Joseph's October Week 2 Reflection
What were your initial expectations coming to work at U+/YRES, and how have they evolved after your first couple weeks on the job?
When I was first accepted to U+ my initial expectations were more about teaching, for example I assumed our supervisor would make us do mock teaching in front of other coworkers. But as I worked for U+ for a couple of weeks now my expectations have now changed from teaching to more of or the behind scenes of a teacher (like the work they do before they teach). For example, whenever I am working in person I just build robots to test if my challenges are doable.
What is one strategy that you use to manage co-op and academic work? What’s something that U+ does well in helping you in maintaining that balance?
One strategy I use to manage my co-op and academic work is to ask for help. For example, whenever I get to my chemistry class, I try to get extra time with the teacher to help me with certain subjects. What U+ does well in helping their workers maintain balance is the support they provide. For example they have weekly coffee chats for anybody who has questions about their work or is having trouble with it. U+ is also very understanding when things are late which gives their workers less stress about their co-op.
One of the key parts of success in a workplace is setting goals. No matter the magnitude or length, goal-setting helps you recognize what you want to accomplish in any professional work setting. What are some things you want to achieve during your co-op at U+?
Some goals I have that I want to achieve are to teach a class, perform well in U+ education and to make new friends. I’ve tried completing these goals by acting friendly and easily approachable doing the time I have work in person. I also ask my supervisors about anything related to teaching and if it is possible to be able to teach even though I work during school hours. I also talk more when I am working in person as I would like to know the people of U+ not just as coworkers, but as friends.
What interactions or collaborations with colleagues or supervisors stood out to you this week? How did these interactions enhance your understanding of the workplace and the industry?
Some interactions that stood out to me were the other people that we share an office with. This is because I see many different faces but I never really know what they do which peaks my curiosity. My interactions with co-workers and supervisors also stood out as when I first came into the office I assumed it would be very mundane, but it was quite the opposite. My workers and supervisor are friendly towards me, which I appreciate.