Before graduating with her bachelor’s in computer science, Paola Flores Aguirre had already secured a full-time permanent position at BCLC as a systems administrator.

Community engagement is among the many highlights of working for BCLC.

Having completed four co-op work terms, two as a system analyst at the City of Merritt and two as a business technology analyst at BCLC, she recognizes how these experiences prepared her for the workforce. “It’s hard to summarize how much I’ve grown as a person and professional these past few years. Entering a real work environment was intimidating and tested my confidence. Co-op provided a lot of real-life experiences and opportunities for transferable and technical skill development. I learned new software, applied methodologies, built connections, and gained insight into the field.”

Supportive employers can make a difference.

While she understood theories from classwork, Flores Aguirre didn’t yet have field or technical experience. “During my first co-op, I provided IT support, mostly troubleshooting. No day was the same — lots of unexpected real-life situations. Thankfully, a very supportive supervisor, Jim Johnston, encouraged me to collaborate, experiment and learn from mistakes. Soon enough, I was handling tasks independently, adapting faster, engaging in more research, and trying new things.”

Flores Aguirre said she wasn’t shy about asking for feedback, as it helped her understand systems operations, improve her communication and documentation skills, and cultivate solutions. “Thanks to experience and advice, I landed my next co-op at BCLC, performing more high-level tasks and working on my final project using new tools in a larger organization.”

“My manager, Lalon Bolt, encouraged me to work with different teams to determine which tasks and software interested me most. Using Dynatrace helped me visualize the system and become familiar with the web application’s architecture. These experiences enabled me to tackle any challenge, experiment, or aim for bigger goals. Ultimately, these experiences allowed me to keep a job in the field and a full-time position waiting for me after graduation.”

Workplace culture is critical to a happy workplace.

To Flores Aguirre, the culture at BCLC is rooted in kindness. “I felt very welcomed and supported from day one. They understand you’re a student but treat you as a professional. They assigned tasks that made an impact and assisted as needed. The team truly care about your learning and well-being.”

Leanne Mihalicz, co-operative education co-ordinator in computing science, physics and mathematics, marvelled at Flores Aguirre’s motivation to develop relevant experience and expand her professional network. “She embraced every experience and developed strong relationships through formal and informal opportunities, including participating in volunteerism, pickleball and other team-building activities.”

Along with the community spirit and exciting opportunities, Flores Aguirre also highlights BCLC’s flexible hybrid schedule: “This job opened my eyes to the endless opportunities with a comp sci degree. I also realized there are so many other roles I didn’t know existed in the field besides software development. I’ve since learned what certificates and courses I could take to get onto the cybersecurity path.”

Engaging in multi-faceted and complex experiences and projects prepared her to tackle many roles and refined her career pathway. “Students may miss out on great experiences because it’s not the position they originally wanted. The truth is that you have to build yourself up. That boring IT job may be the first step to a higher-level position. Be open to every opportunity – it will help you figure out what you like to do day after day.”

Tenacity is key. 

Flores Aguirre encourages students to keep trying when securing that first co-op position. “It can be challenging to gain field experience when you don’t have experience yet- so don’t get discouraged. I received many rejection letters before getting accepted for my first co-op.”

“The co-op job search can be competitive and, at times, grueling,” Mihalicz said. “Paola was willing and determined to secure that first co-op term, even to relocate on short notice. Her enthusiasm helped her leverage her co-op performance into a full-time role and a great beginning of a long career.”

Endless learning opportunities at BCLC.

Hearing colleagues’ success stories, job shadowing, exploring other fields and networking also benefitted Flores Aguirre’s development of transferable skills. She notes that BCLC offers an intern program that fosters long-term employment for newly graduated students. She worked on meaningful projects by helping the support teams save time and resources by identifying system components when issues arise.

“I learned that teamwork and knowledge sharing are critical to success. In moments of self-doubt, I remind myself that nobody knows everything. Even senior staff members rely on each other for diverse tasks in different parts of the system. It’s okay not to know. We all go through a learning process. The leaders we admire were also once new to their roles.”

Co-op is an unmissable experience.

“Co-op 1000 is well structured and offers students valuable, real-world experience while being paid and earning credits (a good deal if you ask me). These experiences are where I grew the most, personally and professionally, learning that with curiosity, adaptability and a willingness to try, even the most intimidating challenges can become stepping stones to success.”

Paola’s advice to future co-op students:

• Work with Career and Experiential Learning to make your resume and cover letter unique
• Customize each resume to align with each position and skillset requirements
• Be authentic
• Emphasize your soft skills and willingness to learn
• Be patient with the learning process. “Employers know you are a student with limited experience, but if you want to learn, they’ll teach you.”
• Work with TRU Co-op CS advisors like Leanne Mihalicz: “They truly care about you and your career development. I would not have accomplished much without their support and guidance.”

Co-operative education blends the classroom experience with practical applied learning. Discover more at tru.ca/cel.