Originally from Halifax, Noah Innes is a recent Commerce Co-op alumnus, having graduated in 2021 with a major in Marketing Management. He was drawn to the program because of the mandatory co-op component. He also says that his parents and sister are Dalhousie alumni, and he wanted to carry on the tradition.

Noah took advantage of his co-ops to try three different work experiences in three different industries. For his first co-op, he worked in an accounting role as a Research Payments Analyst at RBC. “I valued how great of an employer RBC was for my first co-op. I got to partake in lots of activities, like Lunch & Learns and RBC’s Annual Shareholders Meeting.” His second co-op was with InterTalk Systems as a Business Marketing Student. “I really valued the autonomy I was given in that position to hone my marketing skills,” he says. “Being a smaller company, I got to work directly under the President, which was cool.” His third co-op was spent as an Employment and Communications Specialist for Job Junction – Nova Scotia Works Halifax. “Nova Scotia Works allowed me to continue to build upon my marketing experience. I really valued the independence I had in this role. I even had the opportunity to launch my own marketing campaigns using Google Ads and Facebook Ads.” He says that even if a co-op isn’t directly related to your field of interest, it can still give you the opportunity to gain valuable skills that are transferable to future jobs.

Noah is currently working at IBM as a Business Consultant in the Project Management Practice. In this role, he is responsible for the handling of tickets, in addition to conducting regular reporting. He says that IBM is an ideal employer for business students and graduates because of the growth opportunities available, particularly due to the company’s entire program dedicated to hiring new grads. “IBM is extremely invested in developing its employees’ talent through learning opportunities, which aids in career progression,” he says. “We offer great opportunities for students who take either a Technical or Functional (Business) route with their education. There are many facets to the company that do not require having a technical background!”

In his job search, Noah was looking forward to applying the knowledge from his Dalhousie courses to real work experiences, finding the balance of alternating between work terms and academic terms to be very valuable. He has been working from home for the entire nine months at IBM. “Working from home has its merits, such as the lack of a commute and the ability to wear what you want. Some days, staying productive can be especially challenging, though over time, it becomes easier to prioritize tasks and stay organized,” he says. He is looking forward to the partial return to the office so that he can interact more with his colleagues.

Noah’s advice for you:

• All experience is good experience.
• Be aware that the space you work in can have a huge impact on your ability to get work done.
• Taking breaks throughout the day is extremely important to avoid burnout.

Instagram Handle: @noahinnes

Pronouns: he/him