Angela (Angie) Chia-Baxter graduated from the Bachelor of Commerce Co-op program with a major in International Business in spring 2022. Originally from Guelph, Ontario, she decided to move to the east coast to pursue a Commerce degree at Dalhousie because of its mandatory co-op program. “I don’t know if I would’ve pushed myself to do co-op if it was optional. I don’t regret my decision to move east for school because it allowed me to explore a new city and province, and also to get hands-on experience.”

Throughout her four years at Dalhousie, Angie grew to love both marketing and international business. “I like to think I got the best of both worlds in that I got to focus my degree on international business but learn about marketing through my co-ops. I found that I am passionate about working within the start-up ecosystem, which was never something I thought of until my co-ops,” she says, having completed all three of her work terms at start-ups. Her first co-op was at Clockk.com, a software-as-a-service (SaaS) start-up that offers time-tracking software. There, she worked as a Junior Marketer, spending most of her time growing and expanding their social media accounts. She says she was given substantial autonomy and worked with minimal supervision, allowing her to cultivate a strong work ethic. Her second co-op was completed at Proposify, another SaaS, as Product Marketer Intern. “The key thing I valued during my time at Proposify was learning a different side of marketing. Before this, I had been exposed to social media and digital marketing, and it was interesting to expand my knowledge in the industry.”

Her most memorable co-op was her final work term at EnPoint, a start-up that offers a platform for businesses to build out their mentorship program. There, she worked as a Marketing and Business Growth Intern, helping the company with its marketing and sales department. From managing social media accounts to running email campaigns, Angie did it all. Apart from learning skills that would later help her career, it also gave her an insight into how mentorship could benefit her personally. “What has stuck with me from my time with EnPoint was learning how important mentorship is, and that it isn’t one-sided; both parties’ benefit when creating mentor relations.”

In addition to her mandatory co-ops, Angie pursued optional professional development opportunities during her time at Dal, such as attending the Toronto Corporate Tour at the end of her first year. “I attended the Toronto Corporate Tour to give me a better idea of what different industries are about and perhaps give me some sort of direction.” She describes her time on the tour to be both fun and informative, allowing her to network and get a glimpse of the Toronto job market. She recommends other students apply to attend the event, as she says its an excellent opportunity to put themselves out there, network, and learn about a wide variety of industries. “It could be an eye-opening experience and give you insight into which paths you might be interested in the most,” she says.

Angie now works at BNL Consulting as one of their Social Media Managers, where she oversees several clients and helps them grow their accounts. She attributes her success at her current workplace to the co-op program. “With all the hands-on experience I received from Dal during my work terms, I felt equipped and prepared for what was to come post-grad. Many skills I learned during my co-ops such as working autonomously, decision making, and communication I still use on a daily basis!”

Angie’s advice for you:

• Reach out to MCS with any questions and concerns because they are there to support you.
• Don’t be afraid to apply to a job that you may feel you aren’t qualified for, you’d be surprised the skills you have from other experiences that are just as applicable.