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Category: Commerce coop

Student Spotlight: Lauren Yellan

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Lauren Yellan, a second-year student from Oakville, Ontario, is currently navigating her summer semester in the Commerce Co-op program. Her decision to join the program at Dalhousie was driven by a desire to gain relevant work experience through her co-op opportunities, as well as and the draw of Atlantic Canada’s vibrant culture and scenic landscapes.

Lauren completed her first co-op in winter 2024 at Digital Nova Scotia (DNS) as a Marketing Communications Coordinator. There, she honed her skills in content creation and video editing, which included initiating a TikTok presence for DNS, achieving impressive engagement metrics and contributing significantly to the organization’s digital outreach strategies. “It felt like one big family—everyone was very welcoming and eager to help the co-op students learn and grow.” Lauren shares that the team’s welcoming culture and proactive mentorship approach enabled her to integrate seamlessly into the organization and amplify her learning. This inclusive atmosphere left a lasting impression, influencing Lauren’s approach to collaboration and professional development.

Lauren’s first co-op was not her first experience with the professional world, however. Driven by her passion for social media and entrepreneurship, she founded Dueljewelss in 2020 during the peak of the COVID-19 lockdown. “I launched Dueljewelss at the age of 15 as a way to earn money during isolation when part-time jobs weren’t available.” What began as a platform for selling second-hand clothing evolved into a thriving jewellery business. Lauren’s strategic pivot to room decor products catered specifically to the student demographic in Nova Scotia.

Reflecting on her job search experience, Lauren shares a memory from her first year at Dal, when she applied for a digital marketing role that was advertised for second- and third-year students. “My application was initially declined, but I reached out to the hiring manager, expressing my strong interest in the role and my passion for marketing. I requested a chance to chat in person.” After proactive outreach, she secured an interview and then an offer. “Anything is possible if you believe in yourself and have confidence!”

Here is Lauren’s advice for you:

  • Seize opportunities, even if they seem initially beyond reach.
  • Don’t judge a job solely based on its description. Research the opportunity and the organization.
  • Look up past Dalhousie co-op students who have held similar roles to see their experiences.
  • Start your business in something that you are passionate about.

Looking ahead, Lauren remains committed to expanding Dueljewelss while pursuing diverse co-op experiences to further enrich her skill set.

Alumni Spotlight: Muyu Lyu

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Despite recently graduating from the Bachelor of Commerce Co-op program, Muyu Lyu isn’t going far; he was hired full-time as Global Strategy Coordinator at the Faculty of Management Dean’s Office and Government and Global Relations. He was also appointed a member of Dalhousie’s 2022-23 Board of Governors. Studying at Dalhousie and working globally throughout his work terms, Muyu gained valuable cross-culture experience and skills.

Muyu completed his first co-op as an Accounting Student at High Liner Foods and his second at the Dean’s Office as a Special Project Assistant before returning to his home of China for his third and final co-op. He shares that working in different cultural environments allowed him to be flexible and adaptable. As an international student, Muyu indicates language was one of his barriers, but adds that “the challenges of working abroad presented opportunities to me, including the ability to adapt to unfamiliar environments, the satisfaction I get from solving work problems, and the ability to cross-culturally communicate.” While working at the Dean’s Office, he realized that he had only experienced a student’s perspective, but as an employee, he needed to adapt his mindset to better understand the organizational perspective.

During his studies, Muyu was an active voice for international students at Dal. In 2019, he served on the Dalhousie International Student Association (DISA) as Vice President and as President in 2021. While studying full-time, he co-founded Dalhousie’s International Student Peer Mentorship Program which has helped hundreds of international students develop their interpersonal and networking skills. In Muyu’s current role, he is continuing his work in student relations by developing a strategy to expand international opportunities for faculty and students worldwide. “I enjoy the ambiguity and complexity of my job, which always leaves me with something to learn and explore.”

In reflecting on his time in the co-op program, Muyu says, “MCS provided me with initial momentum, which is very important for me as an international student. They are a great source for international students to create a safe and comfortable environment to learn about the Canadian job market and culture, and give them confidence and encourage them to always try again.”

Muyu’s advice:

  • Try to be strategic on those small decisions you make daily – this can create a huge compounding effect for your life.
  • You can’t make everyone happy, so don’t worry about what others think.
  • Most things are valueless, so it is super important to identify your priorities. My trick is: if something is not an absolute “yes”, then it is an absolute “no”.

Instagram: @l1_murrayyy

Pronounce: He/him/his

Student Spotlight: Nadi Ukwatta

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Meet Nadi Ukwatta, a third-year Commerce Co-op student majoring in Accounting. Nadi moved to Halifax from her home of Sri Lanka in 2019, noting Dal’s co-op program as one of the main factors that drew her here.

