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Top Sources for Finding a Co-op Job (Outside of HireAC)

For an Algonquin College co-op student, HireAC is an excellent, effective, and key platform for job searches. However, the opportunities on HireAC are still limited, especially during the pandemic. For the students struggling to find co-op work placements, it’s insufficient to rely solely on HireAC. Other platforms such as LinkedIn, Indeed, the Government of Canada Summer Jobs, the Federal Student Work Experience Program (FSWEP), and Outcome Campus Connect are excellent ways to apply and secure placements. The following tips introduce these platforms and provide instructions for students.

  1. LinkedIn

LinkedIn is a convenient platform for job searching and professional networks. Your LinkedIn profile shows your educational and professional experiences, connect you with industrial peers and potential employers, and help companies find you. Once you set up your LinkedIn profile, the platform will automatically recommend jobs for you based on your profile. Also, your connections on LinkedIn can offer you inspirations and opportunities. You can also search for companies you are interested in.

  1. Indeed

Indeed has abundant job listing resources worldwide. It aggregates job listings from thousands of recruitment websites and company webpages. Students can search for specific positions based on their needs, such as location, job title, salary range, etc. The website offers a comprehensive listing that shows all available results from specific keywords, levels of experiences, and industry field. Once you store your resume, it will become searchable for the hiring managers. You can also check out the reviews on the company web pages from Indeed.

  1. Government of Canada Summer Jobs

The Canada Summer Jobs program is an excellent opportunity for youths between the ages of 15 and 30 who are Canadian citizens, permanent residents, or persons whom refugee protection has been conferred. This program provides full-time work experiences from May to August in Canada for a minimum of 6 weeks. Students looking for a Spring/Summer co-op can apply directly from the Government of Canada’s Job Bank website.

  1. Federal Student Work Experience Program (FSWEP)

You are eligible to apply for the Federal Student Work Experience Program if you meet the following criteria: You are a full-time student. You are a returning full-time student. You meet the minimum age requirement in the province/territory of work. If you are an international student, you could also apply for this program. Visit the Government of Canada’s website to apply for FSWEP jobs. After you submit your application, your resume is placed in the Government of Canada’s student inventory. When there are job openings hiring managers will search through this inventory and if your application matches the manager’s search criteria, you may be contacted for a test and/or interview. Over 8000 students were hired through FSWEP from 2018-2019.

  1. Outcome Campus Connect

Outcome Campus Connect is an alternative source of job opportunities that you can view directly on HireAC. The College has partnered with the Outcome Campus Connect, a job posting service in collaboration with Magnet and Orbis, to assist the matching of working integrated learning experiences between students and employers. The job opportunities on Outcome Campus Connect are not vetted by the Co-op Department. So you’ll need to make sure that the jobs you applied to satisfy the criteria required for a valid co-op job (paid, full-time hours, and related to your program-of-study). You can access the job postings by logging on to HireAC, going to the ‘Co-op Job Postings’ page, and clicking the link ‘Outcome Campus Connect Opportunities’ at the bottom of the page.

5 Tips for Virtual Networking

2020 has been a difficult year for all of us. For students, finding a work placement and experience in their field after graduation has become more challenging than before, due to the economy shutdown and the social distancing rules. While students are getting more and more used to online learning and networking tools like Zoom, some may still find it awkward to connect with people virtually. The following are 5 tips for virtual networking, which can help students establish professional profiles, keep effective relationships and reach their career goals.

  1. Build your social media profile

Employers often use social media platforms such as LinkedIn to find potential candidates. Your profile connects you to the peers and authorities in your industry. A professional profile includes a formal headshot with a confident smile, a summary of your past educational and work experiences, and emphasizes your technical and soft skills. Using hashtags related to your field can make your profile more visible. You can also share your insights and engage with your followers. The more popularity and authority you gain, the more likely the recruiters will give you opportunities.

  1. Stay connected with existing contacts

If you have existing contacts such as professors, the employment support centre, and the co-op office, you can connect with them through email methods. If you need professional help these are great contacts to ask for advice. You may share your progress and update your career status with anyone you feel connected to, such as former co-workers, supervisors or your LinkedIn followers. Filter out those unresponsive contacts and invite the active ones to video chat. Doing so keeps these relationships fresh. The people you connect could lead to career opportunities and inspiration in the future.

