You are currently browsing the tag archive for the ‘university’ tag.
For many students at the University of Waterloo, the third weekend of class is spent applying to co-op jobs for their next 4-month semester. Thousands of students polish up their resumes and log onto JobMine (our campus co-op job posting server) to look for opportunities that resonate with them. This past weekend I did the same thing, but this semester is a little different. Fall 2010 will be my last co-op term before I graduate.
Looking back at my experiences with co-op, I sometimes wonder what my degree might have been like without it. It’s hard to imagine, because co-op has been such a huge part of my university experience. Here are a few reasons why I think co-op is so essential – and why I can’t imagine having an education without it.
Interview IQ
Some of the greatest opportunities available to us in life require an interview – but how often does the average person get to practice interview skills in real life? Answering questions appropriately, dressing to impress, and preparing intelligent questions are all difficult skills to master by studying theory alone.
Co-op students may have up anywhere from 5-15 interviews every academic semester, both in person and on the phone. Completing a battery of three interviews in one day between classes, projects and presentations isn’t rare. Interviews have taught me how to present myself professionally to not only potential employers, but also clients and business partners – an important skill I’ll use for the rest of my life.
Learning How to Hit the Ground Running
In just 4 months, co-op students have to learn a new job quickly so we can become productive as soon as possible. Unless employers have a strong co-op orientation program, it’s usually left up to us to learn on the job. In a new environment, we need to quickly integrate into a new work culture and master new skills depending on what is expected of us.
One thing every student learns at university is how to learn. Each academic semester and work term builds a portfolio of professional skills we can draw on, and we always keep learning new things. The Microsoft Office suite quickly becomes second nature to most co-ops. Programming languages are practiced and picked up, as are soft skills like writing effective emails and telephone etiquette.
It’s often said that most 21st century professionals can expect to change their career at least once in their lives. Knowing how to quickly adapt to new environments allows co-op students to embrace these changes and succeed no matter where they go.
Clarifying Career Goals and Objectives
Entering university, every student has lots of ideas about what they might be one day. Co-op work terms help clarify those goals with each 4 month experiment. Trying different industries, work cultures, and company sizes helps university students discover their passions before they graduate and commit to a full time job. If they are lucky, a co-op may stumble on their dream job half way through their degree and return once they graduate. The diverse group of people we meet in each workplace helps us find both role models and people we never want to be.
In essence, co-op helps define our ideal career by letting us try up to six different ones. And that has helped me define my own career path, starting April 2011.
The competition for tuition dollars is fierce in southern Ontario, forcing post-secondary educators to differentiate themselves to survive. As they always have, different institutions tend to set themselves apart by capitalizing on their strengths. For example, University of Toronto tends to emphasize its international academic reputation, while Seneca College shows off its stunning diversity. However, some universities and colleges are breaking out of the academic mold by other means — edgy new looks that are provocative and modern. These new branding campaigns can breathe new life into organizations that are decades old, but they challenge an essential element of education: timelessness. So how does an educational institution keep the confidence of its alumni while reaching out to new audiences?
Lesson from Centennial: Reputation Comes First
Centennial College’s new advertisement campaign along the Toronto subway lines sends a strong message: we do not care about our image. Although the new images and messages are bold, daring and provocative (arguably all qualities that make for an outstanding 21st century college in Canada), they are repulsive. The disturbing images are subtitled with the message, “Be Great. Start here.” indicating that if you enroll at Centennial, you may be sloppy, but that doesn’t matter.
While there may be a host of things wrong with this ad campaign, the primary lesson we can draw from it is this: when it comes to post-secondary institutions, reputation matters. And image is the embodiment of that reputation. Regardless of the vision, modernity and liberalism a great institution like Centennial (voted best college in Toronto for 2009) may instill in their programs, the image of the institution is what stays with their graduates and alumni. Final message: Institutions that push their image over the edge risk hurting their reputation.
Lesson from Waterloo: Ask your Alumni
Educational institutions will always struggle to appear both progressive and reputable. The two images are naturally at odds: how do you reconcile the conflicting images of cutting-edge technology and ivy covered walls of tradition and wisdom? My home university, the University of Waterloo tried to accomplish this last year, which backfired and set off the Laser re-branding scandal of 2009 (covered by the Financial Post here).
The main problem: students did not think a proposed new logo presented a professional image for their university. A Facebook group was started that opposed the new design, and havoc ensued. People were worried their diplomas would have the new “Laser Logo” stamped on, and that employers would laugh at the new design. The image they subscribed to was changing and they were not involved in the decision making process.
The solution: ask the students what they want! Soon after alumni became concerned, the administration acknowledged public concerns about the new logo, and issued a survey that proposed several new alternative designs. The result was inconclusive — no alternative design was liked more than the controversial laser W that sparked all the debate. However, once consulted about the design people quickly calmed down.
More than any industry, brand or organization, educational institutions have lifelong relationships with their clients. This relationship needs to be respected when considering big changes. Social media has only intensified the need for schools to stay loyal to an image their alumni want to remain a part of — or else they risk facing the online backlash that Waterloo did last year.
Keep Innovating, but Mind the Image
Universities and Colleges in Canada remain some of the finest in the world, and it is good they are innovating — even if that means making some mistakes along the way. Reconciling the conflicting images of age old tradition and distinctive modernity will always be a challenge. But for your alumni and current students’ sake, try to project the right image.