Nadi secured her first co-op at United Way Halifax. Her second co-op was completed in fall 2021 with Irving Oil, an international energy company based in Saint John, New Brunswick. She continued to work with Irving Oil part-time during the winter and has now returned in a full-time capacity to complete her third and final co-op with the organization. “One of the greatest things about Irving Oil is their workplace culture. Everyone is very welcoming and understanding. Within the first few months I was able to learn and gain important skills in a short period of time.”

Nadi says that she enters each co-op with the mindset of creating an impact on the organization. “For me, this meant exceeding expectations of my manager and doing the best I could on the tasks I was given,” she says. “At Irving, I was able to make an impact by being a fast learner, having an excellent work ethic, meeting deadlines consistently, and completing tasks with a high degree of accuracy. In addition, my manager was impressed with my ability to solve problems on my own before reaching out for help.” This success during her fall co-op led to further opportunities within the organization. “My manager played a key role in securing me a part-time job at Irving Oil by looking for positions within the workforce that would help me gain more experience and learn new things. Networking within the company also played a role as other employees were able to determine if I would be a fit for their department.”

In her current role as summer co-op student for the Inventory Accounting Team, Nadi’s daily tasks include contributing to an inventory tracking system to ensure all relevant transactions are properly recorded. She connects with employees from other departments to verify and forecast an appropriate level of inventory for the company, which allows her to improve teamwork and communication skills as well as her attention to detail. “What I enjoy most about the job is that there is always something new to experience,” says Nadi. “For tasks that are repetitive, I make it a challenge to find efficient ways to complete them while maintaining high accuracy. If I am ever in doubt, there are many people around me who are more than willing to provide a helping hand and walk me through the process.”

Nadi says that during her job search, Management Career Services (MCS) played a crucial role in providing support. “I wouldn’t have been where I am today without the help of MCS. My CRS, Lauren Shaw, gave me a head start to pursue my desired co-op in my first work term by guiding me throughout the whole process and going above and beyond to provide the best advice.”

Nadi’s advice for you:

  • Don’t hesitate to ask questions to your peers and managers. Everyone is aware that a co-op is an opportunity to grow and learn to prepare you for the career you choose.
  • Mistakes make you better at what you will do in the future.
  • Have a ‘can-do’ attitude, be confident and willing to deal with problems or new tasks. Challenge yourself every day to do better than the previous day and learn as much as you can in the time you have.

Instagram Handle: @nadi__nu

Pronouns: she/her

Student Spotlight: Nuhan Imad

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Dalhousie is the university of choice for many international students, including Nuhan Imad from Dhaka, Bangladesh. He is in his second year of the Bachelor of Commerce Co-op Program, planning to major in Accounting.

Nuhan is currently working as an Assurance Associate (External Auditor) at PwC Canada for his first co-op. PwC ranks as the second-largest professional services network in the world and is considered one of the Big Four accounting firms. “While theoretical learning has a lot of value to provide in its own essence, practical learning through working provides us with the opportunity to implement our learning through the means of performing tasks relevant to the respective industries that we might be interested in,” he says.

Nuhan works collectively with his team to conduct a thorough audit of clients (companies). “As an auditor working alongside other auditors, our main objective is to ensure that the companies we audit present financial information to the public that is not materially misstated,” he says. Auditors are known for providing assurance to the public and helping external stakeholders make well-informed financial decisions. Nuhan’s first task at PwC was to support a major client, challenging him to expand his knowledge and experience. “With the help of my amazing team members, I was mentored and provided with assistance, making it easier for me to work through all my tasks,” he says. “Being able to finish the work on my first ever client was a huge step for me in terms of the amount of knowledge and experience I gained, and I consider this an accomplishment that will reflect in my repertoire for years to come.”

In addition to gaining great work experience, Nuhan is thinking about his future career and development by making an effort to network with colleagues. He is also continuing to improve his skill set and feels the environment he is in now will set himself up for future success.

Nuhan says that during his job search, Management Career Services (MCS) played a crucial role in providing support. “MCS was always there to review my resumes and cover letters, and to provide the coaching I needed to set my mind on what I wanted to do and achieve during my co-ops.” He received 100% on the job application assignment, an assignment for first-year Commerce Co-op students to help prepare for writing cover letters and resumes. He says that learning how to write a proper resume and cover letter helps a great deal in getting noticed by employers.

Nuhan’s advice for you:

  • Don’t underestimate the influence networking can have over getting picked for a job interview.
  • Use all of the resources provided by MCS, such as review of resumes and cover letters, practice interviews etc.

Instagram Handle: @nuhan.i

Pronouns: he/him

Student Spotlight: Katherine Fontana

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Second-year Bachelor of Commerce Co-op student Katherine Fontana is currently working for global streaming service Netflix for her first co-op. She is planning to declare a major in finance after developing an interest in financial markets through the Dalhousie Investment Society. Originally from Oakville, Ontario, Katherine was intrigued by Dalhousie’s nationwide reputation and wanted to experience the east coast lifestyle.