  1. Find relevant online communities for professional help

Online communities are great platforms for students to find people with similar interests. Some of these communities, like Reddit forums, are free, while some others may require membership fees, such as GitHub. In these communities, you can get relevant information and insights into your field, share your experiences and knowledge, ask for professional support and be friends with industry peers.

  1. Research before virtual meetings/interviews

Before going to a virtual meeting or interview, you should think of the event’s purpose and prepare for the questions. Sitting in front of a screen makes you more nervous and awkward than usual if you were unprepared. If you were going for an interview, it is necessary to research the company culture and background. Websites such as Glassdoor and Fairygodboss gives you an insight into the companies from the employee’s perspective. You can brainstorm and write the ideas and future questions on a piece of paper. You will give the people you meet a great impression if you show them your dedication to the meeting.

  1. Be professional and confident in front of your camera

While your personality and attitude are the most important, people want to look the best in front of the camera. If you are using Zoom for most of your online meetings, there are several tips for making you appear nicer. This blog from the Zoom website talks explicitly about the setups and functions of the Zoom App. It will be useful to look at and apply.

The Business Intelligence, Research and Analytics Division in the CRA honours its commitment to hire Algonquin College co-op students during the pandemic.

The Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) has contributed to Algonquin College Cooperative Education in significant ways, which includes a commitment to hiring co-op students. One particularly noteworthy example within the CRA is the unique partnership established in 2015 between the CRA’s Business Intelligence, Research and Analytics Division (BIRAD) and Algonquin’s Business Intelligence Systems Infrastructure (BISI) program. Since its inception, this partnership has shown great value to both the Agency and Algonquin College students. The nature of this agreement took on an all new meaning this summer in the midst of the pandemic.

Going back in time, the terms of the agreement between BIRAD and the BISI program include student recruitment, innovative exploratory case studies, and upgraded training/accreditation opportunities for BIRAD employees. This agreement was further enhanced over the years, building on a culture of mutual trust and respect, collaboration, shared ownership and mutually agreed upon working arrangements. It is one of the cornerstones of BIRAD’s Human Resources Strategy. It provides an unparalleled opportunity for BIRAD to build and renew its capacity and meet the growing needs for a technically skilled workforce in advanced applied predictive analytics. Since 2016, BIRAD has coordinated the hiring of approximately 35 co-op students, for the Collections and Verification Branch from the BISI program; most graduates now work at the CRA full-time.

“Business and Artificial intelligence is a key component and driving force for the future. The BISI program is one of the best fits to meet our current needs,” says Hala Ibrahim, Director, BIRAD.

Co-op hires have been instrumental in bringing fresh, creative and innovative ideas that have helped optimize our existing business processes. In addition, the students bring with them a level of maturity that allows them to be successful in a public service environment. Being a one year specialization program, many of the students have practical real world experience in BI or related fields. These skills, enhanced by an intense BISI curriculum create the perfect conditions for the graduates to succeed.

“Upon joining BIRAD, BISI students are put through rigorous internal training and follow a development plan customized for them. This helps them learn about CRA processes, and exposes them to different areas of BI related workloads. The students have found professional success and have thrived in a CRA environment. With an incredibly high “bridge-in” rate, many BISI alumni have been promoted within our Division, or found success in other areas within the CRA,” says Dinaz Forbes – Coordinator, BISI-BIRAD partnership.

Throughout this long-standing partnership, BIRAD has developed and implemented a well thought out and effective process for hiring co-op students. The process starts with an orientation session to the new students, which includes presenting an overview of the Agency, BIRAD, the partnership, and a brief description of the work done in the hiring sections. Previous co-op students, who are full-time BIRAD employees are taken along to share their work experience, and offer tips to the new class on the management of their course load. Once the positions are posted on HireAC, BIRAD ensures that every student who applies is interviewed.

“We share interview questions with students ahead of time. We want to make them as comfortable as possible at the interviews so they can fully showcase themselves. The interview process lasts up to three full days, depending on the number of applicants. It’s a great opportunity for students to get experience in being interviewed. The BISI program instructor and the Stakeholder Relations Lead for Cooperative Education are given detailed feedback on the overall interview experience.” says Forbes.

