Co-op Catalysts: Inspiring Career Stories from UBC Science Co-op

In this episode, James Toy, HR Project Manager at Evonik, talks about his personal, academic and professional background including his recruitment process and what Evonik looks for in candidates for advancing in the company.

1:26 - James' academic and career background

5:37 - About Evonik and James' HR role

10:49 - What co-op students typically do at Evonik

13:11 - James' recruitment process

23:06 - Tips for students during the recruitment process and at the job

37:00 - What James and Evonik look for in employees for advancement in the company

43:43 - James' career advice

46:13 - James' life advice

For more information about UBC Science Co-op visit: https://sciencecoop.ubc.ca/

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Views expressed by the host and guests are their own and not representative of the University of British Columbia.

In this episode, senior co-op student, Ahmad Asdo (Integrated Sciences), talks about his personal, academic and co-op background including being a refugee in Canada and making a difference at his co-op position at BC Children's hospital.

00:44 - Ahmad's personal and academic background

2:44 - Ahmad's experience moving to Canada as a refugee and advice for other refugees

12:14 - Ahmad explains what the Integrated Sciences degree is

15:26 - Ahmad's co-op experience at BC Children's Hospital

19:09 - What Ahmad learned about himself during co-op

24:31 - Hardest part about shifting from being a student to an employee

31:15 - Advice for new co-op students

36:25 - Ahmad's career advice

38:44 - Ahmad's life advice

For more information about UBC Science Co-op visit: https://sciencecoop.ubc.ca/

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Views expressed by the host and guests are their own and not representative of the University of British Columbia.

In this episode, Ken Jessen, Director of Software Development from Analog Devices, talks about his personal, academic and professional background including what he looks for in candidates when hiring, if he looks at GPAs when hiring students and office pranks.

00:48 - Ken's personal and academic background

3:44 - Ken's professional background and experiences in tech

13:22 - Chat about office pranks

17:27 - Ken's work at Analog Devices

21:45 - People side of management jobs in tech

22:57 - Qualities that make candidates stand out in hiring process

28:26 - Impact co-op students have in the workplace

30:55 - Does Ken care about GPA/grades when hiring students

32:44 - Ken's criteria for screening job applicants

35:04 - Advice for supervising co-op students

38:00 - Ken's career advice

39:42 - Ken's life advice

For more information about UBC Science Co-op visit: https://sciencecoop.ubc.ca/

Music by: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://pixabay.com/music/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Views expressed by the host and guests are their own and not representative of the University of British Columbia.

In this episode, alumna and 2023 Student of the Year Award winner, Tabreek Somani (Computer Science), talks about her academic and co-op journeys and about her favourite and most challenging parts about her co-op experiences.

00:58 - Tabreek's academic background

3:28 - Tabreek's student of the year story

6:11 - Tabreek's co-op experiences

15:04 - Tabreek's favourite part about co-op

18:18 - Tips for new co-op students

21:17 - Most challenging part about co-op experience

23:08 - Surprising things that happened during co-op

25:22 - Tabreek's career advice

27:04 - Tabreek's life advice

For more information about UBC Science Co-op visit: https://sciencecoop.ubc.ca/

Music by: ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://pixabay.com/music/⁠⁠⁠⁠

Views expressed by the host and guests are their own and not representative of the University of British Columbia.

In this episode University of British Columbia (UBC) President, Dr. Benoit-Antoine Bacon, discusses his personal, academic and career journeys including substance use, mental health struggles and recovery.

1:25 - Dr. Bacon's personal and academic background

4:21 - How Dr. Bacon became UBC President

10:45 - Advice for those who want to become a university president

14:28 - Dr. Bacon's personal story of substance use, mental health struggles and recovery

19:52 - What motivated Dr. Bacon to start the recovery process

25:52 - What loved ones can do to help when someone is struggling

27:34 - How employers can help when someone is struggling

30:07 - What Dr. Bacon does to take care of his mental health currently

35:29 - Dr. Bacon's best career advice

37:25 - Dr. Bacon's best life advice

Resources mentioned in episode:

UBC Student Recovery Community

UBC Student Counselling Services

UBC Staff and Faculty Mental Health Resources

For more information about UBC Science Co-op visit: https://sciencecoop.ubc.ca/

Music by: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://pixabay.com/music/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Views expressed by the host and guests are their own and not representative of the University of British Columbia.