In her role of Assistant Trainee Accountant for Netflix, Katherine’s daily tasks include printing vendor invoices and purchase orders from the previous day, auditing petty cash statements from various departments, and collecting and organizing crew gas receipts for Netflix’s sustainability program. “My role in the office is very important to the daily operations of the accounting department, as many of my duties begin the cycle of the various steps towards completion,” she says.

As you would expect from a big corporation like Netflix, the environment is very fast paced. Her biggest accomplishment so far has been her ability to adapt to this environment and learn information quickly to be successful in her role. Katherine has been working in person, getting multiple opportunities to connect with fellow colleagues and gain confidence and organizational skills. “I am grateful for the opportunity and skill development this co-op has provided me so far, and I look forward to the rest of the term,” she says.

Katherine took advantage of the many resources available through Management Career Services (MCS) to help secure her co-op with Netflix. “I was able to apply the skills learned through MCS into my job search. This enabled me to find a co-op that provided me with the opportunity to build on my career interests.”

Katherine’s advice for you:

  • It is never too early to start looking for a co-op. The earlier you begin your job search, the more tailored your co-op can be to your career path interests.
  • Don’t be afraid to reach out. If you are not sure what you are interested in, read up on different careers, different companies, and reach out to those individuals who may be able to provide you with insight into their career paths and aspirations.
  • Set goals for your next co-op, but do not lose sleep over it.

Pronouns: she/her

Alumni Spotlight: Madison Longmire

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Meet Madison Longmire, originally from the Annapolis Valley. She was attracted to Dalhousie’s campus in the heart of Halifax, wanting to explore city life. When it came to selecting a program, the mandatory co-op component of the Bachelor of Commerce Co-op program was the main selling point for her. She felt it would allow her to be more dynamic and adaptive as a professional while making connections. Madison graduated in 2019 with a major in Accounting, a path she chose because she loved the idea of dealing with numbers, financial analysis, and the wide variety of careers that are available in the field.

Madison accepted a different role for each of her three co-ops, which gave her the chance to be challenged in distinct ways. For her first co-op, she worked alongside Actuaries, an area that interested her at the time. During the co-op however, Madison realized she could no longer see herself working in that role long term. “This was a tough realization to make, especially for my first co-op, but I can see now how valuable this insight was, and without the co-op program I would not have had the opportunity to come to this conclusion in my second year of university,” she says.

Madison’s second co-op was in the billing department of a healthcare organization, providing opportunities to develop her interpersonal skills. “I spent a large portion of my time speaking with different individuals on the phone, which at the beginning was quite intimidating, but became much easier over time,” she says. For her final co-op, she worked as an Underwriting Assistant. “I had very surface level knowledge of what underwriting entailed, but this co-op was able to change my perspective on what risk management and risk analysis really meant and its importance.”

Madison is currently an Underwriter for Trisura’s Executive Solutions. “Underwriting requires assessing risk for different factors of a business. I spend most of my days analyzing companies’ financial statements, executives, and business practices and then building insurance policies surrounding their risks and exposure points,” she says. She is enjoying her time working with a wide range of businesses and gathering knowledge across many industries. “A career path with opportunity to grow was also of utmost importance to me. I saw there was a need for young leaders in the industry and I thought it would be the perfect opportunity for me.”

Madison describes Trisura as a company that is rapidly growing and expanding their team across Canada and the US. “Despite growth, Trisura continues to still have that small company feel where your worth is valued and your achievements are recognized,” she says. “Trisura prides itself on promoting entrepreneurial mindset among all employees and allows underwriters think outside of the box and provide non-conventional solutions, which can be tough to find in the industry.”

Madison’s advice for you:

  • Keep in contact with your connections, they can be very helpful when looking for opportunities.
  • Everyone’s career path is different. Explore your options. Explore your network.

Pronouns: she/her

Alumni Spotlight: Pengpeng Jiang

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Pengpeng Jiang moved to Halifax from Tianjin, China in 2013 to attend Dalhousie. She graduated from the Bachelor of Commerce Co-op program with an Accounting major in May 2017. Pengpeng says she chose the program because she felt the co-op component would allow her to build professional connections and find a job easily after graduation.

She was also able to learn about different industries through her various co-op opportunities. “It’s much easier to try different types of work through co-ops to figure out what you would like to do full-time.” Her third co-op as a Project Intern for McInnes Cooper stands out – it’s where she realized project-based jobs are the best fit for her.

During her job search, Pengpeng was excited to experience the cultures and people in different organizations. “When thinking about co-ops, I always thought about whether I would want to come back for a full-time job after I graduate. That way, I could learn as much as possible to get prepared,” she says.