The strong BIRAD-BISI collaboration enabled BIRAD to support the growth in the Business Intelligence/Applied Analytics sector stemming from the pandemic. Significant emergency packages were rolled out by the government to support Canadians in these unprecedented times. This context enabled BIRAD to honour their offers of employment made to seven students in early December. They all joined on the scheduled date of May 4, 2020.

Furthermore, when other BISI co-op students lost their prospective co-op assignments with various private and public sector employers because of the lockdown, BIRAD, in a concerted effort with BISI, was able to place three additional students, as BI service needs continued to grow and more expert resources were needed. This spoke volumes to the depth of the relationship and a mutual commitment in supporting each other for the common good. Other positive benefits emerged as a result of this situation. The solicitation of interest across the CRA’s BI community to fulfill both the organization’s resource needs and BISI co-op students’ employment needs helped raise awareness of the BISI program across the Agency for the future.

As the BIRAD-BISI partnership continues beyond the academic year, representatives from BIRAD participate with other employers from the public and private sector, as members on the “BISI Program Advisory Committee” meetings. BIRAD’s participation in the advisory committee benefits the college by utilizing industry knowledge to contribute to the BISI curriculum while providing an opportunity for students to gain quality work-integrated learning opportunities through class projects and co-op.

Every year, the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) honours the achievements of its employees whose work and behaviour best exemplify the mission, vision, and values, through the CRA Awards of Excellence. A few years ago, the “Algonquin College and BIRAD Collaboration” was the recipient of this award in the Partnership category. This underscored the initiative taken in recognizing the growing demand for skilled labour in advanced applied analytics and providing a solution from within the Agency, to recruit and onboard young, promising students through the partnership.

In 2018, BIRAD and the Learning Technologies Division in CRA won the inaugural Outstanding Contribution to Algonquin College Cooperative Education Award.

The BISI-BIRAD partnership has proved to be incredibly powerful and impactful. Best practices from this relationship have been expanded within the Agency to the benefit of other areas, with a focus on the business intelligence community. BIRAD has demonstrated its sustained commitment through hard times, and is committed to continue building on this relationship and taking it to the next level in the years to come.

Business Intelligence System Infrastructure students complete their co-op work term in the summer and fall terms. Connect with us to hire an Algonquin College co-op student today.

Co-op Employers Share Strategies for a Successful Interview

On July 24, 2020, the Co-op Department hosted industry employers from various fields to talk about tips and strategies to help students land their co-op interviews. Panelists included co-op employers:

  • Lea Catana, Solutions Project Manager, Technology Modernization, Information Technology Services, City of Ottawa

Lea has worked for the city for almost 15 years. She started as a summer student and worked her way through the organization. She now works on a team called Technology and Modernization and is responsible for the Innovation Solutions Unit, where they bring innovation to city services to optimize operations.

  • Rania Zammar, Branch Manager, RBC Royal Bank of Canada.

Rania has been working in the banking industry for 17 years and has been working in the role of branch manager for 14. Coaching is a priority in her role at RBC. Currently, during the pandemic, a large part of her job is making sure her team feels both physically and mentally safe and healthy to work.

  • Ken Thompson, Manager, Mechanical Design, MDS, Gas Turbine Engine Solutions

Ken is the MDS Manager within the Mechanical Design Department of Gas Turbine Solutions. In his role as manager, he has two main priorities: administrative functions such as overseeing his team, hiring, budgeting, and mentoring and the technical functions such as ensuring all engineering drawings and models meet all applicable standards and supporting mechanical engineers with investigating equipment, procurement, and site surveying.

  • Chris Cormier, Architect, M.Arch., OAA, RAIC, John Donkin Architect Inc.

Chris is a licensed architect and one of three employees working at the firm John Donkin Architect Inc. Chris is a project architect, most of the projects the firm completes are infill residential construction but Chris’s role also consists of handling administration needs such as hiring and assisting John in managing the firm.

  • Ranjan Banerjee, Manager of Robotic Process Automation, Government of Canada, Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA)

Ranjan has worked at the federal government for over 22 years in various capacities. Ranjan is currently responsible for building the Robotic Process Automation Team at the Canada Border Service Agency. Ranjan is on three Algonquin College Program Advisory Committees to help adapt the content and learning outcomes to reflect the talent needs of government agencies.

The panelists were asked seven questions on various topics and provided their perspectives on each. From their answers, we have created a summary of tips and strategies to help you with your next co-op interview.

