Ethan's March
Week 3 Reflection
Please share how you feel about the onboarding process. What are some resources that were helpful, and what’s something you’d like to see implemented in the future?
I think the onboarding process was done quite well. I like how we were allowed to learn more about U+ and their work and were also given the opportunity to introduce ourselves to everyone. I think it’s one of the best ways to start a co-op placement instead of being overwhelmed with work on the first day. The daily Q&As in the first week, along with the tasks assigned, allowed me to have a deeper understanding of what this co-op placement is about and how everything works here. My only suggestion is to have an outline of the co-op program to let co-op students know in advance what experience they will get from the placement and what kind of tasks they will be involved in.
Describe one main task you worked on this week. Who did you work with? How did you approach the task? What did you accomplish?
One of the major tasks I worked on was giving suggestions and feedback on a list of webpages on U+’s websites. I have given compliments on the things I liked along with a few helpful suggestions to improve upon. Myself and a few other co-op students were assigned to do this task, in which everyone had the opportunity to state their suggestions and feedback. One of the main things I accomplished is that this task enhanced my ability to pay attention to detail. along the way, I also learned a lot more about the company when looking through the websites.
What is one big challenge you faced this week? Who did you turn to when you needed support? Describe what you learned and what you would do differently the next time.
Since the first month of the placement has been virtual, there is a significant communication barrier between me and my supervisors and co-workers. I have been assigned multiple tasks from my co-op class that require the involvement of supervisors. I find the biggest challenge is that I cannot speak to my supervisors face to face about these assignments and instead have to send them messages and wait for their responses. I have realized that while working virtually, self-initiative is very important, and to achieve my tasks, I need to take initiative and reach out to them for help and to follow up on their progress. I feel like in my first few weeks, I wasn’t proactive enough with my communications, which is something I will work on as I continue.
What personal motto or guiding principle would you bring with you to your role next week, and how do you see it helping you contribute to our organization’s mission?
A guiding principle that I will bring is that co-op is a learning opportunity and that I should take advantage of it to deliver my best work for the organization so that I can better develop skills and experiences. My payment for the work I do is not money but experiences that can help me build my future, such as university applications or future jobs, or co-op placements. This form of payment is more valuable than a paycheck.