January Week 1 Reflection – Vanessa

Vanessa's January
Week 1 Reflection

What movie/book (standalone or series) best represents your co-op experience at U+? Explain why.

A movie that best presents my co-op experience would be Zootopia as there are many aspects that would represent this experience. Our co-op experience as high school students puts us in a new environment experiencing new challenges and meeting new people. The main character, Judy, is being put in an unfamiliar environment and learns to adapt around it. She learns many new skills and does not give up on her dream. She works with different people from different fields and grows as an individual around her community. Overall, the idea of Zootopia captures the co-op program at U+ in finding yourself and growing to your potential around being in a positive environment.

 

What learning and/or skill development took place on the job that you wouldn’t have experienced in school?

The skills that I would not have experienced at school when taking on this job was taking on the real world impacts in a professional level. I have learnt new skills that I would not have at school such as networking and building connections that will be valuable for me in the future. It gave me the experience that I needed to re-assure myself in what I want to do in the future. As well as industry specific tools that I have been able to grow with. Through this program, I am exposed to many different sites and tools in the business industry that will be needed for me in the future. All of these aspects together are just some of many skills that I have picked up being a co-op student at U+ Education.

 

Did your understanding of the world of work change as a result of your participation in co-op this semester? How so/why not?

My understanding of the world of work changed slightly. I always knew that there are many factors that are needed in the workplace such as communication. Though through this co-op position, I was able to put those theories into practice and really find ways to apply those perspectives in the workplace. I was able to apply what I have learnt like the reality of deadlines and accountability. Those were all aspects that I understood prior to the experience but it was a valuable experience to be able to put those skills and apply them to this position.

 

Your personal values shape the needs you require in a workplace and motivates you to make certain career decisions. With your U+ experience, what are the top three values that must be satisfied when you consider a future workplace? (For example, but not exclusively: advancement; altruism; autonomy; creativity; detailed work; leadership; fast-paced; friendships; high salary; problem-solving; solitary work; teamwork; supportive supervisor; variability/change; work/life balance.) Briefly explain why you chose those three values.

1. Teamwork and collaboration – The U+ co-op emphasized cross-functional collaboration and working closely with colleagues to achieve shared goals. These colleagues may have a different set of skills or come from a different background and a workplace that values teamwork fosters innovation, provides opportunities to learn from others.

2. Work/life balance – Experiencing a professional setting has highlighted the importance of maintaining a healthy boundary between work and personal life. Work/life balance ensures sustainability in the long term, prevents burnout, and promotes overall well-being, enabling you to perform at your best while still enjoying life outside of work. This is a skill that I have developed throughout this experience that will help me in the future.

3. Creativity and problem solving – The co-op experience probably involved solving complex, real-world problems, which required thinking outside the box and innovative approaches. This encourages creativity, keeps work engaging, and allows employees to feel their contributions are unique and meaningful. This is something valuable outside of this position and something I will seek in a future position.

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