Co-operative Education
"Make no little plans; they have no magic to stir men’s blood . . . Make big plans; aim high in hope and work"
– Daniel Burnham, American architect (1846 – 1912)
One of the many reasons why I choose to study at the Peter B. Gustavson School of Business were the mandatory Co-op terms that are taken prior to graduation. I felt that it was incredibly important to get a well balanced post-secondary education where I could learn and develop in both an academic setting as well as a practical hands on setting that a Co-op placement affords. I truly believe that this mix is the best form of learning and makes it possible to bridge the gap between the classroom setting and the professional world.
When choosing to apply to Co-op postings both on the University of Victoria's Co-op job board and through researching targeted companies, I wanted to find a placement that would be challenging and develop core competences necessary for the remainder of my time at University and post graduation. Growing up in Calgary I was interested in the Energy Industry at an early age and always want to understand how it fuelled the Alberta economy. I therefore set my sights on obtaining a Co-op in the Oil and Gas Sector.
Business Co-op Student, Major Projects, TransCanada
TransCanada PipeLines Limited - a leader in the responsible development and safe operation of North American energy infrastructure, proved to be the company I would complete my required Co-op terms.
Located in Calgary, Alberta, I started my 15 month Co-op term in May of 2013, where I joined the Project Development and Technical Services group supporting my Director and the VP of Project Development and Alberta Oil Pipeline Projects. |
Through out my time at TransCanada I have worked on a number of projects and initiatives. Below is a sampling of some of those activities:
- Effectively participated in the bid coordination and submittal of an Request for Proposal (RFP) for a multi-billion pipeline project
- Supported project coordination activities including the development and revision of schedules, organizational charts, scorecards and project descriptions
- Continually maintained business unit’s on-boarding materials and facilitated on-boarding sessions to new hires to ensure a smooth transition into the group
- Assisted in the development of a departmental wide on-boarding initiative intended to streamline and consolidate on-boarding programs throughout the department in order to deliver consistent and relevant information to all new hires
- Developed and summarized departmental project management training requirements into concise graphs to measure completion outputs
- Collaborated in the development of a Project Coordinator guide, including: role requirements and templates to ensure alignment cross all projects and amongst all Project Coordinators within the business unit
Events and Activities Attended While @ TransCanada
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TransCanada Student Workplace Experience Enhancers
When I first started at TransCanada last year I was given the opportunity to go beyond the confines of my desk and become actively involved in an internal TransCanada group dedicated to students at the company.
The Workplace Experience Enhancers (WEE) - Student Branch is devoted to engaging students at TransCanada beyond their work term, promoting professional and personal development, engagement and company exposure all while having fun and giving back to the local community. |
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"Work Harrd. Play Harder." - WEE Committee |
STUDENT WEE COMMITTEE INVOVLEMENT |
Co-chair of Student WEE Committee - June 2013 - Dec 2013
Event Coordiator, Committee Member - Jan - July 2014 |
STUDENT WEE COMMITTEE - GOVERNING STRUCTURE
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