Flora's February Reflection
What were your main responsibilities and tasks during your co-op placement? How did they relate to your academic studies?
In February, one of my biggest tasks was revamping/designing the RES websites. Using Figma, I got the chance to redesign the current RES web design for future use. My academic program, Systems Design Engineering, learns a lot about human centered design, and we even had a design course during 1A where we learned about the iterative design loop. I got to apply a lot my knowledge when it came to designing the website. In addition to that, I got the opportunity to work on many more graphic design tasks. As someone really interested in art and design, I was really happy to see that many of my tasks centered around design and graphics. Even though my program doesn’t fully relate to graphic design, I’m really grateful that I had the chance to practice my graphic design skills as it’s a skill I want to refine for future employment opportunities!
How did your co-op experience contribute to your personal and professional development? Were there any unexpected challenges or benefits?
So far, this co-op experience has put me outside of my comfort zone many times, challenging me to improve skills I never thought I would improve. As a result of teaching, I can feel myself getting more confident with public speaking and presenting to larger crowds of people. As a teacher and camp counselor, I’ve improved at presenting in an engaging manner, and finding ways to capture the attention of an audience. I also found myself getting more and more comfortable with presenting, which was an unexpected but welcoming benefit. I can see myself using these communication and presenting skills in the future both personally and professionally.
Can you describe a specific project or accomplishment from your co-op that you’re particularly proud of, and how it helped you grow as a student and a professional?
I’m surprisingly proud of my banner designs. Even though the RES website redesign was my biggest project, I found it really rewarding to design the banners for both YRES and U+. I think it’s because I’ve been trying to improve my graphic design skills outside of work, so getting to apply those skills for an actual project, for a real use was very rewarding for me to see. The project allowed me to improve my graphic design skills a lot, by forcing me to learn new techniques and skills in the software.