"Co-op is a great program for students to learn more than just the traditional classroom environment. I really enjoyed learning about cooking at East Side Mario’s. They provide me all the knowledge and techniques in-depth of what it is like to work as a cook. This experience had prepared me so much for my post secondary plus my future career. I recommend those who want to try out a career they have interest in to join the Co-op program because this is where they can decide their future." (Feb. 2021)
"I was granted the amazing opportunity to complete my ICT SHSM Co-op credits at the Royal Bank of Canada which honestly a dream come true. I had been torn between pursuing business or something within technology so I was absolutely ecstatic when I was presented this placement! This position has helped me grow tremendously, both professionally and personally, and has provided me with a substantial headstart on my peers. As a result of this CO-OP, I have already begun to sink my roots into a corporate environment and expand my network with well-established, highly respected people within the field. In addition to that, I was also given the opportunity to attend a wide variety of workshops which have allowed me to better situate myself in a working environment." (Feb. 2021)
"One of the most important things in life is socializing and building connections with people. It is vital for our mental and emotional health, which is exactly why this co-op placement is so crucial. We established relationships with residents at Cummer Lodge by speaking to them every morning, created activities and projects for them since as physical activities they can do, a yearbook, cookbook, ecards, letters, word searches and many more in hopes of lifting their spirits during this time and I’m very pleased with the things we’ve accomplished. This experience definitely improved my communication, teamwork and leadership skills. For anyone who is considering this co-op placement, it was a great experience and will give you more insight into different careers in the healthcare industry. Just remember to be open minded when it comes to the residents and flexible with your schedule. This co-op placement really brought me out of my comfort zone and I had a spectacular time." (Feb. 2021)
"As a SHSM-ICT member taking co-op course, I got a co-op placement in faculty of engineering in York University where we got to create our own Unity projects to make our own games, learning and writing codes in C# and using a rendered model of real robotic arms they have in York University, we researched and developed a way to efficiently manipulate the arm’s movement to pick up objects and record its movement. As a student first starting with little to no knowledge in Unity or C#, I was able to learn a lot working and learning with the professor where I developed my skill in Unity and C# as well as improving my leadership and communication skills working daily with my group members to solve problems together. I would recommend taking co-op to anyone interested in certain career fields, but you don’t know where to start or find help as taking co-op can teach you a lot of things you normally don’t in school and you can decide whether that career is for you or not and take this amazing opportunity to learn as much as possible!" (Feb. 2021)