In this episode alumna, Katerina Lin, discusses her academic and career journeys, plans for graduate school and tips for new co-op students.

1:01 - Katerina's academic background

3:45 - Katerina's grad school plans

8:49 - How Katerina's undergrad prepared her for grad school

14:45 - Katerina's co-op experience

20:43 - How easy or difficult was it for Katerina to secure co-op jobs

24:50 - Tips for new co-op students

29:20 - Katerina's career advice

31:02 - Katerina's life advice

For more information about UBC Science Co-op visit: https://sciencecoop.ubc.ca/

Music by: ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://pixabay.com/music/⁠⁠⁠⁠

Views expressed by the host and guests are their own and not representative of the University of British Columbia.

In this episode, UBC Science Co-op employer, Bethany Foote who is the Head of Infrastructure Engineering at Outschool discusses her academic and career journeys, tips for job applications and how she became so comfortable with public speaking from a young age.

00:56 - Bethany's academic and career background

8:46 - Information about Outschool and Bethany's role

16:33 - How Outschool and Bethany supervise co-op students

20:07 - Impact co-op students have in the workplace

25:09 - Tips for resumes for students in computer science

28:50 - How Bethany sorts through many applicants for job postings

34:02 - How Bethany became so comfortable with public speaking

41:08 - Bethany's career advice

50:18 - Bethany's life advice

For more information about UBC Science Co-op visit: https://sciencecoop.ubc.ca/

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Views expressed by the host and guests are their own and not representative of the University of British Columbia.

In this episode Geoff Fawkes, Chief Technical Officer, at Genesis AI Corp discusses his academic and career background, information about Genesis AI, his thoughts on the future of AI and much more.

1:25 - Geoff's academic and career background

6:54 - Geoff's thoughts on the future of AI

16:50 - Information about Genesis AI

25:52 - Co-op student experience and impact at Genesis AI

30:51 - Geoff's thoughts on students using AI to write cover letters and resumes

35:39 - Geoff's advice on networking

36:59 - What Geoff looks for in a candidate when hiring

40:37 - Geoff's career advice

41:56 - Geoff's life advice

For more information about UBC Science Co-op visit: https://sciencecoop.ubc.ca/

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Views expressed by the host and guests are their own and not representative of the University of British Columbia.

In this episode, alumna Chloe Lu (Food Science), talks about her academic and co-op journeys and gives interview preparation tips and lots of other useful advice.

1:15 - Chloe's academic background in food science

2:53 - Chloe's first job post graduation

4:43 - Chloe's co-op experience

10:06 - Things Chloe discovered about herself during her co-op journey

14:02 - How Chloe prepared for co-op interviews

18:43 - Chloe's career advice

22:08 - Chloe's life advice

Chloe's LinkedIn page: https://www.linkedin.com/in/junzhuo-lu/

For more information about UBC Science Co-op visit: https://sciencecoop.ubc.ca/

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Views expressed by the host and guests are their own and not representative of the University of British Columbia.

In this episode UBC Science Co-op employer, Dr. Sanja Rogic, from the UBC Michael Smith Laboratories discusses her academic and career path and gives information about her hiring process and tips for students and new co-op supervisors.

1:22 - Sanja introduces Dr. Paul Pavlidis Lab

5:54 - Sanja's academic background

10:30 - Impact of co-op students at the Pavlidis Lab

16:09 - Sanja's favourite part about working with co-op students

18:05 - What Sanja looks for in a candidate when she is hiring

20:56 - Sanja's recruitment process

27:00 - Tips for supervising co-op students

32:40 - Sanja's career advice

37:38 - Sanja's life advice

For more information about UBC Science Co-op visit: https://sciencecoop.ubc.ca/

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Views expressed by the host and guests are their own and not representative of the University of British Columbia.

In our first episode, Sanya speaks with Dr. Javed Iqbal about his academic and career background and the history of Co-op at the University of British Columbia (UBC).

Show Notes:

4:18 - Javed's academic background

7:00 - History of co-op at UBC

35:10 - Decentralization and start of UBC Science Co-op

47:20 - Javed's hopes for the future of UBC Science Co-op

56:16 - Javed's career advice

58:27 - Javed's life advice

For more information about UBC Science Co-op visit: https://sciencecoop.ubc.ca/

Music by: ⁠https://pixabay.com/music/⁠

Views expressed by the host and guests are their own and not representative of the University of British Columbia.