Tyler Rothstein is a fourth-year student in the Bachelor of Commerce Co-op program, majoring in Entrepreneurship. Born and raised in Montreal, Quebec, he chose Dalhousie to fulfill his dream of moving for school and challenging himself by living away from home. He was also drawn to the structure of the program, which offers relevant job experience while graduating in four years. “Coming to Dalhousie was one of the best decisions I’ve ever made.”

During his first co-op search, Tyler admits that he learned the hard way that he had left his job search too late. Fortunately, he secured a position in door-to-door telecom sales in winter 2023. His role was to convince customers that his employer’s services were better than their competitors. “Every day was a learning experience for me,” he explains, adding that he stayed motivated knowing that this experience would help shape his future in the business world.

For his second co-op in fall 2023, Tyler joined John Ross and Sons Ltd., the largest scrap metal facility in Atlantic Canada, as an E-Scrap Trader. The scrap metal recycling industry was always of interest to him, but he was unsure how to get into it, and so his co-op provided the perfect opportunity to do so. He says that the Ross family gave him a unique opportunity to help build a division focused on recycling old and used electronics. Before starting, Tyler spent a month of his summer in the company’s main warehouse, learning about scrap electronics and researching how to upgrade pricing on materials. His role was then to safely shred, recycle, and dispose of all electronic waste and extract their metals. Reflecting on his experience, Tyler says, “I got to finally realize that I built something big.”

Tyler continued his work in electronics recycling at John Ross and Sons throughout his third year and final co-op term last summer, helping companies all around Atlantic Canada safely recycle their electronics. He has found the work very rewarding. “I have been given every opportunity and resource I’ve needed to succeed.” Looking back, he says he would have never guessed where he would be today. “I am so happy that I have pushed through all of my struggles to get to where I am today, and I could have never done it without the entire John Ross and Sons family.”

For other co-op students, Tyler advises to never give up. “Finding what you want to do can be extremely difficult, but it is so important to keep pushing through the tough times,” he says. He emphasizes the importance of networking, staying on top of tasks, and being organized. “Be open minded and reach out. If you’re in the Dalhousie Commerce Co-op program, you have what it takes to succeed, just remember to believe in yourself.”