  1. Tell us about your typical interview style?

“I really want to know authentically who you are. I will start the interview by asking a less intimidating question like, “tell me about yourself” to get the candidate talking and comfortable.” – Rania, RBC

“I always look for STAR technique answers (Situation, Task, Action, Result). From there I will dig down to specifics so I can help you to reach that authentic answer.” – Rania, RBC

“I’m not interested in a perfect answer. I would rather you tell me this is what I did and it was wrong. I made a mistake, here’s what I learned and this is what I would do next time. Learned lessons are something that you carry with you throughout your career. What is important is that we learn from it and don’t keep making the same mistakes.” – Ranjan, CBSA

Key Takeaways:

  • Be authentic
  • Be prepared with examples
  • Incorporate learned lessons
  1. What are the top two or three attributes you are evaluating during an interview and how can a student excel in this area?

“Being able to have a good connection with not only your co-coworkers but your clients is absolutely critical.” – Chris, John Donkin Architect Inc.

“If I am talking to you face-to-face and spending time interviewing you it’s because you have the qualifications and I want to make sure you will fit in the organization. Being able to show you are curious, eager, and actually want to work for us are the key points.” – Chris, John Donkin Architect Inc.

“Read a little bit about the company, understand their mission and mandate and align yourself to that mandate. We want to make sure your values and what you are passionate about aligns with our values, this is what will set you apart.” – Lea, City of Ottawa

“We will rate you on how well you are able to present yourself, communicate, and share your stories. So make sure to be clear and concise with every answer so that you can get full marks” – Lea, City of Ottawa

“We know that you’re not going to have much experience, most co-op students don’t really have any experience working in our industry. We want to know that you have a general interest in our company and work and you want to be part of our team. We will show you the tools and train you on how to do the job.”– Ken, Gas Turbine Engine Solutions

Key Takeaways:

  • Show your interpersonal skills
  • Show enthusiasm for the job and the company
  • Do your research
  • Communicate clearly
  • It’s okay if you don’t have job experience in your field
  1. If the job you are interviewing for requires specific technical skills, what type of questions would you ask to determine if the candidate is qualified and/ or experienced with the skill?

“In the Architecture field, we will request a portfolio of your work and/or school work to show that you have the technical skills for the job such as using AutoCAD, etc.” – Chris, John Donkin Architect Inc.

“We will ask and show you samples to see if you have a good understanding of what you are looking at and do you have the inquisitiveness to ask and try to make an explanation of what you are seeing. Our drawings typically have welding symbols. We will show our samples and allow the applicant to explain what they know about it. What we’re really looking for when we are asking these questions is do you have a start and base we can develop throughout your co-op.” – Ken, Gas Turbine Engine Solutions

Key Takeaways:

  • Create a portfolio of your work or school work
  • Prepare by reviewing your class notes and textbooks
  1. What are some tips on how students can best demonstrate their soft skills?

“Be prepared with self-reflection and understanding of what makes you uniquely you. What are your core strengths? Once you know your core strengths think about the times where you achieved success attributed to that soft skill. In your interview by providing specific examples of a situation when you achieved success by utilizing your core strengths.” – Rania, RBC

“Soft skills have very little to do with work experience. They have everything to do with you as a person and your ability to manage issues.” – Ranjan, CBSA

“We don’t want you to rhyme off the soft skills you have, we want you to provide examples. At the co-op student level, we will always throw a lot of tasks your way until you can’t catch anymore. We will ask how you actively manage your time. Give us an example of how you manage this in your day-to-day are there any tools you use?” – Lea, City of Ottawa

Key Takeaways:

  • Know your strengths
  • Explain in detail a problem you were faced and the steps you took to overcome it
  • Be prepared to describe your time management and tools you use to track this
  1. Do you have any suggestions for how to prepare and do well in virtual interviews?

“You are competing with applicants from all over the world. I want to see that you have spent some time researching our company. We want to see that you are excited to work for us. The more research you do the calmer you will be because you are more prepared.” – Chris, John Donkin Architect Inc.

“Make sure what is behind you is not distracting. If you are a successful candidate you could be working from home, is this what the client will see when they are working with a client.” – Rania, RBC

Key Takeaways:

  • Test the technology in advance
  • Making sure the room is very well lit and tidy up behind you
  • Make sure you are ready before the interview starts
  • Take a second before you log in, take a deep breath
  • Be comfortable
  • Be in a room where you won’t be disturbed
  • Make sure your voice is clear
  • Don’t forget to look right into the camera
  1. A ) What are some good questions students should ask at the end of the interview?

