Sydney Booker is a fourth-year Bachelor of Management student majoring in Entrepreneurship and Innovation. She chose Dalhousie for its strong reputation as one of Canada’s top schools, and for the quality of its accredited business school. Originally from Calgary, Sydney says that she has always dreamed of living near the ocean. With a strong interest in business and being a creative thinker, pursuing Management was a clear choice for her.

Sydney applied for the optional internship program because she saw it as a valuable opportunity to gain work experience and build connections in the marketing industry. “I believe that this program provides students with a significant advantage after graduation because they have gained work experience, developed skills related to their desired field of work, and created professional relationships,” she explains.

From May to December 2024, Sydney completed an 8-month internship at Killiam Apartment REIT as a Marketing and Leasing Student. She was responsible for creating content for Killiam’s social media channels, developing social media campaigns, and responding to questions from tenants and prospects. “Creating social media campaigns has been the highlight of my internship because my supervisor has given me the autonomy and creative freedom to develop a plan for the campaigns and design the content,” she shares. Another project she particularly enjoyed working on was designing promotional materials for the Women in Industry event for the Rental Housing Providers of Nova Scotia. She created an interactive digital booklet, banners, name tags, and table cards consistent with the organization’s branding.

Reflecting on her experience, Sydney notes that she developed both soft and hard skills that will benefit her in her future career. Specifically, having gained hands-on experience and knowledge with marketing tools such as WordPress, Drupal, Meta Business Manager, and Hootsuite, she knows these skills will be of value in any future role.

Throughout her internship, Sydney developed many positive relationships with coworkers, supervisors, executives, as well as professionals from other organizations collaborating with Killiam. “These relationships support my career development by providing me access to potential job opportunities, offering valuable wisdom and advice, and developing connections in the marketing and real estate industry.”

Sydney credits Dalhousie with offering many exceptional courses that have provided her with opportunities to learn important skills that have prepared and guided her throughout her internship. To balance her academic responsibilities with her job search, she organized both on Excel spreadsheets and set SMART goals. Her goal was to apply to 2-3 jobs every day while keeping up with her academic deadlines. To accomplish this goal, she dedicated two hours every day to job applications, regardless of her other commitments. “I would highly recommend this method because it helped me manage and monitor my academic responsibilities while staying on track with my goals for my job search,” she adds.

Several resources were key in supporting her job search. Meeting with the Program Specialist for Work Integrated Learning at MCS, attending the Prep Seminar for resume, cover letter, and interview preparation, and using Excel to manage deadline were among the most helpful tools to her.

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.”

Ellie Judson, a fourth-year student from Calgary, Alberta, is pursuing a Bachelor of Commerce Co-op degree with a major in Marketing Management. She was drawn to Dalhousie for its unique co-op program, which allows students to gain real-world experience while completing their degree in just four years. Having taken a gap year and working in an office for nine months prior to her time at Dal, she was eager and confident to join this program.

Ellie’s first two work terms were in Halifax, where she worked for entrepreneurial companies. The first company being Business Network International (BNI), where she learned about the importance of networking and leveraging connections. “This was possibly the most beneficial first co-op I could have had,” she shares. The skills she gained in her time there led her to her second self developed co-op with Capture It Photography. During her work term, Ellie continued to leverage her networking skills, gaining connections at the various events she took part in while also further developing he creative abilities. “In both these positions, there was an emphasis on my individual skills which bolstered my confidence and pushed me to grow beyond my initial expectations,” she adds.

Through this gained confidence, Ellie was able to secure her third co-op which was also self-developed, at an athletic development NFP organization called WinSport, where she was the Marketing Coordinator. Here, she received the experience of working on a larger team, collaborating with other members of the department on various projects throughout the summer.

Reflecting on her co-ops, Ellie shares that one of the biggest lessons she learned throughout her work terms was the importance of networking and leveraging your connections. “The world operates through referrals and connections so if you can navigate that area with confidence, you can excel in the professional world,” she states. Another valuable lesson she learned, is the importance of keeping an open mind and maintaining the willingness to try new things. Working for an organization centered around athletic development was not something she had imagined for herself; however, it ended up being a deeply gratifying experience and one that she will always value. “The things you could benefit the most from, you might not even be aware of.”

Ellie believes the most valuable aspect of networking is gaining exposure to new industries, ideas, and perspectives. A simple conversation can open new paths and offer insights you never considered before. Her favourite way to network is by engaging in casual, low-pressure chats as she has found they lead to more impactful and meaningful conversations. Ellie emphasizes the importance of honesty and transparency in maintaining connections, as well as staying in touch regularly to strengthen relationships over time. Her advice to those new to networking is to start small and work your way up.

Looking ahead, Ellie is excited to start her professional career after a well-deserved break. Reflecting on her university experience, she values the connections she has made with fellow students, professors, and past employers. “I’ve found that the personal aspects of university can be just as educational as the academic parts if you engage yourself,” she shares. Although she is content with her journey, Ellie wishes she had explored more potential interests through electives. In the future, she plans to leverage the Dal alumni network and truly believes that the connections she has made during her time here, are some of her most valuable gains. “I’ve made some of my best friends through this program and met some incredible leaders, all of whom I plan to keep in touch with.”