discover Hong Kong. Discover Asia's world city, where the awe-inspiring attractions are embedded with culture and history and where there is a diverse contrast between city skyscrapers and lush greenery. Labelled as a shopping haven, Hong Kong boasts one of the most unique shopping experiences in Asia! Indulge in the culinary delights and embrace the fast-paced, city-life that encompasses this dynamic city!

Gregory
Blog
My Eye-Opening Experience

Even before the first month of my one year co-op contract with Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development Canada (AANDC) was over, I knew that my co-op experience was going to be different from what I had ever suspected I was getting myself into.

France
Blog
International Spotlight: France

The old world charm that France preserves with its monumental wonders, along with the sophisticated modernity that attracts tourists from all over the world, serves as a cultural experience not to be missed. Wake up to smell the fresh baked baguettes and experience the exquisite French lifestyle. Work, travel and indulge in a culture that is so rich with heritage! 

a bunch of cars stuck in traffic
Blog
Feeling Stuck? Put A Halt On It!

You know the feeling of being stuck. Whether in your personal, interpersonal, professional, or any other life, the sense of having fallen out of the groove is always similarly and markedly unpleasant. You're spinning your tires, expending lots of effort with seemingly no forward motion to thank for it. So how do you get out of this funk? Here's a simple strategy for getting "unstuck"

Desk with a calculator and accounting papers
Blog
Co-op: The First Step to Your Career as a Chartered Accountant

Are you considering or planning to pursue a designation as a Chartered Accountant (CA)? If so, read on to find out how Co-op can help you gain a competitive edge and achieve this goal successfully.

a red bus in the middle of a busy street in Hong Kong
Blog
Challenge Yourself

Ever wondered what it would be like to work in Hong Kong? Yat Li shares with us in the last installment of his 3-part series on his experience challenging himself, adapting to cultural differences, norms and work environments as well as overcoming mistakes.

Elise
Blog
Making the Most of Your Co-op Experience: Turning Work into Words

SFU Co-op student, Elise Elliott, working with the The Certified General Accountants Association of British Columbia Recruitment & Employment Team, was welcomed by her supervisor, Dan Relihan, to create a guest postings on the the CGA CareerView Blog. The topic?   Something she valued from her co-op experience with The CGA.

An array of fruits laid out on the ground while a man on the side bends down to pick an apple up
Blog
Our Neighbourhood: Gariahat, Kolkata

Martyna provides a quick tour of the neighbourhood where the SFU Health Sciences Co-op Team is living in. From fresh fruit stalls to unusual afternoon traffic, take a look at what the girls have been up to in India. 

a man wearing a suit is on his laptop in a quiet setting
Blog
The Screening Interview

The screening interview is used by many large companies as a first, usually informal round of interviews. They are often conducted by HR reps before you can even meet anyone you'll be working with, but you need to perform well to get a foot in the door.

a group meeting
Blog
Group Interviews

Group interviews aren't as common as some of the other formats we've explored in this series, but they can often be used as part of a screening process, so it's always good to be prepared for them.

3 women sitting down and discussing ideas in a business setting
Blog
Panel Interviews

As a part of our continued series, we look at the panel interview. This can be intimidating as it puts the interviewee up against an entire group of experienced professionals, so confidence is key to its success.

animated hands in front of a laptop screen
Blog
Giving Feedback and Increasing Responsibilities

The following article is the second in a three-part series on how Co-op supervisors can make the most of a Co-op experience with their student. Read this blog to learn how to provide constructive feedback, and when the best time is to add additional responsibilities. 

two women writing on the white board
Blog
Performance Interviews

In this edition of Interview Types, Elizabeth discusses Performance Interviews. It can be intimidating to showcase your skills on the spot, which is why in this blog, Elizabeth looks at the good, the bad and the helpful, as well as potential questions you may face. 

Serena in the snow
Blog
Serena's Winter Co-op Adventure: Working at Iron Ore Company in Newfoundland

Wondering what it's like to work in HR and in Newfoundland? Read on to learn more about Serena's winter adventure and experience adapting to a new culture, environment and life away from home!

Piece of paper reading: Ads, Articles, Brochures, Flyers/Sell Sheets, Newsletters, website content, other
Blog
Portfolio Building | Part One

The Co-op work term has already provided a healthy dose of experience.  Now it is time to gather that tangible experience, take it home, and organize it into a general portfolio.

twins smiling; one presenting as an introvert, the other as an extrovert
Blog
You're Not An Introvert (And You're Not An Extrovert Either)

When it comes to personality, typology seems an intuitive fit. We like to think of ourselves as defined by neat and tidy categories, like introversion and extroversion. But, while there's definite value in having insight about your own and others' personality, our obsession with putting people into boxes can lead to unhelpful assumptions. Read Dave's blog exploring Ambiversion; the middle ground between Introverts and Extroverts.

a group of SFU students smiling at the camera
Blog
Don’t Panic: Tips from Industry for Graduating Students

Are you graduating soon and are panicking about job searching in the “real world”? If so, read on to find out what some successful SFU alumni and co-op employers are saying about what grads can do to stand out.

Alumni Profile Banner of Shawna Lum
Blog
Alumni Profile: Shawna Lum on being a Peer Health Educator

Time and time again, we’ve told you how volunteer work can help you develop work-related skills. One thing that’s not always highlighted, however, is how volunteering can be an empowering experience, especially when you’re working on something that you’re passionate about.

Portrait of Chris Lo
Blog
Alumni Profile: Chris Lo on being a Career Peer Educator

Oftentimes, students see volunteering and the classroom as two separate things. However, with the right planning, volunteer work can in fact enhance what you learn at university. Take Chris Lo, an SFU alumnus, as an example of someone whose volunteer experiences have been a great addition to his education.

A graphic of several hands of different colours reaching upwards. Each hand contains a heart-shaped hole.
Blog
How Hungry is Your Soul Today?

Need some motivation? Feeling overwhelmed by school? Read this article for inspiration!

Chris sits behind a microphone, looking left.
Blog
Alumni Profile: Chris Lo on being a Career Peer Educator

In this Q&A, former Career Peer Chris shares his positive experience with the program.