The Latest

My impression of co-op was that it was supposed to be a way in which to explore the challenging world outside of school; consequently, working at my school felt comfortable, and limited. At this point, after a rewarding four months, it is impossible for me to think of my experience as limited.

"Finding my path to success is a cliché. It’s what you are willing to do to sacrifice to get ahead and make a life to which you feel proud of. That is why I continue chasing the dream of being happy and fulfilled.” - Steve Sxwithul’txw

Are you an Aboriginal youth between the ages of 16 and 24? Do you have something on your mind you want to share? Learn more about the CUYSTWI and how you can enter.

Mental health awareness includes the recognition that all people deserve to work in psychologically healthy environments. So what makes a workplace psychologically healthy? Read on to find out.

Working in the non-profit sector may be associated with myths such as there's no room for upward movement, limited responsibilities, and that there are not many opportunities available. However, there are a significant number of advantages related to working in non-profit organizations.

Stephanie Wiriahardja started building her portfolio in 2009, before she applied for her first SFU Co-op semester. 5 years later, with regular updates, her entire online persona is still paying dividends. Find out Stephanie's keys to branding yourself online.

What is a real woman? Christina discusses the phrase, 'Real Women', and its damaging effects on women.

Sticking with something to the point where you develop enough skill to love it isn't easy, especially when considering career choices. So, if you don't feel 100% impassioned by your work right away, that's okay! Here's why.

Thinking about doing a Co-op semester? Anudeep explains why this is an important experience for all students and tells us what his experience at the SFU Power Lab was like.  

Read about Christopher's triumphs and challenges as he shares with us his co-op journey at Geovia.

Join Voices from Turtle Island from February 27th to March 1st, 2014. Spend the weekend celebrating written words from Turtle Island with a gathering of First Nations writers, critics, scholars, performers and anyone who enjoys Indigenous Literatures.

It may only be the start of the semester, but you’re probably already piled with work. However, there’s no better time to get involved within your community than now, especially with so many volunteer opportunities around with the new year. Find out how being involved can jumpstart your career.

Carmen, a Psychology student, spent two semesters at Ignite Technical Resources as a Recruiting Coordinator. Read about her co-op experience here! 

Alec Burns was an Executive Marketing Assistant & Creative Writer at TFG Global Insurance and he shares the joys of being a generalist. Read all about it here! 

Timothy So is an Economics student who worked as a Statistical Methods Analyst at Blackberry. Read on to get a taste of what his position would entail. 

The Office for Aboriginal People at Simon Fraser University has created a new website to help Aboriginal students navigate the programing, funding and support available to them here at SFU

Hear some of the backgrounds and aspirations of the First Nations Student Association board members. A showcase of the diversity within the student led organization here at SFU.

Want to be closer to your university? Looking to gain valuable experience in your field of study? Want to have valuable connections that will last you a lifetime? Joining a student club or association just could give you the solution you need!

The Simon Fraser Public Interest Research Group is a student-funded and student-directed resource centre dedicated to social and environmental justice. SFPIRG is founded on a set of values that have been developed by students who care about social and environmental justice, and include a commitment to the work of ending all forms of oppression.

The Simon Fraser Public Interest Research Group is a student-funded and student-directed resource centre dedicated to social and environmental justice. SFPIRG is founded on a set of values that have been developed by students who care about social and environmental justice, and include a commitment to the work of ending all forms of oppression.

In her latest post, Natalie conquers her first big event during her TFCSE Co-op term with her Trick or Eat team. Find out what she learned about event planning and working with volunteers.

After spending eight months with TFCSE Natalie details the final days of her Co-op experience, and the many surprises she came across as she said her good-byes to volunteers and coworkers.

The FNSA Aboriginal Criminology Series Perspectives on Leadership and Policing is on January 28th at SFU Harbour Centre. Join them to hear from Sgt. Ernie Louttit. After 27 years with the Saskatoon Police Service, he is retiring and publishing his memoirs.

Gursher shares with us his experience working for various fields within engineering. Read about his valuable experience in the co-op program! 

Theresa Contois is a Coast Salish business owner. She took possession of Marmalady catering company November 1st and is in the process opening a café in January. Here is an interview touching on various aspects of her business experience.

No matter how well you've prepared for it, rejection hurts on a gut-wrenching , tear-jerking scale. Why does it hurt so much? Perhaps more importantly, how can we deal with it? Dave proposes two conceptualizations of rejection, and some tips for dealing with it to go with each.

Volunteering is an excellent resource for gaining job experience, exploring career options and giving back to the community. As Indigenous students we may want to volunteer for organizations that support the betterment of Aboriginal communities, which is why I've compiled a list here.

What are your plans for the future? Does this question make you cringe? Don't worry: you're not alone. The pressure to have our future plans all figured out can be overwhelming. But the truth is, we don't need to have it all figured out. How can we predict the future when it's always changing?

While applying for graduate school I had absolutely no clue what to do. I assumed that everyone knew what they are doing except me so I found myself feeling inadequate. I started to doubt my abilities and second-guessing my decision to pursue a degree. However, after a little research I realized that it isn’t so difficult after all.

What makes a great LinkedIn profile photo? We use examples from student photos taken during the BIG Fair to illustrate tips on how to look your best in your LinkedIn profile.

