Currently, I am a 3rd year co-op business student at Odette with a concentration in finance. If you were to tell me 3 years ago, before I enrolled at the university, that I would be working for Canada's largest communications company, Bell Canada, I would have told you that you were crazy and misguided.
I am acquiring some amazing and diverse experience working at Bell Canada's head office in Mississauga. I am currently on an 8-month placement which is supervised by three senior managers in the Wireless Finance Department, in the roles of Consolidated Planning, Consolidated Reporting and Special Projects.
Books alone cannot teach what I am experiencing and learning at Bell Canada. The co-op program has provided me with direct exposure to how corporate offices actually function. I have come to find out that it is not always the hard skills that take precedence. Although I was readily prepared from the classes I had taken while at the Odette School of Business, some of the soft skills and other attributes can only be developed and refined in the workplace.
Learning how to properly communicate and function at a professional level in the office required more adjusting than I had originally thought. Today, I am able to conduct myself professionally in all my communications -- from a simple weekly team meeting to a meeting with Vice Presidents and Executives. Working in the corporate office has cultivated many crucial professional characteristics and strengthened my soft skills to the level that I am ready for future challenges.
Even before the actual co-op placement, I had to direct a lot of effort into resume writing and interviewing skills to obtain this placement. That is the beauty of Co-op! I had a difficult time finding a placement during my first co-op term and I knew that for the next co-op term that it would be necessary for me to refine these skills. With the dedication and support co-op Advisors provided me, I was able to modify and improve my resume. I have had many interview opportunities, which I have acquired positive learning experiences from. During my first interview, I was extremely nervous, shaking and sweating. I have developed the ability to understand and read the interviewer and if necessary, adjust how I communicate with them. Once again, I would have never obtained these valuable experiences without being enrolled in the co-op program.
I would highly recommend the Co-op program and I encourage students who are enrolled that are having a difficult time finding a placement to not give up and to continue to work hard and improve any areas that require attention. I would advise them to commit to do the extra work required to develop and always accept every situation as a learning experience.
Brett Beattie, BComm 2017