While job searching for such opportunities, she reached out to connections for support, and in the process built even more. “Prior to starting my co-op with McInnes Cooper, I’d already built connections through Management Career Services (MCS),” she says, adding that it is important to keep in touch with employers after networking events, such as with a short phone or email conversation to discuss more about the company and industry.

Pengpeng is currently working at the Office of the Auditor General of Nova Scotia as an Audit Manager. Her office deals with both financial and performance audits. “Auditing within the public sector is also a bit different than within the firms and industries so it can be interesting to explore a bit.”

Pengpeng’s advice for you:

  • Find a partner to go to networking events with to make you feel more comfortable.
  • Take notes and ask for clarification when you can.
  • Take advantage of the services and programs provided by MCS.
  • Don’t limit your job search; explore options like company websites, LinkedIn, connections from networking events, and more.

Pronouns: she/her

Alumni Spotlight: Noah Innes

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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

Student Spotlight: Thomas Sorrell

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Thomas Sorrell is a second-year Bachelor of Commerce Co-op student, planning to major in Supply Chain and Logistics Management. He says that one of the key factors that made the program so intriguing was graduating in four years with opportunities for three different work experiences. He also wanted a change in scenery, something different from his hometown of Markham, Ontario.

Thomas was a participant in ASPIRE Edge, a program that helps bridge the gap between education and the workplace. He decided to apply because he felt the program would grant an advantage during his co-op job search and would help differentiate him from others. “I had an easier time getting interviews when I included the program on my resume compared to when I did not,” says Thomas. The program allows participants to work at their own pace to sharpen skills in five key areas: communication, critical thinking and problem solving, teamwork and collaboration, resiliency and adaptability, and data acumen. “One important thing I learned during the program was that not many people want to read a long email, but they also don’t want to be unaware of certain details, so it is always good to be concise with your messages.” He found the overall program to be very beneficial and would highly recommend it to others.

Thomas is currently completing his first co-op with Traffic Tech, a third-party logistics company. “My main responsibility is to manage a queue of trucking shipments by checking on their status throughout the day. I check on things such as the current location, when the shipment begun loading or unloading, and time until arrival to next destination,” says Thomas. He shares that he is finding the experience working with other co-op students and the employees to be very enjoyable and is learning a lot from the position. Thomas found this job with the help of Management Career Services (MCS). “They provided me with a plentiful list of job opportunities on the myCareer website. My CRS also provided extremely helpful advice and suggestions.”

If you’re a student interested in learning more about the ASPIRE Edge program, click here.

Instagram Handle: @sorrell_boots

Pronouns: he/him

Student Spotlight: Keira Prette

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Keira Prette is in her third year of the Bachelor of Commerce Co-op program, majoring in marketing. The co-op program was a key factor in Keira’s decision to attend Dalhousie, as she wanted opportunities to apply skills and learning experiences to real work situations. “Having the opportunity to use what I have learned in my classes and then transition to a work term was one of my biggest attractions to the Commerce Co-op program, and still today is one of my favourite parts of the program,” she says.

Keira completed her second co-op this past fall at PeopleCan as an Online Training Support Assistant. She worked alongside Debbie Adams, the owner and sole employee of the business. PeopleCan offers business coaching and training for small business owners and entrepreneurs. “My main responsibility was providing support in any way that Debbie needed. I assisted with online events, social media planning, video production, networking events, the organization and development of online courses, research, and identification of improvements with social media strategies and operational efficiencies,” she says.

Her favourite project during her time at PeopleCan was supporting the development of a business course called Budgeting Essentials. “I created all of the graphics and visuals for the course and had the responsibility of advertising the course on PeopleCan’s social media. This project took about eight weeks to complete, and I was able to learn a lot about the process of marketing a product to customers.” Keira also says that she found the mentorship she received from her supervisor to be the best part of the experience. “Debbie pushed me to grow in my networking skills, technical skills, and general business knowledge. I know the skills I learned at PeopleCan will carry with me throughout my life and marketing career.”

During both of her co-op job searches, Keira sought support from Management Career Services (MCS). “For my first co-op, I struggled to land interviews. I needed assistance on cover letters and strategies for interview taking. Meetings with my Career and Recruitment Specialist helped me tremendously and after only two meetings I was able to earn three interviews, one of which became my first work term at Carte Nav Solutions,” she says. During the process, Keira found it challenging to choose what she felt was the right job; the one that would be most beneficial to her future career. “I met again with my Career and Recruitment Specialist who was able to provide me with some very helpful advice when considering which position to take, and from there I was able to make an informed decision.”

Keira’s advice for you:

  • Take a wide variety of classes to allow yourself to explore interests.
  • Take advantage of the support provided by MCS and your Career and Recruitment Specialist.
  • Put your mental health first. Make use of the resources available and seek out support if you feel your motivation and productivity decline.

Instagram Handle: @keiraprette

Pronouns: she/her

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