“Always have at least one question prepared. A question shows that you are engaged, excited, and enthusiastic.

Some great examples could be:

  • What is your expectation of the role?
  • Why are you hiring?
  • What are you hoping this role to accomplish?

These type of questions will allow you to get an idea of what is expected of you from day 1.” – Lea, City of Ottawa

B) How do you feel about questions related to salary and benefits?

“How can you know whether you want a job or are willing to accept the job if you don’t know what you are going to get out of it? There has to be a baseline of expectations both ways to make sure everyone is on the same page. It’s absolutely something you should ask and shouldn’t feel intimidated by.” – Ranjan, CBSA

  1. If students are interested in asking for feedback after the interview, how should they do this?

“Seeking feedback after an interview is key and something you should always do. Even if you are not seeking specific feedback, checking in a week after your interview is always a good idea.” – Chris, John Donkin Architect Inc.

“At the end of your interview ask: “Is there anything that we have covered that has left you with any doubt that I would be a good fit”. This will allow the interviewer the opportunity to voice any concerns and will give you a chance to address them on the spot. It also shows the interviewer that you are willing to take feedback and learn and grow from it.” – Rania, RBC

Key Takeaways:

  • Email your questions to HR or interviewers on the panel
  • Ask for a follow-up meeting or debrief
  • Ask for feedback at the end of your interview

Interviews can be overwhelming and nerve-wracking no matter who you are. One important thing to note is that interview styles and trends are always changing so research is key, prepare in advance and consult with industry professionals in the field. As always, the Co-op Department is here to help in your co-op job search and interviews. If you would like to practice your interview skills, you can book a mock interview at any time with your Co-op Student Advisor.

Algonquin College Biotechnology Students Help to Fill Talent Gaps at Big Rig Brewery

Big Rig Brewery was founded in 2012 as a small batch brewery and restaurant. In the last eight years, they have significantly expanded across Ontario and now produce over 30,000 litres of beer per year. Their growth in the marketplace has resulted in the build-up of their brew house lab in Ottawa. This expansion resulted in the need for qualified employees with introductory lab skills and the ability to keep up in a fast-paced production environment.

The brewing process at Big Rig Brewery is more than just hops and yeast. Their beer is brewed in a historic style but with modern processes and quality controls to monitor yeast health and cell counts. As Big Rig looked to fill positions in their brewing team they found there was a talent gap. “Many of the skills we are looking for can be found in basic lab techniques and unfortunately there are not many qualified Brewery Technicians”, says Philip Kochanke, Director of Quality Management and Packaging at Big Rig.

“We had hired Electrical Engineering Technician co-op students in the past for our processing line and through this process; we learned that Algonquin College also has a great Biotechnology co-op program”. In the summer of 2019, Big Rig decided to hire two Biotechnology co-op students, “These students brought a formal lab background and experience to their job which helped us to manage everyday brewery operations while our team focused on improving our Standard Operating Procedures as we continued to expand”, Kochanke said.

“Algonquin’s Biotechnology students really helped us. They were able to apply basic biotechnology principals to their role in the lab which included taking and processing samples in a specific way and helping to implement quality control measures.”

Funding opportunities helped in the hiring process. “There are really great financial incentives to hire a co-op student. We were able to hire two full-time co-op students due to the funding that we received from Biotalent Canada. The application process was simple and the staff at Biotalent were extremely helpful in the process.”

When asked about the future of talent in the Brewing Industry, Kochanke said “There is definitely a need for Biotechnology students and graduates in our industry; they can work in roles such as Lab Technician, Yeast Management Technician, and Packaging Line Technician. The skills they learn in their program can help breweries by applying scientific methods to troubleshoot and maintain process management in a production and food-processing environment.”

Kochanke added, “Our experience hiring co-op students has been great, it has been a real pleasure working with everyone from Algonquin and we hope to hire more co-op students in the future.”

If you are interested in hiring a Biotechnology Advanced Co-op student, please contact the Cooperative Education Department at Algonquin College by phone at 613-727-4723 Ext 7623, by email at coop@algonquincollege.com or by visiting our employer request for information form.

Images provided by Big Rig Brewery.