It's understandable to look forward to a relaxing break during the winter holidays, one that will be devoid of any intellectual effort. However, I encourage you to reconsider: treat this as an excellent time to jump ahead in your job search! Here's the story of how I made the most of my holiday job search.

Have you ever thought of how the holidays can help your career? The hustle and bustle, holiday gatherings, and gift-giving are all aspects that can be applied to expanding your network or even get you a job for the new year.

There are many myths that are prevalent about working in government, whether it is at the federal, provincial or municipal level. But do these myths actually hold any truth? Read on to find out more, and to also discover a fantastic event opportunity to network with government representatives from all levels!

Marissa McIntyre grew up in Cloverdale, BC. She is currently a second year student here at SFU with a double major in First Nations Studies and Psychology.

Haida/Kwakwakw’wakw artist, Nalaga O'Brien's inspiring journey as she starts her own company and finds her life's purpose.

What is Microvolunteering? How can you participate? Kelly shares the answers to these questions and sheds some light on this fairly new activity.

Interested in learning more about a particular career path? Hoping to expand your network? Looking to practice for job interviews? An informational interview might just be the thing you need!

Should our most important values be fulfilled by the job we do? Anything less tends to be viewed as "just a job." The result is predictable: a bunch of unsatisfied people who think they should be in more fulfilling jobs. Dave argues it's better to love yourself than your job.

Finals season is coming up, and so is the daily intake of caffeine by students – you know who we’re talking about. Exam stress is a natural part of life that everyone will face at one point or another, but there are ways to ease the amount of stress - read on to find out more!

A profile on international student and third year psychology major, Rainy Yumeng Jiang, and how community engagement and volunteering has helped her adjust to Canadian culture.
 

Looking to expand his horizons, Vincent takes on a co-op opportunity that isn't directly related to his field of study. Read on to find out how he overcomes these challenges! 

While current career options at present may not always look great, there’s a lot to look forward to in the future. New fields are being developed almost every month, and new opportunities in a range of disciplines seem to be popping up fairly frequently – so what does the future hold?

On the 28th of September 2013, myself, Laura Forsythe and Loryn Blower all attended the Metis Nation of British Columbia Annual General Meeting in Richmond BC. It was a beautiful venue, small and intimate for the important proceedings and cultural connections that were taking place within.

I write this in the aftermath of the explosive media wave that happened on Thursday October 17th, where I sat glued to my computer in shock at what was taking place across the country with my brothers and sisters. This peaceful blockade, set up as an example of unwavering Indigenous determination to protect our traditional territories and way of life, was under attack. My entire world was shattering, and I didn’t know what to do about it.

"I think that in many ways, there is still so much confusion surrounding Aboriginal people and culture. I know many people are often afraid of doing or saying something offensive, so instead of asking questions and being open, they shut down and stay away." Christina shares how employers can be more inclusive for Aboriginal recruits.

There are cultural differences between us that can often be misunderstood and affect our success in our chosen profession. An article in the Globe and Mail, entitled, 5 Tips for Women in the Workplace, gave a few excellent pieces of advice for those of us moving onto a career.

I have discovered that learning from others, is the greatest way to avoid making mistakes; and listening to others with the intention to truly understand, is the greatest way to gain a real education; after all… “An education is what remains after one has forgotten everything he/she learned in school”.

On October 7th and 8th 2013, WIL hosted SFU's first Three Minute Co-op Competition. 31 students presented on their Co-op experience, competing for cash prizes. Read a recap of the final 15 presenters.

What do employment rights issues look like? Issues of discrimination, harassment, and unpaid wages are a few well-known examples, but you might be surprised to learn how subtle and seemingly commonplace many employment rights infractions are. Here are some situations you might want to be prepared for.

AIESEC student, Lucia Vasani came to SFU to assist in planning the 2013 BIG Fair. She shares her reasons for joining AIESEC and why she thinks the annual fair is a great opportunity students should be taking advantage of.

Navigating the job market today is not an easy task. Application processes are becoming longer, qualifications that you may need are becoming greater, and there’s sometimes not as many jobs available at some times of the year. But there are ways to overcome all this, and it's not even that difficult.

Interviews are challenging yet predictable. You know that you will be asked a series of questions so that the employer can get to know you better and determine if you are a good fit for their position. We put together 10 tips to answer these questions effectively.

Do you have mixed feelings about graduating from SFU? Do you find yourself putting on a brave face when talking to others about your future career? Don’t suffer in silence! Be the change and welcome uncertainty into your university experience.

Many people struggle with providing helpful feedback. You don’t want to be too positive, ignoring possible errors, but you don’t want to crush the other person’s work either. To help, we’ve put together a quick list to help you give and receive helpful feedback.

You've likely received endless advice on how to prepare for an interview, and on just the right answers to give, so we're switching it up with 10 tips on how NOT to answer interview questions.

In summer of 2013, SFU Biomedical Physiology student Severin Vaillancourt headed to The Bahamas as a Field Research Assistant with the school's Marine Ecology Lab. He shared recollections of his underwater adventures and more with International Co-op.

Natalie faces a new experience in her role as SFU Food Bank Coordinator: Conducting interviews. After only a few short months, she's on the other side of the table, find out how it went.

Natalie's been writing OLC blogs for awhile now, so she was excited to be able to bring her blogging skills to her new Co-op job. Now she's launched the SFU Food Bank Blog.